Renewable energy key focus at business forum
- EFN Staff | October 18, 2016
Whitecap Dakota-Business leaders from the clean energy, agriculture, and infrastructure industries gathered together with Aboriginal businesses for a day of idea sharing and networking at the second annual Aboriginal Business Forum.
Conference Chair Darrell Balkwill welcomed participants to the event with a blunt assessment of the business climate in Saskatchewan.
“The Saskatchewan economy is among Canada’s leaders in growth. Although growth in the non-renewable resource sector has slowed, Saskatchewan has been blessed with an abundance of renewable natural resources including a rich and diverse agricultural sector and an abundance of renewable energy sources like hydro, solar and wind. Saskatchewan’s Aboriginal people present a key human and business resource for furthering these developments,” said Balkwill.
Related:
- Black Lake moving ahead on hydro project
- Business forum discussed ways to encourage Aboriginal engagement
The speech set the day for conversations around renewable energy and agriculture. George Lafond, former Treaty Commissioner and now a Director for Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) joined Leah Lawrence, the President and CEO of SDTC in the opening keynote address.
“Education means achievement and achievement equals success,” said Lafond. “Education in our communities is one of our biggest weaknesses. This is where innovation comes in. We have to change our education systems. We have to ask hard questions and do better.”
He also pointed out that the opportunities in First Nation communities for renewable energy are vast. “As First Nations we have to understand the innovation wave. We have to build better houses that don’t get black mold. We have to stop diesel generation for isolated communities and replace that with solar.”
Some communities have already started down the renewable path. The Tazi Twe hydro project in Black Lake First Nation and the Cowessess High Wind Project were presented to the forum. Terri-Lynn Beavereye the Business Manager for Black Lake says the project has strong approval from the community.
“We went to every community impacted and explained the whole project to them. We told them there was no financial risk to us. There is a trust set up and we get elected people on it. We promised them the land would go back to the way it was at the end of the project. 62.9 percent voted in favour so it was a relief,” said Beavereye. “Now we start training our people so we can capitalize on the jobs and business opportunities during the 2-3 years of construction. Then they want us to focus on housing and education and recreation.”
Lionel “Rook” Sparvier shared the impact of their wind project on their community.
“Wind power is a good thing,” said Rook Sparvier. “The key to success for us was basing our decisions on objective third party analysis. And all of our projects are driven and owned by our First Nations needs.”
Presentations also included building renewable energy, opportunities in agriculture and a panel on procurement opportunities with SaskPower, SaskHighways and Lynco Eagle.
The day was summarised on an engagement wall sponsored by Affinity Credit Union where participants added thoughts on the day, renewable energy and reconciliation and business. Many of the comments agreed that a better effort had to be done by business people to bring young people to events like the forum so they could mentor them. All profits from the forum will be used to provide scholarships to Indigenous students.