Our newsletter: 29 February 2024
B.C. introduces loan-guarantee program
The 2024-5 B.C. budget speech from Finance Minister Katrine Conroy (above) promised loan guarantees for First Nations so they can borrow funds to purchase equity interest in projects “across a broad range of sectors.” See pages 62-63 of the speech at https://ow.ly/UXRP50QGV1G
Conroy added: “Through First Nations equity participation, the benefits of strong project partnerships can be realized, including economic growth, informed decision-making, and improved regulatory certainty.”
The promised First Nations Equity Financing Framework was hailed by energy company Enbridge: https://ow.ly/Jbk250QH8f1.
TC Energy applauded the Framework as ‘an important step towards economic reconciliation.’ https://ow.ly/ZgPy50QHQyy
And it was welcomed by the Indigenous Resource Network: https://ow.ly/WCYE50QHxo2
B.C. said it will work closely with the federal government, which has promised such a loan-guarantee program in its 2024-15 budget, due soon.
Neither government has yet said whether its loan guarantees will include or exclude First Nations investments in oil and gas projects.
Resource Works said that’s a “critical issue,” and quoted Sharleen Gale, chair of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition: “We want to be part of the oil and gas industry.” https://ow.ly/oTJF50QHzXc
Meanwhile, BC announced it will not proceed with proposed amendments to the Land Act, that were to establish shared decision-making with First Nations: https://ow.ly/JnNc50QGHST
Feds’ oil/gas emissions cap rapped
Lori Ackerman (above), former mayor of Fort St. John B.C. and a business consultant, was one of the panellists in our webinar on Canada’s planned emissions cap on oil and gas.
“Multi-national producers will just move their capital funds to a less regulated country,” she said.
Other comments included:
- ‘It’s going to hurt industries, going to hurt jobs.’ — Chris Sankey, Indigenous business leader.
- ‘First Nations really have to come together and unify to take a stance on such a cap.’— Stephen Buffalo, CEO of the Indian Resource Council of Canada.
The video-recording of the full seminar is at https://ow.ly/GBRZ50QGtq1 and the password is W@8$z1sr
Then Alberta’s Canadian Energy Centre said the proposed federal cap on oil/gas emissions would require production cuts, and sends a conflicting message to our allies in Asia who are asking for reliable and responsibly-produced energy: https://bit.ly/3HKKZ0c
The Indigenous Resource Network said the cap will decrease investment in the oil and gas industry and cap Indigenous opportunities: https://ow.ly/TUal50QBQbQ
And the Fraser Institute said Ottawa should scrap its plan, finding that the emissions cap means large costs, lost jobs, and little benefit: https://ow.ly/RuJl50QGFWY
Alliance supported Pink Shirt Day
For anti-bullying Pink Shirt Day (which was on Wednesday Feb. 28) our Alliance CEO, Karen Ogen, noted how one in five kids is affected by bullying.
And we found one study that painted an even worse picture: It found that seven in 10 young Canadians had experienced at least one form of bullying in the past year: https://ow.ly/YHNq50QGgmn.
Karen’s appeal: “Be the light people need in this world of darkness.”
- Learn more about Pink Shirt Day and the bullying it battles: https://www.pinkshirtday.ca/
Support for women at Nation2Nation event
The “Angel” program is here to support women whose financial situations do not allow them to register for Nation2Nation’s Women’s Gathering in Prince Rupert B.C. April 25-26.
A number of women will thus be able to attend at no cost. Deadline to apply is March 30: https://ow.ly/op8450QFKza
Check out event details — and registration — at https://ow.ly/SJKG50QB7zk. The Alliance is a partner in this event.
Indigenous clean-energy news
- Malahat Nation set for start of construction of Canada’s first Indigenous-led battery plant (above): https://ow.ly/Ifog50QGLNf
- Three First Nations communities on Vancouver Island lead clean-energy projects with B.C. government funding: https://ow.ly/pNzs50QEb1z
- Uchucklesaht Tribe and Ahousaht First Nation in B.C. develop clean-energy projects: https://ow.ly/VM3f50QFcSP See also: https://ow.ly/caBu50QFjB4
- Ocean Man First Nation partners to build largest solar facility in Saskatchewan: https://ow.ly/wlhv50QHAaN
- Innu First Nation and Hydro-Québec plan a $45-million, 1000-megawatt windfarm project: https://ow.ly/u16Q50QHAec
- Equity loan from Canada Infrastructure Bank supports Mi’kmaw investment in energy storage facilities in Nova Scotia: https://ow.ly/3YzL50QEb6V See also: https://ow.ly/qYan50QIK0Q
- Heat pumps in 305 Heiltsuk Nation homes in B.C. are called a success: https://ow.ly/NKtv50QFmVo
- Low-emissions gas-fired plant, owned in part by six First Nations, will supply more than eight per cent of Alberta’s power: https://ow.ly/sE9c50QHP76
ALSO IN THE NEWS
- Pembina Pipeline delays final investment decision on the Haisla Nation’s proposed Cedar LNG project until mid-year: https://ow.ly/oU1x50QHih4
- Shell sees global demand for LNG rising by more than 50% by 2040. But ‘demand . . . globally is set to peak after 2040.’ https://ow.ly/8ecz50QGhQ6 See also Woodside Energy: https://ow.ly/Fo8F50QIjnG
- Qatar Is betting big on LNG and says other nations should, too: ly/c7W250QHyWr See also: ow.ly/aSwv50QHyWq
- Indigenous-owned LNG projects would be in jeopardy with Ottawa’s proposed emissions cap, leaders warn. Alliance CEO Karen Ogen is among them: https://ow.ly/aMT750QIKM7
- Mike Rose of Tourmaline Oil, Canada’s largest natural-gas producer, was named Canada’s Outstanding CEO of 2023: https://ow.ly/Z4L550QGfxW
- Canada secures the surrender of the last remaining permits for oil and gas development off the Pacific Coast: https://ow.ly/ikun50QGfmX
DATES
- The First Nations Major Projects Coalition’s 7th annual conference, Toronto, April 22-23: https://ow.ly/4nw750PHYCf
- The 8th Indigenous Resource Opportunities Conference, Nanaimo: April 24 – 26: https://ow.ly/zrnb50QsQrL
- Nation2Nation Women’s Gathering, Prince Rupert, April 25-26: https://ow.ly/P47f50Qu4MZ
- Transformation in Energy summit, Calgary, May 13-15: https://ow.ly/LPar50QtFi2
- The International Gas Research Conference, Banff, May 13-16: https://ow.ly/YCMV50Q9E6j. (Our Alliance CEO, Karen Ogen, is on the national governing body: https://igrc2024.org/)
- Forward Summit: Empowering Indigenous Economies, May 14-15, Tsuut’ina Nation, near Calgary: https://ow.ly/Ebx750QnWXf
- Indigenous Partnerships Success Showcase, June 5-6, Vancouver Convention Centre: https://ow.ly/uiop50QjxVH
- National Coalition of Chiefs Energy and Natural Resource Summit, June 9-10, Tsuut’ina Nation, near Calgary: https://ow.ly/ch9u50PTw7X?
- Forward Summit East, Sept. 25-26, Orillia ON; https://ow.ly/i65h50QnWYR
- Forward Summit West Coast, Oct. 22-23, Vancouver: https://ow.ly/qvu650QnX0B
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(Posted here 03 March 2024)
