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INDIGENOUS
ENERGY
“Empowering Indigenous Communities to be Leaders of the Clean Energy Future”
Does your community have concerns about energy affordability & security?
Is your community interested in energy projects and energy conservation?
Are there energy transmission/distribution projects happening or being planned for your traditional territory?
CIPS is your one stop shop for all of your energy project needs.
With over 50 years of combined experience in the energy sector, the CIPS Team can assist you with every phase of your project including community engagement & consultation, feasibility, concept development, planning, fundraising, implementation, and evaluation.
Our team is passionate about building capacity in communities and seeing your energy projects come to fruition. We take the time to get to know our communities and to give them the tools and support they need to be successful every step of the way.
As an all-Indigenous team, we also specialize in rights-based advisory and advocacy for energy projects in your traditional territory and advice for industry and government.
At CIPS we firmly believe that well-planned energy projects have the potential to be transformative. Empowering Indigenous Communities to be leaders in clean energy and inclusion of Indigenous Communities in energy projects can help to improve projects and bridge the gap towards reconciliation.
The Education and Experience of our team is stellar, including long-term staff with Engineering, Legal, and Community Energy Champion backgrounds; and we have established trust and excellent working relationships with many national, regional, and provincial Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations, governments, and non-profits in the energy sector.
OUR SERVICES
COMMUNITY ENERGY PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION, & MANAGEMENT SUPPORT
At CIPS we pride ourselves on being specialists in Community Energy Planning.
We have helped many Indigenous Communities successfully apply for funding, train their Community Energy Champions, provide energy education & awareness sessions, engage with their community to create a vision for their energy, create and implement community energy surveys, and process & analyze energy data & community feedback.
We also work with our communities to provide support to Community Energy Champions throughout the Energy Plan development & implementation process. We can help with energy project design & management, feasibility studies, requests for quotes or proposals, vendor searches, environmental site assessments, energy auditing, human resource planning and development for your energy projects, and more.
Having worked with so many communities throughout their energy planning process, we have become a trusted source with a very good working relationship and extensive knowledge and experience of programs through the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), Energy and Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN), Indigenous Clean Energy (ICE), and others.
Related: What is a Community Energy Plan?
CIPS Community Energy Plans Project Showcase:
Wikwemikong Community Energy Plan
Chippewas of Georgina Island Community Energy Plan
The Hamlet of Kugaaruk Community Energy Plan
TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION SUPPORT
When there are transmission & distribution projects being considered in your traditional territory, your community should be involved in the process as early as possible in order to minimize environmental impact, ensure that projects are carried out in ways that respect and uphold Aboriginal & Treaty rights, and to ensure that your community is maximizing the benefits of the shared resources within your traditional territory.
Unfortunately, these projects can be lengthy, complex, time consuming, and can stretch the already limited capacity of Indigenous Communities. We can help to navigate that process through advice and review of studies, identifying and implementing plans to study impacts and gather traditional knowledge, and assist with accessing funding support.
We can also support through community engagement, negotiation of Impact Benefit and Accommodation Agreements & Equity Participation Plans, human resource development & procurement plans, and Indigenous participation plans.
Transmission Project Resources:
Hydro One Launches Industry Leading 50/50 Equity Model With First Nations
Indigenous Communities in Ontario's Energy Sector
Priority Transmission Projects
ENERGY EDUCATION & AWARENESS
We can work with you to design and deliver innovative and engaging Energy Education & Awareness workshops, events, and strategies customized for your community.
We believe that knowledge is power.
Our aim is to empower your community with the information and tools needed to make informed decisions about energy consumption and conservation.
Sharing knowledge around renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and sustainable practices can ultimately lead to a reduction in energy costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and a more sustainable future for the generations of the future.
ENERGY ENGAGEMENT & CONSULTATION SUPPORT
CIPS has a variety of experience providing support in energy legislation, policy, and consultation services for Indigenous Communities & Organizations, industry, and Provincial & Federal Governments.
Our team strives to continually push for more equitable processes that uphold Aboriginal & Treaty Rights, advance reconciliation, and ensure the protection of the land for future generations. Related: 5 Steps to Meaningful Indigenous Engagement
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ENERGY PROJECT DESIGN & MANAGEMENT
Whether you are planning a building retrofit, solar project, off-diesel initiative, or sustainable housing initiative, the CIPS team can help with all of your energy project design and management needs.
We can help with feasibility studies, vendor selection, requests for quotes, requests for proposals, detailed design, fundraising, implementation, and project assessment.
We are excited to see all of the amazing projects in Indigenous Communities and would love to help you transform your vision into a reality while maximizing energy efficiency and sustainability.
PROPOSAL & FUNDRAISING SUPPORT
The CIPS team is made up of Indigenous professionals who have extensive experience in crafting successful project proposals specifically tailored to the unique needs and aspirations of Indigenous Communities.
Our experts have a proven track record of securing funding from various government agencies, private organizations, and non-profit entities. We'll work closely with you to identify the most suitable funding sources for your energy projects.
From ideation to implementation, we'll work with you to develop comprehensive project plans that will set you up for success.
CLIMATE RESILIENCY, ADAPTATION, & CLIMATE LENS ASSESSMENTS
As we chart a path towards a more sustainable future and in acknowledgement of the severe impacts of climate change, many communities are seeking Climate Resiliency and Adaptation Plans.
These plans ensure that your projects and development are happening in a way that identifies the possible future impacts of climate change and adds resiliency and adaptation measures to the planning and implementation.
Many funding agencies are aware of the many potential impacts of climate change
Related Resources
What is A Climate Resiliency & Adaptation Plan?
What is a Climate Lens Assessment?
PARTNERSHIP NEGOTIATION ADVICE
Our team is highly skilled and experienced in negotiating partnerships with all levels of government and private industry.
Let us help you research, assess, and negotiate potential opportunities and partnerships to ensure values alignment and that your Community is looked after and benefiting from projects in your traditional territory.
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TECHNICAL SUPPORT & TRAINING
The CIPS team’s variety of experience means that we can offer you technical support in the areas of engineering, data collection & analysis, feasibility study review, building condition assessment, and so much more.
We can help to sift through the complexities of your projects and distill the information into presentations or reports that will make sense for decision makers and community members.
At CIPS we work hard to leave everything better than we found it – so we love to see Communities and organizations build capacity through the projects that we work on!
We can provide and coordinate a wide range of trainings for your community members, decision makers, staff, or project partners. While our team specializes in Indigenous Aware Training, we can also offer training in Energy Basics, Proposal Writing, Training for Community Energy Champions, Energy Auditing, and more!
We can also work with you to develop a customized human resources development strategy or a custom training package to meet your unique needs.
To find out how we can help you with your community’s energy needs, please see contact us at: (705) 657-1126 and ask to speak with Shayne Hill, Manager of Energy and Infrastructure.
You can also email us at: spirit@indigenousaware.com
To set up a short 15 minute consultation with our CEO, Mike Jacobs, please see this page here. Chi Miigwetch (thank you) and good luck!
Indigenous communities, governments, and organizations in every region of Canada have been active developers of renewable energy projects over the past two decades. Today, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit entities are partners or beneficiaries of almost 20 per cent of Canada’s electricity-generating infrastructure, and almost all of that infrastructure is producing renewable energy. Indigenous Peoples are thus at the forefront of the country’s clean energy evolution
(Waves of Change https://indigenouscleanenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ICE-report-ENGLISH-FINAL.pdf)n
