Cold Lake First Nations (CLFN) is going green, with solar panels set to be installed on five community buildings.
Utilizing funding from the Alberta Government's Indigenous Solar Program, CLFN is doing their part to battle climate change.
"We are proud to begin the journey towards lower carbon emissions in partnership with the province. All levels of government have a duty to protect the lands under the treaty, and climate change is a clear and present danger to our lands," expressed CLFN Chief Bernice Martial.
The project will receive $200,000 in grant funding, as well as $50,000 put forward by CLFN.
Elders' homes and the administration building will be the first to receive the solar panels. The new source of energy is expected to greatly reduce carbon emissions and give CLFN a major break on their utility bill.
"This project will prevent over 1,300 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere. It's also going to save Cold Lake First Nations approximately $150,000 on utilities over the next 25 years," explained Minister of Indigenous Relations Richard Feehan, during the announcement on CLFN last week.
Implementing solar energy will help CLFN return to a more self-sustaining state. They'll use the panels to bring back some of the qualities from their original way of living, all while becoming more environmentally friendly and reducing energy costs.
"At the beginning of our circle of livelihood we used to be self-sufficient, we didn't have any power. All of a sudden we needed power for everything, and everything was so costly," continued Martial. "Now we're looking at ideas to offset the costs for our gas and power bills, and we're going back to the way it used to be."
Members involved in planning wasted little time in getting the project off the ground. Installation is set to get underway in November, a short six months after the Alberta Indigenous Solar Programs official launch in June.
If the panels work as well as intended, residents around CLFN could see more popping up in the near future.
"This has been one of the first nations that have been up front and moving very quickly. There was no moss on their feet in getting this going, and I suspect they'll be back next year looking at the next round," said Feehan.
He added the provincial government will work hand-in-hand with Martial to create an entirely separate entity to deal with the project. The intention is to involve members from both the province and CLFN in the decision making process.
While it won't happen right away, the hope is the project will eventually extend to residential homes. Martial expects the benefits of the panels to reach beyond the environmental level.
"We have to put the panels at the school first, then at big administration buildings, and then we'll start talking about the homes. It's a process, and it's going to take a little while, but these measures will not only help assist with climate change overall, they will also help improve our quality of life," said Martial.
