Metis-Nation Saskatchewan gets $400K from Ottawa for green energy initiative

The federal government is contributing more than $400,000 to Métis Nation-Saskatchewan to help build towards a green energy future.

Federal Natural Resource Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced $414,000 will go towards establishing the Métis Nation – Saskatchewan (MNS) EnerGuide capacity initiative.

The initiative will see MNS become a licensed EnerGuide service organization to "ensure Métis communities have the internal capacity to conduct home evaluation activities for their housing throughout the province of Saskatchewan," according to a news release from the federal government.

"The building sector accounts for nearly a fifth of Canada's emissions and improvements and efficiency are a way to deliver affordability," Wilkinson said during a Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce luncheon announcing the funding commitment.

"It is an important part moving forward both environmentally and economically."

The funding will be doled out over the next two years, Wilkinson said. The money will also be used to train energy auditors who will be able to support home energy evaluations in Métis communities.

"Northern Saskatchewan communities are faced with long travel times for energy auditors, which increase costs and create barriers to participation in the program. MN-S is proud to begin the training process for additional auditors starting in Pinehouse, this spring. Community demand for these services is strong, and the greener homes program is an important tool for bringing down the massive home heating costs for Métis living in these communities," Brent Laroque, MN-S director of environment, said in a news release.

As part of the Canada Greener Homes initiative, a network of registered energy advisors help homeowners discover retrofit options to improve energy efficiency by installing things like heat pumps or upgrading windows.

Using an energy advisor for a pre-retrofit evaluation for a grant up to $5,000 is the first step in accessing up to $40,000 available interest-free under the loan.

Since the program launched, $210 million in grants have been issued to almost 54,000 homeowners. More than 90 percent of homeowners receive their grants within 40 business days of the program reviewing their receipts and other required documents, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources.

With more and more governments across the world leaning into the green energy economy and all of the opportunities it will present as electricity critical minerals and other resources will spike in demand, Wilkinson said Saskatchewan will play a key role in attaining some of Ottawa's goals.

"I think Saskatchewan has enormous opportunity," Wilkinson said, highlighting biofuels, agriculture and critical minerals as key areas that could be monetized further to boost the economy.

"Saskatchewan has an abundance of opportunities. It's a matter of seizing them."