Indigenous Clean Energy Opportunities – Government of British Columbia

This initiative is a collaboration between First Nations Leadership Council, BC First Nations Energy and Mining Council and Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation.

What is this engagement about?

Through the ICEO process, the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation and the First Nations Energy and Mining Council are seeking to engage First Nations rights holders and organizations in a collaborative dialogue to:

position First Nations to fully participate in current and future opportunities in British Columbia’s clean energy sector; and
align the Province’s strategic clean energy policy and legislation with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous people.

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Participation Opportunities

For the Hydrogen Energy Workshop (Virtual, January 31^st, 2023 @ 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST) to learn more about hydrogen energy and opportunities for Indigenous communities across BC, please email Mark Blom at mark.blom@fnemc.ca to register.

Stay tuned for information on more upcoming participation opportunities for First Nations rights holders and organizations. Please feel free to check out the Updates! section below to view the video recordings of the March 2022 workshops.

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Updates!

Oct 4, 2022 – Currently planning implementation of ICEO activities under three “tables” as jointly endorsed over the summer by the First Nations Leadership Council and the Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. The three tables are the Electricity Table, the Hydrogen Market Opportunities Table and the Legislative Standing Table.

Mar 9, 2022 – The March 1st and March 3rd Workshops were held. Thank you to all the participants!

To see the slides on the ICEO overview and process, including anticipated next steps, that were presented at the workshops, click here.

To see the video recordings from the two workshops:

click on Mar 1 (Passcode please type manually: ICEO_Mar1!) and on Mar 3 (Passcode please type manually : ICEO_Mar3!).
- Agenda for March 1st (the video recording starts from the Joint Presentation by FNEMC and the Ministry, and includes the Plenary to the lunch break)
- Agenda for March 3rd (the video recording starts from remarks delivered by Kukpi7 Judy Wilson, followed by the Joint Presentation and the Plenary to the lunch break)
The March 3rd workshop included a presentation by 3 members of the Remote Community Energy Strategy Working Group to provide workshop attendees an example of a collaborative approach between the Ministry and indigenous communities. To see this video recording, click on RCES (Passcode please type manually: ICEO_Mar3!)

Feb 23, 2022– Pre-read materials for before the March 1st and March 3rd Regional Workshops:

Agenda for March 1st / Agenda for March 3rd

Draft Terms of Reference for the ICEO engagement (see pages 5 to 7 for preliminary list of topics for ICEO engagement)
Information for Consideration Prior to the March Workshops
Proposed Policy, Program and Legislative and/or Regulatory Initiatives For Discussion
First Nations Energy and Mining Council – “Interest Paper: Comprehensive Review of BC Hydro, Phase 3 – Summary of Review and Recommendations, June 27, 2021”
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation – “What We Heard“

Jan 24, 2022 – Registration for the Regional Workshops in March is now open to First Nations rights holders and organizations in BC. We would like to draw your attention to the Draft Terms of Reference (pages 5 to 7, Preliminary topics for ICEO engagement) in advance of the Regional Workshops. Please click here more details.

Jan 12, 2022 – Thank you to the workshop participants who posed questions at the November 17, 2021 event. The Questions and Answers Paper can be accessed on the Resources page of this website, under ICEO Engagement Resources.

Dec 07, 2021 – In case you missed it – a video of the November 17, 2021 event can be accessed on the Resources page of this website, under ICEO Engagement Resources.

Oct 17, 2021 – The ICEO engagement is now launched. First Nations rights holders and First Nations organizations are encouraged to register for the November 17, 2021 virtual province-wide ICEO kick-off event! Register for this workshop, and complete this questionnaire to provide us with your feedback regarding topics of interest in the clean energy sector.

Email your ideas and comments

To BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation: ICEO@gov.bc.ca

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What people are saying

“This engagement brings us together in the spirit of reconciliation with this tremendous opportunity to shift to a clean energy future that addresses the challenges of climate change.”
– Bruce Ralston, B.C. Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation

“First Nations are already leaders in demonstrating how clean energy must be one of the tools that moves us towards economic reconciliation with the Province of B.C. while reducing our carbon emissions and responding to the climate crisis. We expect this new initiative will fully support energy sovereignty for our communities and ensure that any clean energy development project recognizes and affirms our inherent and constitutionally protected Title, Rights and Treaty Rights, including the rights of sovereignty and jurisdiction.”
– Regional Chief Terry Teegee, B.C. Assembly of First Nations

“Our communities have been leading the charge in advocating for more sustainable clean energy sources that would assist in addressing the climate crisis. First Nation-owned clean energy utilities have an opportunity to be at the forefront of this sector and the ICEO process will be a critical component in helping to chart the pathway.”
– Robert Phillips, First Nations Summit, Political Executive

Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the B.C. Public Service carries out its work on the territories of 204 First Nations communities across B.C., each with unique cultures, languages, legal traditions and relationships to these lands and waters. We also respectfully acknowledge and honour the Métis and Inuit people living in B.C.

Indigenous Clean Energy Opportunities (ICEO)

This initiative is a collaboration between First Nations Leadership Council, BC First Nations Energy and Mining Council and Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation.
Contact ICEO: ICEO@gov.bc.ca