Ottawa tabs $21.6M for Sayisi Dene energy projects

A remote northern Manitoba community has solar panels stocked — and now, it’s creating the province’s first integrated renewable energy microgrid led by a First Nation.

Ottawa announced $21.6 million for Sayisi Dene First Nation’s electricity-generation projects on Monday.

The community is located at Tadoule Lake, some 250 kilometres west of Churchill. Residents rely on diesel fuel and, according to band leadership, are subject to higher electricity bills and regular diesel spills in the area.

About $800,000 worth of diesel is trucked to Tadoule Lake on ice roads annually, said band councillor Evan Yassie.

This winter, solar panels joined the inbound shipments. Sayisi aims to use solar power and battery storage to create electricity.

It’s been working with Manitoba Hydro on the venture for at least six years. Recently, around two acres of land were cleared to make room for some 300 solar panels. Leadership aims to get the grid running this fall. They estimate it will reduce emissions by 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

“We’re shooting for about 60 per cent displacement of diesel fuel in the community,” said Yassie, a former Sayisi Dene chief.

It counts roughly 300 on-reserve members. It burns about 200,000 litres of diesel annually, Yassie said. Diesel will continue to be used in the winter.

The First Nation operates an economic development branch, Sayisi Dene Renewable Energy Ltd., which is leading the new electricity creation.

It signed a power purchase agreement with Manitoba Hydro, where Hydro will pay the First Nation for the electricity generated, and on-reserve members will keep paying their Hydro bills.

Yassie said it’s too soon to tell how much money the grid will generate.

“We’re going to be monitoring it closely,” he said. “Once we get into it … full time, then we’ll know for sure.”

Revenue from Hydro will fund community needs, he said.

Alongside the Crown corporation, Sayisi Dene tapped Stantec to work on the project.

The First Nation expects to create up to 15 temporary jobs for locals to install solar panels, and another three to four long-term roles for system monitoring.

“It’s caught the attention of so many young people,” Chief Kelly-Ann Thom-Duck said of the project. “They’re constantly coming and asking about work opportunities.”

Sayisi Dene Renewable Energy may install small wind turbines in the future. Feasibility studies are starting, Yassie said, adding the phase likely wouldn’t occur for two or more years.

SDRE is seeking further funding, Yassie said.

Rebecca Chartrand, federal minister for northern and Arctic affairs, said the venture is “what the future looks like.”

“It is that example of economic reconciliation in action,” she added. “It is about letting the people who are dealing with the challenges on an everyday basis be the problem solvers of those issues.”

Jeff Betker, Hydro’s vice-president of Indigenous relations, sustainability, marketing and communications, called the project a way to build a “more resilient, secure energy system.”

Transporting goods via ice road is risky because of rough terrain, Yassie noted.

In June 2025, the federal government issued a notice of determination stating Sayisi’s project isn’t likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com