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FedNor cash a first step in getting remote communities off diesel

THUNDER BAY – Diesel power has no future in remote Northern Ontario communities, says the CEO of NCC Development. Geordi Kakepetum on Thursday said he’s hopeful a FedNor investment of $2.

THUNDER BAY – Diesel power has no future in remote Northern Ontario communities, says the CEO of NCC Development.

Geordi Kakepetum on Thursday said he’s hopeful a FedNor investment of $2.7 million will start a region-wide switch from dirty diesel to cleaner, renewable energy sources.

The money will help pay for the construction of a micro-grid company, which has already started construction of a solar panel network in Fort Severn.

“There is a great need in every community in the North,” Kakepetum said.

“Every community is in crisis right now with regards to electricity. Every community has the same problem and it’s not only our six communities. It’s every community north of Sioux Lookout and Thunder Bay.”

The problem is so dire that many First Nations communities will reach diesel-power capacity as early as next year.

As it stands power availability is limited, which heavily curtails many entrepreneurial aspirations residents may have.

“There are a lot of entrepreneurs in our communities. For instance, in Deer Lake, if you go there, there are confectionary stores where people are selling gas and because of a lack of electricity, people remain as small businesses, as opposed to expanding,” Kakepetum said.

“People want to expand to create more opportunity to create more revenue for themselves. But because there is no capacity to do it, they can’t.”

Kakepetum estimates the micro-grids can cut diesel use by as much as 50 per cent, which can save communities hundreds of thousands of dollars over the long run.

That money can be put to better use, he said, on education, housing or other programs.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains was on hand for the announcement during a whirlwind stop in Thunder Bay.

Bains, the minister responsible for FedNor, said the announcement was not only about economic growth, but about long-term growth in clean energy, an area of priority for the federal government.

“And of course for the Aboriginal community it’s important to get them off dirty diesel, so we think we accomplished both. We’re growing the economy, creating jobs and opportunities, building capacity and also getting off dirty diesel,” said Bains, flanked by Minister for Status of Women Patty Hajdu and MP Don Rusnak, the city’s two Liberal representatives.

Kakepetum said the project, which could expand to other northern communities if successful, will create maintenance jobs that will be staffed by people from within the Fort Severn community.

 



Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
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