THUNDER BAY -- Lac Des Mille Lacs First Nation took a step toward resettlement on Friday with a joint federal-provincial commitment to create a solar-powered micro-grid.
Thunder Bay Superior North MP Patty Hajdu and MPP Michael Gravelle announced the $520,000 joint project amid 11 other funding pledges for municipalities and First Nations in Northeastern Ontario.
Lac Des Mille Lacs Coun. Tracy Morrison said the solar project would replace a diesel grid and give her members an energy base to build a permanent community.
“The vision of the chief and council is to return to our community,” she said.
“The elders and our community members for the most part want this as well, beyond a part-time to a full-time basis.”
Those living in Lac Des Mille Lacs were displaced in the 1950s.
While most of the First Nation’s current 600 members live between Thunder Bay and Kenora, they’re disbursed between British Columbia to Nova Scotia and even into the United States.
Once a power grid is constructed, Morrison said, the First Nation can move forward on constructing 50 lots its leadership has already surveyed.
The announcement falls under the 10-year $272-million Small Communities Fund, which is equally shared between the federal and provincial government.
Both Hajdu and Gravelle stated the project’s value in terms of reconciliation and governmental commitment to confronting climate change.
“Infrastructure investments are crucial to building up our economy,” Gravelle said.
“They certainly do position smaller communities to be able to build their communities from an economic base to a much more positive one in the sense of job creation, let alone finding a way to have a cleaner environment.”
Hajdu echoed the sentiments of her provincial counterpart.
“We believe Canada will be stronger when we invest in communities of all sizes but small communities often have a hard time accessing big infrastructure money so this separate fund allows for smaller communities to post projects that are going to enhance their social life or their economic life,” Hajdu said.
