Government of the Northwest Territories offers enhanced programs with increased funding to Arctic Energy Alliance

November 22, 2018

News Release

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT), in partnership with the Arctic Energy Alliance (AEA) released details today on the $9.12 million in new funding for AEA over the next four years, as well as announced changes to funding for solar projects in hydropower communities across the NWT.

Both announcements are in response to the Arctic Energy Alliance Program and Service Review that was commissioned last year.

The $9.12 million in new funding – which nearly doubles the AEA’s budget will significantly enhance the organization’s programs and services to help Northerners reduce their GHG emissions and lower their energy costs. The funding will be used to enhance existing AEA programs, and to introduce new programs, including support for energy upgrades for owners of older, less efficient homes and low-income home owners, as well as support to NGOs for energy retrofits.

Seventy-five percent of this new funding, for a total of $7.096 million, comes from the recently-announced $23 million provided by the Government of Canada as part of the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund. The GNWT will provide the remaining twenty-five percent, or $2.024 million. This new investment is in addition to the $3 million in annual funding AEA already receives from the GNWT.

A key finding of the program and service review was that AEA should focus more on programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as biomass, and less on low-impact technologies like solar panels in hydro communities, where GHG emissions are already being mitigated due to the availability of renewable hydroelectricity. As a result, grid-connected renewable electricity projects in hydro communities will no longer be funded, to allow resources to be focused on projects that will meaningfully reduce GHG emissions. Applicants currently on the waiting list for the Alternative Energy Technologies Program will still have an opportunity to receive funding.

The GNWT has been and will continue to will work with AEA to implement the needed enhancements over the next year.

Quotes:

“The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to an energy system that contributes to the territory’s economic, social and environmental wellbeing. This announcement supports our commitments under the 2030 Energy Strategy to make energy upgrades more accessible for low-income households, while also increasing support for communities. It will also expand energy efficiency and alternative energy rebates for NWT residents and businesses.” —Wally Schumann, Minister of Infrastructure
“This is an exciting time to be part of the Arctic Energy Alliance. We’re thrilled to receive this additional funding from the GNWT and the Government of Canada. The AEA is dedicated to helping Northerners reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs, and this funding will allow us to make an even bigger impact.” —Mark Heyck, Executive Director

Quick Facts:

The AEA is a not-for-profit society that delivers public facing energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy programs and service to communities, residents and business across the NWT on behalf of the GNWT.
The GNWT provides funding to the AEA to administer public facing energy efficiency, renewable and alternative energy programs and services to residents, businesses and communities in the NWT.
Together, the GNWT and AEA have been working together to phase out funding for solar projects in hydro communities. As part of the process, the GNWT has allowed the AEA to reallocate up to $75,000 in funding to the Alternative Energy Technologies Program to ensure applicants currently on the this year’s wait list an opportunity to receive funding before support solar in hydropower communities becomes unavailable.
The AEA will phase in $9.12 million in new funding and programs over the next several months, with full implementation on April 1, 2019. Funding is limited to projects and rebates that result in GHG emissions reductions.
Under the 2030 Energy Strategy, the GNWT has committed to increasing building energy efficiency by 15% and doubling renewable heating to 40% by 2030.
The new funding program will reduce greenhouse emissions in the NWT by 3,425 tonnes yearly by 2030.

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