The Ontario government is investing $171,926 into a pair of Neyaashiinigmiing-based energy projects designed to create local jobs and make energy programs more accessible for First Nations communities.
Delivered through the Independent Electricity System Operator's Indigenous Energy Support Program, the funding supports community-led initiatives aimed at building a more competitive, resilient, and self-reliant province. Part of the funding will hire a full-time data manager and upgrade Boodawewin, a web application that helps First Nations consumers match with energy efficiency programs. The upgrades will improve usability and increase access to critical housing and energy data, which is vital for addressing energy poverty in these communities.
The remaining funds will support Ishkoday in partnership with Home Inspectors Group to train 12 to 15 new Indigenous energy auditors. This project focuses on recruiting students from harder-to-reach areas of Ontario, opening up new employment opportunities while providing First Nations households with better access to culturally comfortable audit services needed to enter energy programs. emphasized the importance of community involvement in the sector's future, noting that Indigenous communities have a vital role to play in Ontario's energy landscape.
“Indigenous communities have a vital role to play in Ontario’s energy future,” said Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Paul Vickers. “This investment will help empower community members, and ensure Indigenous voices are heard in shaping the energy systems that affect their communities and Ontario as a whole."
The investment comes as applications officially open for the 2026 intake of the Indigenous Energy Support Program. The provincially administered program distributes funding across four key streams: Capacity Building, Economic Development, Energy Resiliency and Monitoring, and the new Remote Projects Development stream, which assists remote communities in transitioning away from diesel-powered generation.
