The Government of Canada's Powering Canada Forward' report released earlier this week demonstrates a continued absence of concrete commitments and forward-looking strategies for Nunavut, Nukik Corporation (Nukik) announced today (Aug 11).
"The report mentions ambitions to build and deliver clean, affordable, and reliable electricity to every region of Canada, and further expands on this being a nation-building project that should advance the self-determination of Indigenous communities. Yet, its glaring omission of Nunavut is a testament to its oversight," says David Kakuktinniq, President of Nukik. "Nunavut is the only jurisdiction in Canada that does not have critical infrastructure connecting it to the rest of the nation. The Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link (KHFL) is the essence of a nation-building project that this report talks about, and one that fully supports economic reconciliation and Inuit self-determination in the Kivalliq Region and all of Nunavut."
This report, branded as the Federal Government's blueprint for progress in the electricity sector, addresses Nunavut merely in passing as a data point and fails to provide a comprehensive roadmap that would ensure equitable access to resources and initiatives propelling the clean energy transition in the Territory, a priority enjoyed however by the rest of the nation. This report, along with Budget 2023, have not addressed the needs of Inuit and Nunavummiut at large who continue to be left behind.
As a 100 per cent Inuit-owned organization developing the KHFL, Nukik believes that the infrastructure gap impacting Inuit and Nunavummiut must be addressed. The KHFL is designed to begin addressing that gap by bringing renewable energy and fibre-optic internet to the Kivalliq region of Nunavut. It is the only major infrastructure project currently at the development stage that will support Nunavut in transitioning off diesel generation with dispatchable, baseload electricity and meet Canada's 2030 GHG emissions reduction target for the Territory. While Powering Canada Forward' acknowledges that significant investments, co-operation, and determination are required to deliver on the government's vision for clean electricity, the immediate access to funds essential to advancing this vision across Canada's North remains absent.
"The KHFL represents exactly the strategic and bold thinking that the Government of Canada is encouraging and calling for in this report," comments Kono Tattuinee, President of the Kivalliq Inuit Association. "The KFHL would help meet the government's critical goals, objectives, and commitments, including climate action, closing the infrastructure gap, and facilitating Arctic sovereignty and security."
'Powering Canada Forward' emphasizes electricity's pivotal role in the everyday lives of Canadians - keeping homes, schools, hospitals, and other vital infrastructure running and operating. Yet, Nunavut endures the ongoing absence of reliable connectivity and electricity. Nukik is hopeful that the release of this report will come with the delivery of commitments promised, including supporting Indigenous-led clean energy projects and using its convening power to deliver the pace of change required. Inuit have always been ready and eager to be the collaborative partner mentioned in the report and are determined to continue advancing the KHFL as a true nation-building project.
"It is sad to see that at a time when the federal government is putting in place unprecedented climate measures, it is actively cutting Nunavut out of that clean energy revolution," said Anne-Raphaëlle Audouin, CEO of Nukik. "Nunavut's population will continue to grow, and we must have a plan that delivers economic opportunities, protects environmental health and sustains a prosperous future for all Canadians".
For more information please contact: info@nukik.ca
