'We’ve got to offer something better': Sask. First Nations installing solar power

Muskoday First Nation is installing solar power at its administration building, school and fire hall.

PRINCE ALBERT — Two Saskatchewan First Nations are launching solar power initiatives to reduce pollution and energy costs.

The federal government is providing Muskoday First Nation with about $315,000 for a 190 kilowatt project. Cowessess First Nation is receiving about $633,000 for a 320 kilowatt project.

Muskoday will soon get electricity from the sun at its administration building, school and fire hall. The project will help create jobs for local people and is expected to reduce energy costs on the buildings by 40 per cent.

Chief Herman Crain said the most important benefit is reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“You look to the future and the generations behind us, we’ve got to offer something better I think as far as something that’s sustainable, causes less harm to Mother Earth,” he said.

Over the project’s lifetime, Muskoday is expected to reduce about 2,700 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. That’s the equivalent to taking about 800 passenger vehicles off of the road for a year, according to a news release.

“What I hope it leads to is further solar projects, maybe in houses to reduce that cost to the homeowners,” added Crain.

Band Coun. Randy Bear said he was inspired to research solar power from the previous chief, Austin Bear, who retired in early 2019. At that point, the technology was more expensive and wasn’t as advanced, he said.

Bear said the First Nation’s vision is “less dependency on the status quo.”

That’s not the only solar power project Muskoday is implementing.

A new business called the Muskoday Solar Utility Network, or MSUN, is anticipated to be running by spring. Bear said they’re hoping to break ground by the end of the year. The 320 kilowatt project will sell energy back to SaskPower, he said.

Muskoday is located about 19 kilometres southeast of Prince Albert.

Cowessess, located about 170 kilometres east of Regina, is installing solar power at five of its community-owned buildings. The first nation is expected to see a reduction of about 6,500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over the project’s lifetime, equivalent to taking about 2,000 passenger vehicles off of the road for a year.

“The cost savings realized will be redirected to underfunded social areas,” said Chief Cadmus Delorme.

“Renewable energy speaks to our traditional values of land stewardship and environmental sustainability, and allows us to think of our future generations in the way our previous generations have thought about us.”

The money comes from the Government of Canada’s Low Carbon Economy Fund.