Onion Lake Cree Nation wants to lead the way into a new era of solar power for Indigenous communities.
The First Nation, which straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan border about 50 kilometres north of Lloydminster, is installing rooftop solar panels on 123 homes in the community of about 7,000 people.
The $1.28-million project is being paid for by federal grants and more than $500,000 from Raven Outcomes, which helps Indigenous communities find funding for projects.
Jake Aaron, the director of capital projects for Onion Lake, said he wants to forge a path for other First Nations.
“Hopefully, more will follow the processes we’re doing right now and make their own communities more sustainable,” Aaron said in an interview Monday.
“We’re definitely a pioneer in this field moving forward.”