Community Energy Diesel Reduction (CEDR)

Overview

The CEDR Program will provide remote communities with access to three funding streams to support their progress through various stages of planning and implementation of their decarbonization projects. This will ensure remote communities have financial supports throughout the lifecycle of their energy projects that meets them at the stage where they are at, whether it be at the beginning, early, mid, or late stages of planning or implementation of their decarbonization projects.

The CEDR Program was developed in partnership with Coast Funds and the B.C. Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation as part of the Ministry’s Remote Community Energy Strategy to achieve the CleanBC goal of reducing diesel electricity generation and heating in remote communities by 80% by 2030.

In 2023, BC Hydro joined the CEDR Program as a funder, combining the Indigenous Communities Conservation Program (ICCP) with CEDR’s DSM stream. This partnership was created so that all DSM funding available to Indigenous Non-Integrated Area communities can be housed within one program, and therefore one application for communities. Further details on this merger can be found in the DSM Quick Guide.

Starting in 2024, the Community Energy Planning and Demand Side Management streams will be transitioning to an open intake format. The application period will open for all 3 CEDR streams (CEP, DSM, REG) at the same time on June 3, 2024. The application closing date for the REG stream will be July 15, 2024. No applications for funding in the REG stream will be accepted past this date. The CEP and DSM streams will continue to accept applications until November 29, 2024 or until funds are exhausted. These applications will be reviewed upon submission and funding distributed throughout the year. For further information, please contact Program Staff.

To learn more about CleanBC’s Remote Community Energy Strategy, please visit their website.

Program Objectives

The goal of the CEDR Program is to:

• Build remote community capacity to reduce reliance on diesel fuel for electricity generation and lead energy efficiency and clean energy projects;
• Support remote community efforts to improve energy performance and minimize greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in new and existing buildings;
• Implement renewable energy generation projects to offset diesel generation.

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants are First Nations and remote communities that are off-grid communities that rely on diesel fuel for electricity generation and are listed as an eligible applicant in the table further below.

If you have any questions regarding your organization’s eligibility, please connect with us at cedr@nrtf.ca

Project Funding Streams

There are three broad streams of funding support that an eligible remote community can access throughout the lifecycle of their clean energy initiatives:

Stream 1: Community Energy Planning (CEP)

The foundation of the CEDR Program is the support to remote communities in the development, maintenance, and management of a Community Energy Plan (CEP).

The CEDR Program has been designed to support remote communities on their CEP’s for the duration of the Program. This means remote communities that do not have a CEP will have a CEP developed as a first step in the Program. Remote communities that have older CEPs can have their CEPs updated through the Program; likewise, remote communities that have CEPs that do not meet the full criteria identified by the Program can update their CEPs to address these gaps. Remote communities that have completed a CEP that meets all Program criteria (whether these CEPs were developed through the Program or prior to Program launch) will receive energy management support, including regular updates to CEPs.

The CEDR Program has developed a template and comprehensive checklist for CEP that provides criteria for remote communities and their consultants to use in undertaking the development of a new CEP or to identify gaps in an existing CEP, or completing annual updates to a CEP.

Stream 2: Demand Side Management (DSM)

The DSM funding stream will provide support to remote communities to undertake capital improvements and retrofits that upgrade premises such as residential and community buildings that results in improved energy efficiency and load management. The selection of DSM projects should be informed by the community needs and from recommendations from their CEP’s.

Under this funding stream, remote communities may manage their own DSM projects with advisory and funding support from CEDR Program. Alternatively, the CEDR Program can take a more active role with the remote community in identifying buildings that would benefit from DSM upgrades and appropriate measures to be installed.

Stream 3: Renewable Energy Generation (REG)

The REG stream consists of major project development support for renewable electricity generation capital projects. Under this funding stream, approved applicants can access funding to support the various stages of their project including feasibility, detailed design, and construction.

List of Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants are First Nations and remote communities that rely on diesel fuel for electricity generation and are listed in the table below.

The tables below identify the updated list of eligible remote communities in B.C. with diesel generating stations and associated First Nations supplied by the respective community station.

Northern Interior Region

Southern Interior Region

North Coast Region

South Coast Region

Application Approval Decisions

The CEDR Program will incorporate a criteria-based process for selecting remote communities for the various streams of funding. The CEDR Program Staff will validate submitted applications and place them at the appropriate funding stream stage with access to additional funding based on project development progress.

A multi-stakeholder Advisory Committee will review staff recommended applications and make decisions about funding allocations to approved projects.

Capacity Development Opportunities

The CEDR Program is intended to have an integrated approach to capacity development. We encourage applicants of the CEDR Program to explore capacity development funding from Coastal First Nations for salary, training, and learning support for staff to facilitate the planning and implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy generation projects that lead to GHG emission reductions and other community energy objectives.

Contact Us

We encourage potential applicants to reach out, if you have questions, require assistance, or wish to request support prior to submitting an Application. Please email cedr@nrtf.ca