Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative Request for Information

Administered by the New Relationship Trust (NRT), the BC Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative (BCICEI) provides support and capacity-building funds to First Nations, tribal councils, and organizations majority owned by First Nations working on the development of clean energy projects in B.C. 

In June 2023, the Province of British Columbia (the Province) announced a contribution of $140 million to NRT to expand the BCICEI and further support small-scale, First Nation-led clean energy projects on BC Hydro’s integrated electricity grid. Interest earned from the endowment is now being used to support existing BCICEI funding streams, including pre-construction costs for small, distribution-scale projects.

New Relationship Trust (NRT), the Province, and Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan), with technical input from BC Hydro, are developing a new BCICEI funding stream to support smaller Indigenous-led power projects that may otherwise not be competitive due to their smaller size. Once implemented, the new funding stream is expected to draw down the $140 million over several years.

Request for Information (RFI)

NRT and the development team are looking for additional information about potential small scale Indigenous-led clean energy projects able to connect to BC Hydro’s integrated electricity grid.

Information collected through this Request for Information (RFI) will be used to further develop the new BCICEI stream while refining program parameters and project eligibility details to encompass current energy projects in BC.  By taking the time to fill in this form now, you can help ensure that the new funding stream includes projections based on current projects and up-to-date costs. Thank you for helping us develop a funding stream that reflects and supports small, distribution scale Indigenous-led clean energy projects in BC.

Summary of Project Parameters

The following are initial project parameters for the new funding stream:

• Clean or renewable resource, as defined in BC Clean Energy Act
• Small size (maximum 15 MW)
• Will connect to the BC Hydro distribution system
• Minimum 51% First Nations project ownership

Please fill out the RFI form if you are in the development process of a project that meets these parameters.  Additional parameters will be shared as design for the new funding stream is finalized.  BC Hydro’s benchmark price and specimen EPA are under design and will be provided later this year.

Please submit completed RFI forms to bciceiapplications@nrtf.ca by 4pm PST on May 26, 2025.

For more information on the RFI and the new BCICEI funding stream there will be a webinar on May 1, 2024 from 11:00-12:00 PST.  Register to attend the webinar by sending an email to: bciceiapplications@nrtf.ca

Disclaimer

Completing this RFI does not guarantee future funding from the BCICEI, nor does it guarantee progression towards a contract with BC Hydro.  Completing the RFI is for information purposes only.  We thank you for taking the time to provide this information.

Background

The BCICEI was first developed in 2016 by Western Economic Diversification Canada (now PacifiCan) with funding from the Government of Canada’s Strategic Partnerships Initiative.  In 2019, the Province of British Columbia joined as a funder of the BCICEI.  Since 2016, BCICEI has awarded approximately $30 million to 135 projects by more than 90 First Nations.  Funding for off-grid, remote, and/or diesel-dependent communities is offered under the Community Energy Diesel Reduction (CEDR) Program.

In May 2024, the BCICEI program development team released a discussion paper about the new funding stream.  The paper was intended to provide information and gather feedback on the conceptual design of the new funding stream and includes the proposed program principles, eligibility criteria and funding models.  Please download it using the link below. 

The NRT held five engagement sessions in May and June 2024 to gather First Nations input on the proposed design of the new funding stream.  First Nation engagement included one in-person meeting at the Clean Energy BC Generate conference in Vancouver, four virtual engagement sessions, an on-line survey, multiple social media posts and written submissions and interviews. A summary of the input can be downloaded using the link below.

Feedback received on the conceptual design will be incorporated into the funding stream, as will the information gathered through the RFI process.

First Nations input continues to be important and will be considered in the ongoing design of the program. Feedback and questions can be submitted to the, Province’s Community Clean Energy Branch: communitycleanenergy@gov.bc.ca or, to the NRT: bciceiapplications@nrtf.ca 

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