Chief Gilbert Dominique of Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation, ChiefVivianne Chilton of Conseil des Attikamekw de Wemotaci, Grand chief Rémy Vincent of Nation huronne-wendat, and Guy Veillette, mayor of Saint-Narcisse and prefect of the MRC des Chenaux. (Photo : Énergie communautaire de la rivière Batiscan)
The Saint-Narcisse municipality, the Conseil des Atikamekw de Wemotaci, the Nation huronne-wendat, Pekuakamiulnuatsh Takuhikan and the MRC des Chenaux have entered into an historic partnership to carry out the project to revive the Saint-Narcisse generating station currently owned by Hydro-Québec under the community energy formula.
The five communities have ratified their agreement to create the limited partnership Énergie communautaire de la rivière Batiscan. This new organization will be responsible for bringing the project to fruition.
“We are more mobilized than ever to breathe new life into this power station. I’m particularly proud of the relationships we’ve built with our partners in the Atikamekw, Huron-Wendat and Innu nations to bring this project to fruition. There are still a number of stages to go through before we can hope to get the power station up and running again, but today’s event gives us every hope of succeeding, and thus fostering the development of our respective communities “, noted Guy Veillette, mayor of Saint-Narcisse and prefect of the MRC des Chenaux.
“First Nations must be involved if we are to achieve our energy transition objectives. This project proves that it is possible to unite our efforts and establish true nation-to-nation relations,” said Vivianne Chilton, Chief of the Conseil des Atikamekw de Wemotaci.
“The Huron-Wendat Nation is proud to join forces with its Atikamekw and Innu brothers and sisters, as well as the municipality of Saint-Narcisse and the MRC des Chenaux, for the relaunch of the Saint-Narcisse power plant. By generating tangible spinoffs for the local environment, both allochthonous and aboriginal, this community project will provide tangible proof that true reconciliation with First Nations depends in large part on economic development. The Huron-Wendat Nation is recognized as a key partner in the economic projects that take place on its territory, and this one is no exception,” says Rémy Vincent, Grand Chief of the Huron-Wendat Nation.
The Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation was invited to join the project because of the expertise it has developed over more than 20 years in renewable community energy projects. With this formula, the benefits generated by the projects accrue entirely to the partners. Développement PEK, a non-profit organization 100% owned by the community, will provide the resources and expertise needed to carry out such a project.
“Our First Nation is very proud to be part of this partnership. It’s a great recognition of the expertise we’ve developed in this field. The community energy model has proven to be a winning approach for all partners. We hope that our model will continue to be exported, so that we can continue to create development opportunities for other communities and other First Nations,” says Gilbert Dominique, Chief of the Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation.
The municipality of Saint-Narcisse holds a 30% stake in the limited partnership. The Conseil des Atikamekw de Wemotaci, the Huron-Wendat Nation and Pekuakamiulnuatsh Takuhikan (Lac-Saint-Jean Innu First Nation) each hold 20%. The MRC des Chenaux owns 10%.
Next steps
The incorporation of Énergie communautaire de la rivière Batiscan, a Limited Partnership, is one of the first steps in the project. Each partner will appoint non-elected directors to represent them on the partnership. It is this board of directors that will make the decisions concerning the project from now on.
Hydro-Québec is currently analyzing the possibility of allowing the community to bring the Saint-Narcisse hydroelectric facility back into operation, as well as the conditions surrounding this eventuality. An initial visit to the facilities was made in recent weeks, and discussions are continuing.
A development plan will be drawn up in the near future to provide a clearer picture of the costs involved in the refurbishment, as well as a more precise timetable. More details will be released in the coming months.
We will ensure that the public and organizations concerned by the project are well informed and consulted at every stage.
