WHITEHORSE, YT, July 29, 2026 /CNW/ -- The world is changing rapidly: global trade has been upended, and climate change is intensifying. In response, the Government of Canada is focused on what we can control: building an electricity grid that underpins energy security, affordability and competitiveness.

Building on the National Electricity Strategy, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature, and Brendan Hanley, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs, announced today nearly $7 million in funding for eight clean energy projects in Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut that will strengthen local electricity systems, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and support long-term economic growth for communities in the North. These investments will help ensure communities have reliable access to clean power that will support families, businesses, critical infrastructure and future economic development.

Generating reliable, affordable, low-emissions power is essential as electricity demand in Canada is expected to double by 2050. That is why on May 14, 2026, Canada announced a forthcoming National Electricity Strategy. This is our Team Canada plan to build a sustainable, affordable, prosperous and secure future, including in northern Canada, where access to electricity is more challenging, leading to northern and remote utility rates that are six- to ten-times higher than the national average. To that end, under the Strategy, the Government of Canada is working with territorial and Indigenous partners to support reliable, affordable electricity in the North that will secure our domestic economic and security interests and ensure an affordable future for Canadians.

Canada's plan is clear: to build a stronger, more prosperous, secure and affordable Canada, including in the territories. Building new clean electricity capacity and optimizing energy efficiency in the North will reduce emissions, enhance energy security and create the conditions for new investment, good-paying jobs and more resilient northern communities.

Quotes

"Building a stronger Canada starts with building reliable, affordable and clean electricity systems throughout the country, including the North. Investments like the ones announced today reduce reliance on diesel and support Indigenous leadership in shaping the energy future of their communities. By working in partnership with territorial and Indigenous governments, we are creating the conditions for long-term economic growth, greater resilience and new opportunities for northern communities while advancing our path to a low-carbon future."
The Honourable Julie Dabrusin
Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature

"Securing reliable, affordable, clean power in Yukon and the North is essential to our prosperity, security and sustainability. Investments like these demonstrate our government's commitment to working, in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and northern communities, to help meet evolving energy needs, create economic opportunities, reduce emissions and advance community-led solutions that will help power the North's energy future."
Brendan Hanley
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs 

Quick Facts

• Federal funding for most of these projects is provided by Natural Resources Canada's Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities (CERRC) program. Launched in 2018 and recapitalized in 2021, the CERRC program has invested $453 million to reduce the reliance on diesel and other fossil fuels for heat and power in Indigenous, rural and remote communities.
• CERRC has supported over 230 renewable energy projects across Canada, including 82 projects in the North. Collectively, these projects are adding more than 67 MW of clean energy to remote grids by 2027, reducing fuel use by approximately 28 million litres annually and avoiding over 75,000 tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions each year.
• One project received funding from Natural Resources Canada's Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs). This $4.5-billion program supports the deployment of grid modernization projects, energy storage and non-emitting generation in every region of Canada, helping to grow the grid in a sustainable, affordable and reliable manner.
• The SREPs prioritizes Indigenous partnership, with about 50 percent of approved deployment projects to date having Indigenous ownership.

Associated Links

• Backgrounder
• Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities
• Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program
• Powering Canada's Future: A Clean Electricity Strategy

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada