St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation – Toward sustainability, for so many reasons

For many communities, sustainability and resilience are mid-level priorities, competing with development, recreation or infrastructure for political attention and funding. For St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation, they’re far more serious and urgent issues.

St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation is an isolated Manitoba community located 600 kilometers north of Winnipeg. It’s accessible only by air, except for two months each winter when fuel and other vital supplies can be delivered via seasonal ice roads.

But more importantly, St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation is reliant upon a single long-distance power line for all of its electricity. That means the entire community goes dark when the line fails.

“Power failures are pretty common around here,” says Waylon Mason, St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation’s Assistant Director of Waste Management and Recycling. He recalls a multi-day outage a few years ago just after hunting season that resulted in many households losing their winter supply of meat. “Even our airport had to close; its runway lights were out.”

That outage in particular sensitized the community to its vulnerability. Combined with other realities like high power rates and inefficient housing, it helped spark conversations about resilience, efficiency and sustainability.

“Our cost of living is already about double what it is elsewhere, and that’s bound to increase even more as climate change shortens ice road season,” says Mason. “So, we knew we had to do something.”

But where to begin? Mason confesses he had much to learn when he came back to St. Theresa Point in 2022 to start his new role.

Thankfully, he found the resources and support he needed in CIER, the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources, a service delivery partner collaborating with QUEST Canada on the Prairies Net-zero Communities Accelerator (NCA) Program.

CIER is Canada’s first Indigenous-directed non-profit charity dedicated to helping First Nations build capacity and develop sustainability initiatives. Since its inception in 1995, CIER has supported 450 projects in over 300 First Nations across Canada in areas such as food sovereignty, water protection, energy transition and mobilizing Indigenous knowledge.

“In our work with First Nations, relationship building is absolutely critical,” says CIER Project Manager Emily Hoppe, acknowledging the need for cultural sensitivity. “Flexible processes that involve listening and sharing tend to be much more successful than simple template approaches.”

And that’s where QUEST has been a key partner.

“QUEST’s NCA Program put a name to ‘community emission reduction’”, she shares, “and their PICEC (Partnering for Indigenous Community Energy Capacity) Program allowed for the flexibility needed by First Nations.”

Mason agrees. “Here in St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation, our first step was to organize a community event called an Energy Sharing Circle. We wanted to give everyone an opportunity to come and share their concerns, ask questions and learn from others. We wanted to listen, to open the discussion; it’s how we do things.”

St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation is located 610 kilometers Northeast of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The community is accessible by plane and boat in the summer and by winter road in the winter. Council consists of one Chief and eight Councillors, elected according to band custom.

That event was a big success. “It was refreshing to hear that everyone was on the same page” when it comes to energy and environmental issues, Mason smiles in recollection. “I was surprised about the amount of information out there. People are more knowledgeable; they care more.”

“Many people knew about possible solutions like solar; many people would like to have their own panels, to build resilience and energy independence. Plus, I was really pleased at how engaged some young people were; maybe they’re seeing their futures in that field.”

The biggest surprise? Interest in electric vehicles. “Even from some people who drive big diesel pickups!” Mason chuckles. It makes good sense, of course: electricity can be delivered to St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation much more cheaply and efficiently than gas or diesel; and range is hardly an issue on the community’s limited road network. “We’re talking with Manitoba Hydro about charging stations.”

It’s hoped that this first Energy Sharing Circle will bridge smoothly into next steps like energy mapping and the identification of opportunities such as more local renewable energy, potentially with battery backup.

In the meantime, a few initiatives have already been started.

“We promote energy awareness and efficiency on the radio and other media platforms,” says Mason. “There’s a big need for insulation and air sealing, to help people reduce their energy bills.”

He’s working to get solid waste hauled out of the community by trucks that usually return south empty, so that local dumping can be reduced. It’s an initiative close to his heart: it was first started by his father a decade ago.

“We’ve also employed a few summer students. It’s my hope that we’re shaping a lot of young people through our messages and opportunities.”

Mason is eying a project to build 10 new highly efficient, solar-powered, net-zero small homes in his community. He’s working with three neighbouring First Nations to create a Climate Change Officer position, tasked with informing and educating.

And his ultimate goal is to integrate Indigenous knowledge back into everything: to help restore historical First Nation principles of intergenerational stewardship and doing no damage. “We have to take care of our water, land and air.”

Not surprisingly, funding is an ongoing challenge. “It’s a long process, and we often hear, ‘you’re federal’ when we go seeking funding,” Mason reflects. But he’s optimistic that good relationships with both federal and provincial partners will help make good things happen.

His advice to other communities starting their sustainability journeys? “Get as much information as you can, and find the right people to help.”

“Communities often find they have similar problems and challenges, so it’s important to reach out, ask and share solutions,” adds CIER’s Hoppe, acknowledging the value of QUEST’s online resources. “We’re stronger together!”

Passion helps too. “I jumped into this field without knowing anything about it,” Mason grins. “I never thought I’d be passionate about it, to be honest – but I love it!”

He concludes by underlining the importance of respect and relationships: “There’s a lot of things we want to do up here; it’s just a matter of getting the right people in the right places – and having good conversations.”

À propos de QUEST Canada

QUEST Canada is a registered Canadian charity that supports communities in Canada on their pathway to net-zero. Since 2007, we’ve been facilitating connections, empowering community champions and advising decision-makers to implement energy use and emissions reduction solutions that best meet community needs and maximize local opportunities. We develop tools and resources, convene stakeholders and rights holders, and advise decision-makers — all with the goal of encouraging, assisting and enabling communities to contribute to Canada’s net-zero goals.