A partnership between the Owl River Métis Community and Culture Pathway Development Corp. announced on Dec. 16 aims to bring solar power plants and related renewable energy projects to the Lac La Biche region.
Through the partnership, Culture Pathway Development will plan renewable power projects on land owned by Owl River Métis Community. The first developments will be three solar power plants, with 5 MW, 20 MW, and 40 MW capacities, but the group also aspires to attract industries that rely on the renewable energy they will produce.
“Our effort extends far beyond solar power plants,” Charlie Chen, CEO of Culture Pathway Development, said at a press event in Edmonton.
“We're developing forward-thinking initiatives, including hydroponic agriculture systems that combine technology and innovation (to) produce fresh produce year-round, and renewable-energy-powered data centres that support advancement in AI, blockchain, and digital infrastructure, and green hydrogen production to revolutionize energy storage and transportation,” Chen said.
The solar power projects have been carefully planned to align with all provincial regulations and are located outside of the newly designated “buffer zones” for renewable energy projects, Chen added.
Jack Quintal, president of the Owl River Métis Community, said the partnership is a blueprint for a more sustainable future and is “huge for our youth, our elders, (and) our culture.”
“By merging traditional values with modern innovation, we’re creating community-centred opportunities for today and a legacy for tomorrow,” Quintal says.
Each of the solar plants will create hundreds of jobs during construction, Quintal said, and he hopes the influx of new industries will also draw in more people to live and work in the region permanently.
Manny Deol, Lac La Biche County’s chief administrative officer, said the county welcomes the solar developments, and will be working with Owl River Métis Community and Culture Pathway Development to make them happen.
Deol said the proposed projects are good news for the local economy, as well as an indication of what the region has to offer.
“It's interesting for us to know to connect through them to the other players, like the Amazons and the Googles, who are looking at locations,” he said.
“They have picked Lac La Biche. So, there must be a reason … We’re in the middle of the energy sector. That’s where things are happening. Our future direction is to have these developments happen. And this is very timely,” he said.
Quintal said it was too early to speculate about when the power plants might be completed, or even when they expect to have shovels in the ground. But the signing of the solar power plans and land development agreements is “Phase 1” for the many interconnected business opportunities being put forward, and “we're moving as of today,” he said.
