The federal government is investing more than $88 million in clean-energy projects across Alberta and the Northwest Territories as part of its efforts to build a low-carbon economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The funding, announced July 8 by Environment and Climate Change Canada, supports projects under two key initiatives: the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs) and the Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities (CERRC) program.

In Alberta, the investment includes $25 million for the AECG Forty Mile Wind Farm and another $25 million for the Big Sky Solar Power Project. Additional funding will support a broader range of renewable energy developments in the province, including wind and solar power, energy storage and grid modernization. The projects are part of the federal government’s $4.5-billion SREPs strategy aimed at expanding Canada’s clean electricity supply.

In the Northwest Territories, federal funds will support a hybrid-renewable micro-grid front-end engineering and design study for the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation, as well as nearly $640,000 for a biomass-heating system at the Hamlet of Aklavik’s Sittichinli Recreational Complex. The new heating system is expected to replace more than 61,000 litres of diesel fuel annually, cutting emissions and supporting energy independence in the North.

Indigenous-led clean energy initiatives represent a significant portion of federal funding nationwide.

More than 61 per cent of deployment projects under SREPs are Indigenous-led, backed by over $830 million in funding. Through CERRC, at least $11 million has been committed to Indigenous-led projects in remote communities. A newer $180-million Indigenous Leadership Fund has already allocated about 22 per cent of its total to 13 projects across Canada.

Regionally, Alberta and the Northwest Territories have received approximately $6.9 million through the Low Carbon Economy Fund’s Indigenous stream.

Ottawa says the investments support Canada's broader climate objectives, including a net-zero electricity grid by 2035 and full net-zero emissions by 2050. The projects are also expected to create jobs, strengthen Indigenous leadership in clean energy and boost energy resilience in rural and remote communities.

Federal data shows Alberta led the country in renewable electricity growth in 2023, accounting for 92 per cent of the national increase in new capacity.