Indigenous Ownership in Atlantic Canada's Power Sector
- May 30
- 4 min read
Updated: May 31
Atlantic Canada is in the middle of a focused clean energy buildout. Electricity demand is rising driven by industrial expansion, population growth, and grid modernization. As a result, new pathways for Indigenous communities to participate directly in energy development have opened up alongside it. In response, IEM prepared this brief article exploring the current landscape of Indigenous ownership in Atlantic Canada's power sector.
Grids at a Glance
Atlantic Canada has a diverse mix of energy sources and models depending on the province:
New Brunswick Total generating capacity: 4,415 MW The most diverse grid in the region. New Brunwick produces power from hydro, wind, thermal, combustion turbines, biomass, and the only nuclear generating station in Atlantic Canada. The primary utility is New Brunswick Power.
Nova Scotia Total generating capacity: 3,206 MW A privately operated grid undergoing rapid decarbonization. Power comes from hydro, wind, thermal, combustion turbines, and biomass, with a growing solar sector and national leadership in tidal energy research. Primary utility is Nova Scotia Power, owned by Emera, alongside Eastward Energy, Antigonish Electric Utility, and others. Legislated target: 80% renewable electricity by 2030.
Prince Edward Island Total generating capacity: 424 MW The smallest grid in the region and heavily reliant on imported electricity from New Brunswick, particularly during peak winter demand. Generates power from wind, thermal, biomass, and solar, with a clean tech park under development. Primary utility is PEI Energy Corporation. Target: net-zero electricity grid by 2040.
Newfoundland and Labrador Total generating capacity: 8,280 MW By far the largest grid in Atlantic Canada, powered overwhelmingly by hydroelectricity including Churchill Falls and Muskrat Falls, with supplementary thermal, diesel, wind, and biomass assets. Primary utility is Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.
Power grid details are sourced from Atlantica Centre for Energy.
Indigenous Ownership Landscape
IEM's Indigenous Energy Ownership Tracker currently tracks 71 projects across Atlantic Canada with documented Indigenous equity involvement, held by 37 distinct Indigenous groups across the region's four provinces. The portfolio spans every stage of the development lifecycle from operating assets to early stage projects. All together, the project porfolio has a capital value of about $7.5 billion, based on projects with publicly available cost details.
Atlantic Canada Indigenous-Owned Power Projects by Type
Within the power and utilities portfolio, wind farms lead by project count, followed by solar and energy storage. Of projects with disclosed ownership stakes, the average Indigenous ownership position is approximately 53%. This majority stake average indicates strong Indigenous leadership in energy development across the region.
All data is sourced from our Indigenous Energy Ownership Tracker.
Project Examples
The following projects are some examples of Indigenous-owned energy projects in Atlantic Canada:
⚡Bridgewater Battery Storage
50 MW energy storage project
Located in Nova Scotia
Operating
Owned Wskijinu'k Mtmo'taqnuow Agency Ltd. and Nova Scotia Power Inc.
13 First Nation co-owners
⚡Wasoqonatl Transmission Line
345 kv transmission line
Will run from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick
In development.
Owned by Nova Scotia Power Inc., Canada Infrastructure Bank, Wskijinu'k Mtmo'taqnuow Agency Ltd., MUIN Transmission LP
21 First Nation co-owners
⚡Neweg Energy Project
25 MW wind farm
Located in New Brunswick
Operating
Owned by Mi'gmaq United Investment Network and Natural Forces
8 First Nation co-owners
Key Challenges
The momentum is real but so are the obstacles. Indigenous communities still face structural and systemic challenges in developing and owning energy projects including but not limited to:
Access to Capital
Equity investments require upfront capital that most communities cannot self-fund, and commercial lenders have historically been reluctant to extend financing to First Nations without federal or provincial loan guarantees backing the deal. Programs like the Canada Infrastructure Bank's Indigenous Equity Initiative and the federal Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program are beginning to address this, but the gap between available financing and the scale of development opportunity is still significant.
Capacity Constraints
Negotiating an equity partnership or leading a large project requires legal, financial, and technical expertise that many communities are building for the first time. The communities most active in Atlantic Canada's energy sector including Membertou, Glooscap, and the North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council have years in developing that institutional capacity. Others are earlier in the journey.
The Future of Indigenous Power in Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada has seen a marked rise in Indigenous ownership of power and utilities projects in recent years, fuelled by active procurement programs, Indigenous-led developments, and sustained growth in regional energy demand. The pipeline today reflects that momentum: IEM's IEOT currently tracks more than 6,000 MW of generation capacity in development or under construction across the region with some form of Indigenous equity involvement — the largest forward slate on record. Indigenous ownership is no longer an emerging trend in Atlantic Canada's energy sector. It is becoming a defining feature of how the region's energy transition gets built.
How IEM is Supporting Transparency
IEM's Indigenous Energy Ownership Tracker (IEOT) currently monitors 600+ Indigenous-owned projects across five sectors — oil and gas, power and utilities, chemicals and fuel, CCUS, and mining and critical minerals. The IEOT is designed to give communities, developers, financiers, and policymakers a single authoritative source for understanding where Indigenous equity is being deployed, what ownership structures are being used, and where the next opportunities are emerging.
🔗Discover the IEOT Tool Here: https://www.indigenousenergymonitor.ca/ieot
Comments