Eeyou Power Expands Its Influence
Eeyou Power, the Cree Nation’s recently formed energy company, will continue to move forward after signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on December 17 with Canadian engineering firm, Genivar.
Shortly before the Val-d’Or signing event, Eeyou Power board member Jack Blacksmith discussed the details behind the deal.
According to Blacksmith, the MOU will mean that there is an understanding between the two enterprises and, should there be engineering contracts in the future, Eeyou Power will most likely use Genivar’s services.
Genivar is no stranger to the Cree Nation; the corporation was hired to handle the cleanup of a mine tailings spill near Chapais. Part of their contract stipulates that along with conducting cleanup services, Genivar will also be handling the training of Crees to do similarly and conduct water testing in the Waswanipi area.
Blacksmith said the current MOU with Genivar would be for the construction of various energy systems, including wind energy, run of the river projects or hydro projects.
“To the Crees this means that we are advancing in terms of what we have been trying to do for the last couple of years,” said Blacksmith.
Eeyou Power is represented by five Cree communities as owners along with CREECO. With these communities, CREECO has decided that they want to get involved with the actual ownership and construction of these energy sites in terms of Eeyou Istchee.
The communities that are not currently involved with the power company are Whapmagoostui, Chisasibi, Wemindji, Mistissini and Washaw Sibi. Both Chisasibi and Mistissini are currently still engaged in other energy-development deals since Chisasibi signed on with France-based Suez and Mistissini with Sky Power years prior to the formation of Eeyou Power.
No doors are closed, however, to the communities that have not signed on. Blacksmith said for those who would want to invest, ownership in Eeyou Power is still a possibility.
Blacksmith said the signing of this MOU with Genivar has nothing to do with any of the energy companies that are still currently vying to work with Eeyou Power.
“I have been working on this group (Genivar) for nearly two years now. Our company is 100% Cree owned and it was established to look at the projects in our territory. Once we decide on a project, the ownership can be different. Each project will create a separate company to build that particular project and that can be as a joint venture with any company,” said Blacksmith.
Eeyou Power will remain at all times full owners of their energy company, which was officially formed last April under the leadership of then Grand Council Chief Matthew Mukash.
For the time being, Blacksmith said there are no current contracts for the construction of any particular projects and that would most likely not happen for another year to three years, depending on what the Quebec government is looking to develop.
When the projects do get a go ahead, hiring and training Crees under Genivar to do the work would be a priority to improve the economies within the communities.
For Blacksmith, this signing is a cause for celebration because it marks the advancement of Eeyou Power in terms of company development.
The December 17 signing was between Eeyou Power President Josie Jimiken, who is also Chief of Nemaska, and Genivar’s vice-president. Liberal Minister Pierre Corbeil, MP for Abitibi-Est, Val-d’Or Mayor Fernand Trahan and various other Cree Chiefs attended the event.
“I see this as a real advancement. Eeyou Power will be able to say that we have signed with an engineering company and now we are going to see in terms of commitment what we can do. It means that we have put aside the process in terms of deciding who our engineers are going to be. This is real progress for us, though we still do not have a project,” said Blacksmith.