Energy efficient upgrades at one block annually will save 30K litres of oil and $40K in costs

The federal government has contributed approximately $2.3 million from the Indigenous Leadership stream to improve energy efficiency and low-carbon heating at Denendeh Manor in Yellowknife.

And the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation is receiving approximately $4.6 million from the same fund to supply ground-mounted solar installation kits to Inuvialuit-owned cabins in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region of the NWT.

Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Julie Dabrusin, joined Yellowknife Mayor Ben Hendriksen, NWT Environment and Climate Change Minister Jay Macdonald and Denendeh Investments CEO Darryl Beaulieu at the podium for the assembled crowd at an outdoor media conference.

Excerpts were played in the original radio story last week on CKLB News at 5pm.

Here, in full, are Beaulieu’s remarks:

“My name is Darryl Beaulieu, I’m the CEO for Denendeh Investments, and I’m proud to say that Denendeh Investments is 100% owned by all the 27 First Nations of the Northwest Territories.

“And of course, we own and operate Denendeh Manor the building behind me here, and it’s more than just a building. It’s a home to 11 families and two businesses here, right here in downtown Yellowknife, so every decision we take, every improvement we make, and is guided by our responsibility to the city and our member communities and the families who live here.

“We built the manor in 2003 so for over 20 years, we’ve heated this building by burning thousands of litres of diesel heating oil every winter. It’s expensive, it’s wasteful, and it forces us to depend on fuel that has to be trucked in for thousands of miles or kilometers away, and we knew we could do better.

“That’s why we developed this energy retrofit project. And we’re replacing our oil heating system with a clean burning wood pellet biomass boiler. We’re upgrading our windows doors and building envelope. We’re adding new thermostats, motion sensors and key fobs for greater efficiency and safety.

“Those aren’t just upgrades; this is a complete transformation. So, the numbers speak for themselves. Every year for the life of this building, these improvements will eliminate 30,000 litres of oil. It will reduce our carbon emissions by 85 tons and save us over $40,000 in energy costs.

“So, this project is also creating local jobs and supporting Northern contractors and workers, and it means energy independence and healthier, more comfortable homes for our residents. It means we’re doing our part to address climate change and showing what’s possible in the North the Low-Carbon Economy Funds investment of more than $2.3 million has made this transformation possible.

“Without this vital federal contribution, a project of this scale would have been out of reach for us. The benefits of this project extend beyond our building. Other indigenous communities across the North are watching what we’re doing here.

“They want to know whether these technologies work in our climate and if the savings are real, and these investments would make sense. We’re creating a proven model for our First Nation members that can adapt to their own communities.

“In closing, traditional indigenous values have always emphasized respecting the environment and thinking generations ahead. This project shows how these values align perfectly with modern clean energy technology and strong federal partnerships. This is reconciliation in action, working together to build a cleaner, more sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.

“Mashi Cho. Thank you very much. Merci.”