Funding Programs for Communities

The Province, along with other funding partners, provides funding support for capacity building, planning, energy efficiency, and renewable energy generation. Projects are led by communities and are tailored to individual community needs. 

Community Energy Diesel Reduction (CEDR) 

The Community Energy Diesel Reduction (CEDR) program is administered by New Relationship Trust and provides funding to eligible remote, off-grid communities that rely on diesel fuel for electricity generation for:

• Capacity building and planning
• Energy efficiency projects
• Renewable energy generation 

British Columbia Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative (BCICEI)

British Columbia Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative (BCICEI) is administered by New Relationship Trust and provides funding to First Nations, tribal councils, and organizations majority owned by First Nation communities for activities that enable clean energy and energy efficiency projects:

• Community energy planning
• Feasibility and site selection
• Environmental review and permitting
• Project design and engineering
• Clean energy (self-generation)
• Demand side management
• Pre-construction/pre-Commercial Operation Date activities

The program supports on-grid and remote, off-grid communities.

In 2023, the Province provided a $140 million endowment to New Relationship Trust to expand BCICEI and further support small-scale, Indigenous-led clean energy projects. Interest earned from the endowment is being used to support existing BCICEI funding streams.  

The Province, New Relationship Trust, and Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan), with technical input from BC Hydro, are developing a new funding stream to support smaller First Nations-led clean energy projects that may otherwise not be competitive due to their smaller size. Once implemented, the new funding stream is expected to draw down the $140 million over several years.

A discussion paper released in 2024 outlines the proposed program design, and a summary of Indigenous engagement sessions is available.

Ongoing feedback can be sent to communitycleanenergy@gov.bc.ca.

In Spring 2025, NRT and the development team are looking for additional information about potential small scale Indigenous-led clean energy projects able to connect to BC Hydro's integrated electricity grid.   A Request for Information (RFI) is currently open; information collected will be used to further develop the new BCICEI stream while refining program parameters and project eligibility details to encompass current energy projects in BC.  To submit information about an eligible project, please access the RFI on the NRT site before May 26, 2025.

First Nations’ Clean Energy Business Fund (FNCEBF)

The  First Nation Clean Energy Business Fund (FNCEBF) is administered by the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions and provides funding to First Nations and Indigenous governing bodies for:

• Capacity funding:
  • Community Energy Plans (CEPs)
  • Pre-feasibility and feasibility studies
  • Training for community members
• Equity funding:
  • Demand Side Management
  • Clean energy generation (small scale installations/non-utility scale)
  • Pre-construction/pre-Commercial Operation Date (COD) activities
  • Investment in existing Independent Power Projects (IPPs)
• Revenue sharing with First Nations whose territory may be impacted by a clean energy project.

The Indigenous Climate Action Network (I-CAN)  

The Indigenous Climate Action Network (I-CAN) program provides funding for remote Indigenous communities to hire full-time Climate Action Coordinators (CACs). The network offers CACs individual and peer networking supports. Skills CACs support the planning and implementation of energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, and climate change adaptation projects for their communities.

Energy Peers in Indigenous Communities (EPIC)  

The Energy Peers in Indigenous Communities (EPIC) network is a program to build capacity, knowledge, and skills related to renewable energy in Indigenous communities in B.C. The program supports a cohort of participants (called Community Energy Champions) with a peer-to-peer cohort and peer mentorship approach to building and sharing knowledge, networking and engagement, skills development, and training on renewable energy.