MP Battiste Announces Over $1.3 million to Unlock Clean Geothermal Energy in Nova Scotia, Highlights Clean Investments in Fall Economic Statement

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November 9th, 2022 | Membertou, Nova Scotia

The Government of Canada is advancing our transition to a low-carbon economy in Canada through strategic investments and innovative partnerships. As part of this commitment, Canada is moving forward on the deployment of smart renewable energy and enabling grid modernization technologies in various communities across the country to support the clean energy transition and the fight against climate change. Geothermal energy is one such type of clean, renewable energy that will help Canada achieve our ambitious climate targets.

Today, Jaime Battiste, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for Sydney–Victoria, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced an investment of over $1.3 million in Net Zero Atlantic for the Community Geothermal Resource Capacity Assessment and Training Program (GeoCAT).

The project will build development capacity for mid-depth geothermal energy–based projects in five Mi’kmaw and twelve rural communities in Nova Scotia.

Working with Mi’kmaw groups, the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources and the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq, as well as local communities, the GeoCAT program will transfer geothermal resource and project development knowledge to local community representatives, who will assess community-specific infrastructure and interest in geothermal project development. The community representatives, with supporting project development expertise, will then teach interested residents how such projects can be achieved in their communities.

Net Zero Atlantic, the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq and the Government of Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources and Renewables are also contributing to the project, bringing the total investment to over $1.4 million.

This investment demonstrates the Government of Canada’s commitment to developing cleaner electricity supplies. Projects that seek to explore and modernize geothermal technologies to lower emissions by creating  greener electrical grids will help Canada achieve a net-zero-emitting electricity system by 2035 while meeting our ambitious climate targets.


MP Battiste also highlighted the 2022 Fall Economic Statement, which includes a refundable investment tax credit for clean technologies, including clean energy generation and storage. The statement also included the creation of a Sustainable Jobs Training Centre and Secretariat, which will support thousands of workers in skills training and placements in the low-carbon economy.

Quotes

“Today’s announcement of over $1.3 million in support for Net Zero Atlantic’s geothermal program represents a step closer to net zero. In the recent Fall Economic Statement, the Government of Canada announced support for clean energy and technologies and the creation of a sustainable jobs training centre and secretariat. Smart investments like those announced today are enabling a sustainable and prosperous low-carbon future powered by clean, abundant and reliable energy.”

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Natural Resources

“I was pleased to join Net Zero Atlantic today to announce over $1.3 million in federal support for rural and Mi’kmaw communities to develop the foundations for clean geothermal energy. Indigenous and rural communities across Canada are fighting climate change and generating clean and reliable energy as we fight climate change. Paired with the newly announced Clean Technology Tax Credit, the Government of Canada is supporting the solutions we need to create good jobs and clean energy in Cape Breton and across the country.”

Jaime Battiste 
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations,
Member of Parliament for Sydney–Victoria

“Our team at Net Zero Atlantic is eager to collaborate with our project partners to build geothermal resources and project development knowledge in rural and Mi’kmaw communities. Through our work, we focus on advancing a sustainable and inclusive transition into a carbon-neutral future in Atlantic Canada. Achieving that is going to require continuous collaboration as we seek to understand and develop cleaner sources of energy.”

Alisdair McLean 
Executive Director, Net Zero Atlantic

Contacts

Media Relations
Natural Resources Canada
Ottawa
343-292-6100
nrcan.media.rncan@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Keean Nembhard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Natural Resources
613-323-7892
keean.nembhard@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Stacey Pineau
Net Zero Atlantic
506-478-0596
spineau@netzeroatlantic.ca

More here.