Hydro/First Nations strengthening relations strategy

Hydro-Québec announced its Strategy for Economic Reconciliation and to Strengthen Relations with First Nations and Inuit. The Strategy aims to define more concretely the organization’s commitments to Indigenous communities and ensure that they have the chance to participate fully in major projects of the energy transition. It’s part of Hydro’s 2035 plan. This past spring Hydro-Québec launched discussions with First Nations and Inuit across Québec. Over 30 meetings were held with more than 100 representatives. Those talks have led to them to focus on four main topics:

1. Participation and economic benefits 

Examples: Invite First Nations and Inuit to participate as equity partners in our new large-scale infrastructure projects to generate autonomous revenues for their communities; facilitate their access to different means of private funding or government financing or, when such options are unavailable, propose financial support from Hydro-Québec.

2. Environment, land and resources 

Examples: Support initiatives to enhance and restore the natural environments affected by our projects; initiate or continue the dialogue about the repercussions of the past.

3. Labour and employment 

Examples: Support the establishment of training programs tailored to Indigenous peoples across all areas of activity of the organization; continue to improve our hiring, onboarding and advancement processes for Indigenous employees.

4. Ongoing relations and customer services

Example: Deploy a specialized Indigenous customer services team to ensure the coordination and delivery of services tailored to the needs of this clientele.

Emilie Senechal is the First Nations and Inuit relations Manager at Hydro Quebec:

“We really acknowledge that the relations with First Nations and Inuit have at times been difficult and complex and that’s what we wanted to address in this process and in those meetings. That’s why the discussions were really open discussions, the community could talk about whatever they wanted to and we wanted to make sure as well that they had space where they could talk about the repercussions of the past, because we had in some situations, some repercussions that still go on today and see how we can go forward with those ones and finding concrete solutions for the future.”

In a release from Hydro it says: “Our Strategy for Economic Reconciliation and to Strengthen Relations  will serve as a demonstration of our commitment to First Nations and Inuit in all our spheres of activity.”