Power to the People

is a television documentary series that explores the renewable energy revolution empowering Indigenous communities across Canada and around the world. In each episode, host Melina Laboucan-Massimo uncovers fascinating renewable energy or sustainable living projects. From revolutionary wind farms, solar power plants, run-of-river hydroelectric projects and tidal energy initiatives, Melina explores the challenges, simplifies the science, and showcases the benefit for the community and for humanity.

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Inspired Initiatives

Explore exciting renewable and sustainable energy solutions driven by Indigenous communities and values.

Little Buffalo, AB

Growing up in the Lubicon Lake Band in Little Buffalo, AB, Melina Laboucan-Massimo has experienced the detrimental effects of Oil Sands extraction. Today it’s made her one of Canada’s leading climate change campaigners and the host of Power to the People.

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Kanaka Bar, BC

Situated in the hottest place in Canada, the Kanaka Bar Indian Band know firsthand the rising threats of climate change. See how they’re adapting through innovative approaches to water, food, energy and resource security that are now garnering national praise.

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Alert Bay, BC

Hereditary Chief Ernest Alfred of the Namgis, Tlowit’sis and Mamalilikala Nation leads a group opposed to a commercial salmon farm on their traditional territory. At stake is the west coast wild salmon population and the threat open net salmon farms pose. See why their movement is gaining international support and empowering this community.

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Haida Gwaii, BC

Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and off the BC hydro grid, the Haida Nation relies on diesel generators to power their communities. Now, a home-grown group is looking to the wind, sun and sea to offset their reliance on fossil fuels.

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Listuguj, QC

Situated in Canada’s ‘Saudi Arabia’ of wind, three Mi’gmaq communities faced an uphill struggle to stake their claim in the Gaspe Bay’s booming wind energy sector. Now that effort is paying off with long term economic and social benefits.

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Sechelt, BC

The shíshálh (Sechelt) Nation is located on the south coast of British Columbia in a territory gifted with steep mountains, fast flowing rivers and streams. Harnessing the natural power of gravity and water is now empowering their community through ‘run-of-the-river’ hydroelectric energy.

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Teslin, YK

With their lumber mill facing an uncertain future, members of the Teslin Tlingit Nation found a way to turn a negative into a positive. Milling their waste wood into biomass fuel, new high efficiency boilers are now cost effectively heating homes in their community.

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Six Nations of the Grand River, ON

Home to the largest First Nations population in Canada, Six Nations established a corporation to manage economic opportunities on behalf of their people. That effort now sees Six Nations invested in some of the largest wind and solar power plants in the nation.

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Bella Coola, BC

In many parts of the country, building and maintaining sufficient housing on reserve is a constant challenge. The Nuxalk Nation looked inward for solutions to their housing problems and has now become a homegrown model for construction capacity.

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Tla-o-qui-aht, BC

Geothermal energy is generated by heat stored below the earths surface. The Tla-o-qui-aht Nation is harnessing this renewable energy through a geoexchange system to cost effectively heat and cool their homes and buildings.

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Taku River Tlingit, BC

There are roughly 300 off-grid Indigenous communities across Canada who continue to rely on diesel generated power. The Taku River Tlingit Nation in northern BC is one of the few First Nations who’ve successfully replaced diesel power through their implementation of clean, renewable energy.

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Kluane, YK

Long before the inception of one of Canada’s most picturesque national parks, this remote part of the Yukon was the ancestral home of the Kluane First Nation. With climate change re-shaping their environment, the Nation is looking to wind, solar, biomass and geothermal energy to empower their people into the future.

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Gull Bay, ON

For some remote Indigenous communities north of Thunder Bay, connecting to the Ontario hydro grid will never be a reality. Gull Bay First Nation found the means to create their own ‘micro grid’ using solar energy to offset their use of diesel power.

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All Canadian Energy Quiz

Where does our energy come from? How do we use it? Is it clean or dirty? Test your knowledge, share your results, and challenge your friends online.

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Energy Choices Poll

We all want a cleaner, healthier planet, but getting there will require a lot of political will and personal give-and-take. See where you and people from around the world stand on the hard choices and big investments that have to be made.

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Simple Carbon Calculator

Use this fast, fun, and simple calculator to quickly measure your carbon footprint, better understand which daily activities contribute the most emissions, and discover ways to reduce your impact.

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Our Supporters

Power to the People has formed a special partnership with The Indigenous Clean Energy Social Enterprise, a national collaborative platform that advances clean energy economic development and expressly ‘walks the talk’ of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and communities.