The morning rain has stopped, and a thin mist rises from the valleys surrounding Annapolis County, Nova Scotia. On a hillside that the Mi’kmaq people have inhabited for thousands of years, Michael Peters walks the perimeter of what will soon become the largest Indigenous-owned solar project in Atlantic Canada. As the economic development officer for Glooscap First Nation, Peters doesn’t see just solar panels when he looks at this 25-acre site – he sees his community’s future taking shape.
“Our ancestors were stewards of this land,” Peters tells me as we dodge puddles along the muddy access road. “Now we’re finding ways to honor that relationship through clean energy while building economic independence for our people.”
The Glooscap Community Energy project represents a growing movement across Canada – Indigenous communities reclaiming their energy sovereignty through renewable power development. With construction beginning this spring on a 4.9-megawatt solar farm, Glooscap’s 87 community members are positioning themselves at the forefront of Canada’s green economy.
As we stand at the project site, Peters points to where 13,000 solar panels will soon capture the Maritime sunshine. “This isn’t just about generating electricity,” he explains. “It’s about generating opportunity.”
The significance of this $10.5 million investment extends far beyond clean energy production. Once operational in early 2024, the project will generate enough electricity to power approximately 1,000 homes while providing Glooscap First Nation with stable revenue streams for decades to come.
Indigenous communities across Canada face unemployment rates significantly higher than the national average – 12.3% compared to 5.8% for non-Indigenous Canadians, according to Statistics Canada’s latest figures. Projects like Glooscap’s offer a path forward, with both immediate construction jobs and long-term maintenance positions that keep benefits within the community.
Melissa Labrador, a Glooscap community member and environmental consultant who helped shepherd the project through regulatory approval, emphasizes the broader significance of Indigenous-led renewable energy.
“For too long, resource development happened to us, not with us,” Labrador says. “The solar farm represents our values – sustainability, self-sufficiency, and responsibility to future generations. We’re writing our own story now.”
That story is part of a larger narrative unfolding across Canada. Indigenous communities now own, co-own, or have financial stakes in nearly 200 medium-to-large scale renewable energy projects, according to research from Indigenous Clean Energy, a national platform supporting clean energy participation.
Lumos Energy, which partners with Indigenous communities on renewable projects, estimates that Indigenous-led clean energy ventures have attracted over $30 billion in investment throughout Canada in the past decade. These projects range from solar installations like Glooscap’s to wind farms, run-of-river hydro, and biomass operations.
The growth comes despite significant hurdles. Accessing capital remains difficult for many First Nations, with complicated land ownership structures sometimes deterring conventional lenders. Glooscap overcame these challenges through a combination of federal funding, provincial support, and partnership with Nova Scotia Power.
Chris Peters (no relation to Michael), Glooscap’s Chief, explains that securing financing required persistence. “We had to prove ourselves repeatedly,” he tells me during a conversation at the band office. “But we demonstrated that Indigenous communities are ideal partners for renewable energy – we have the land base, the motivation for long-term sustainability, and deep connections to place.”
The Nova Scotia government recognized this potential when it created a specialized procurement category for Indigenous-owned renewable energy in its electricity plan. This policy innovation allowed Glooscap to secure a 25-year power purchase agreement that guarantees stable revenue.
“This approach creates a triple win,” says Sarah Mitchell, energy policy specialist with Clean Energy Canada. “Indigenous communities gain economic benefits, provinces advance their climate targets, and the electricity system becomes more resilient with distributed generation.”
Back at the project site, Michael Peters shows me where the transmission lines will connect to the provincial grid. He explains how community members will receive training in solar installation and maintenance, creating skills transferable to other renewable energy projects.
For Peters, the environmental benefits align perfectly with traditional Mi’kmaq values. “Our teachings tell us to consider the impact of decisions on seven generations to come,” he says. “Solar power embodies that principle – harvesting energy without depleting resources.”
The Glooscap project comes amid Canada’s broader push toward clean electricity. The federal government has committed to achieving a net-zero electricity system by 2035, requiring rapid expansion of renewable capacity. Indigenous communities are positioned to play a pivotal role in this transition.
Terri Lynn Morrison, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Indigenous Clean Energy, has tracked the sector’s growth for a decade. “What’s happening isn’t just about watts and dollars,” Morrison told me by phone. “It’s about Indigenous peoples reasserting their place as decision-makers on their traditional territories.”
Morrison points to multiple benefits beyond the obvious environmental gains. “Communities are using revenues from energy projects to fund cultural programs, housing improvements, and education initiatives,” she explains. “Energy sovereignty supports cultural sovereignty.”
This connection between renewable energy and cultural revitalization is evident at Glooscap. The First Nation plans to integrate educational components into the solar farm, including interpretive displays connecting traditional Mi’kmaq environmental knowledge with modern sustainability practices.
“Our young people will see this project and understand that our traditions have contemporary relevance,” says Elder Margaret Phillips, who serves on Glooscap’s energy committee. “They’ll know we’re building something that honors our past while securing their future.”
As dusk approaches and we prepare to leave the future solar site, Michael Peters pauses to take in the view of the valley below. The first evening stars appear above rolling hills that have sustained his people for countless generations.
“In Mi’kmaq, we don’t have a word for ‘resources,'” he reflects. “The closest concept would be ‘gifts’ – things given to us that we’re responsible for using wisely. This project is our way of accepting new gifts from the sun while fulfilling that ancient responsibility.”
When Glooscap’s solar array connects to the grid next year, it will join a growing constellation of Indigenous-led renewable projects illuminating a different path forward – one where Canada’s energy transition and Indigenous economic reconciliation advance together, powered by the same clean current.
