MCK and CDPQ partner to finance renewable energy infrastructure projects

02/03/2025

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) and CDPQ are pleased to announce the creation of a financial and strategic partnership to jointly invest in renewable energy infrastructure projects. The partnership aims to facilitate access to funding for the MCK and other Indigenous communities interested in taking part in the implementation of these projects in Québec.

In addition to easing access to funding and contributing to the success of projects, the MCK and CDPQ will seek to position communities at the heart of project development by promoting their long-term participation. As co-investors, the two organizations will also provide close oversight to foster a sustainable and inclusive development approach.

Together, the two organizations plan to:

• Establish and strengthen partnerships based on trust and an alignment of interests, as well as the social acceptability of projects
• Provide the technical capacity communities need to negotiate complex agreements and analyze the financial terms of large-scale projects
• Propose an innovative solution that allows communities to participate and gives them access to sufficient capital to hold a stake in projects

“For over a century, major energy infrastructure projects have impacted Indigenous peoples’ rights and lands. We believe the time is right for our communities to participate in the energy transition by owning and benefiting from energy infrastructure on our ancestral lands,” said Ohén:ton Í:rate ne Ratitsénhaienhs (Grand Chief) Cody Diabo, Grand Chief of the MCK.
“We have developed this partnership to provide the economic opportunity for First Nations and Inuit communities to maximize their stake in large-scale energy infrastructure on their lands, and benefit from the revenues generated.”

“In Québec, numerous renewable energy projects will cross traditional Indigenous territories, which presents an opportunity to foster the financial participation of the communities involved and ensure that the partners’ priorities are well aligned,” said Emmanuel Jaclot, Executive Vice-President and Head of Infrastructure at CDPQ. “We are delighted to be working with the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke in this partnership to fund renewable energy infrastructure projects, which reflects our commitment to supporting sustainable and inclusive development initiatives while contributing to Québec’s energy transition.”

The MCK will engage with interested Indigenous communities that wish to explore this opportunity to meet their capital needs. The MCK and CDPQ are collaborating to identify projects where this investment solution can be implemented.

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For more information

MEDIA RELATIONS TEAM                                                   Lisa Lahache,

+ 1 514 847-5493                                                                   Political Press Attaché

medias@cdpq.com                                                                 450-632-7500

mckmedia@mck.ca