Inuvik is the latest community in the NWT to complete a new community energy plan (PDF). The Town of Inuvik completed its new plan in October.
The exercise of community energy planning is about finding local solutions to challenges around using energy for heat and electricity, as well as around energy conservation and efficiency. In the process, it also aims to build local capacity and energy literacy, and hold true to local values.
The AEA helped the Town with the entire planning process, from inception through to completing the plan.
The initial planning process ran from October 2024 to March 2025, and involved several engagement sessions with community members, officials and other stakeholders to find out what challenges the community has around energy use and how it would like to deal with them.
The next several months involved writing the plan, based on what we heard.
What’s in Inuvik’s community energy plan?
Inuvik’s new community energy plan replaces an older one from 2010. It prioritizes achieving energy security and independence in the community.
The plan has five goals:
- Enhance energy efficiency in buildings and community infrastructure
- Reduce transportation-related emissions
- Expand the use of renewable energy
- Reduce dependency on imported fuel
- Enhance community energy literacy and workforce capacity
Each goal has several strategies associated with it.
The next step is for the Town to develop and implement projects that build on those goals and strategies.
The Community Energy Champion: a key to success
Whenever the Arctic Energy Alliance engages in community energy planning, we provide funding for out community partner to hire a Community Energy Champion.
These champions are key to the success of the project. In addition to guiding the community engagement process, they ensure the project is grounded in Indigenous community traditions, and that local governance and protocols are respected.
The Town of Inuvik’s champion, Cheryl Greenland, was instrumental in getting the plan completed.
How does the AEA help with community energy planning?
Since our inception, we’ve engaged with several communities around the NWT to develop energy plans.
Over the years, we’ve come to use a seven-step approach:
- Launch Effort – Get Organized – Form a group of people who are interested in energy.
- Create a Community Energy Profile – Create an overview of how energy is used in your community.
- Engage with the Community – Gather input on what the vision, goals and potential projects could look like.
- Evaluate Energy Opportunities – Evaluate potential projects and partnerships that could improve community energy management.
- Write the Community Energy Plan – Assemble promising projects and partnerships into a plan for action.
- Implement and Monitor the Plan – Complete projects listed in the plan and check to make sure that they are working properly.
- Revise the Plan – Go back to Step 1 and repeat.
In the 2024/25 fiscal year, we also helped the Community Government of Whatì with its energy planning process, and hope to have that plan completed this year. Last year, we also helped the Hamlet of Ulukhaktok create its Wind Energy Working Group, which was a project identified in its community energy plan that we helped create in the 2022/23 year.
This year, we’re working with the communities of Aklavik, Nahanni Butte and Tsiigehtchic to get new energy plans in place.
How can my community get involved in energy planning?
Community governments and Indigenous governments in the NWT can apply at any time to take part in our Community Energy Planning Program. We’ll evaluate applications as they come in so we can plan for the future. We’re able to accept a limited number of communities each year, but we’d love to get the process started.