Strategic Advisory
Indigenous Energy:
The Next Phase Is Ownership
Energy is no longer just an economic file. It is an infrastructure, sovereignty, and competitiveness file—especially as governments move to accelerate major projects through streamlined assessments.
“Not ‘how do we participate?’ but ‘what do we own—and how do we govern it?'”
Practical Economics
Why Energy Is a Core Lever for Economic Reconciliation
01
Multi-Decade Cash Flows
Energy assets—generation, transmission, storage, and distribution—are long-lived. Ownership creates durable revenue and leverage for broader community priorities.
02
National Interest Infrastructure
Major projects are increasingly being treated as strategic and time-sensitive. The Canada–Ontario ‘one project, one review’ framework reflects a larger push to accelerate major initiatives.
03
Energy & Security Convergence
Energy security and grid resilience are increasingly part of national security logic. Defence/security investment frameworks explicitly include related investments by multiple levels of government.
Opportunities
Where First Nations Can Win in Energy
Equity Participation & Co-Development
Opportunities Include
Renewable generation (solar, wind, hydro)
Storage and microgrids (community resilience)
Transmission lines and grid modernization
Natural gas power and transitional assets
Energy services and operations companies (O&M)
The primary unlock is structuring:
IBAs & Rights-Based Agreements
IBAs should not be treated as “benefits.” They should be treated as economic architecture:
Procurement and contracting floors
Training and certification pathways
Long-term employment targets
Community infrastructure offsets
Options for equity conversion over time
Procurement Platforms & Supply Chains
Energy projects have enormous supply chain depth. When structured properly, Nations can build permanent businesses off the project cycle—turning one project into multiple enduring enterprises.
Civil works & aggregates
Hauling & camp services
Environmental monitoring
Engineering & surveying
Geotechnical services
Security & logistics
Facilities management
Equity Participation & Co-Development
Many Nations are constrained not by opportunity, but by financing design. Effective models integrate:
Non-dilutive sources where available
Structured debt aligned to cash flows
Staged equity participation
Risk-sharing with credible counterparties
Our Approach
How We Support Indigenous Energy Outcomes
Our work focuses on turning “energy opportunity” into bankable, governable realities.
Our Experience Includes
…and other opportunities for Nations
Next Steps