Wah-ila-toos — Clean Energy in Indigenous Communities

Program Description

Wah-ila-toos (a Nehiyaw/Michif/Inuinnaqtun/Haíɫzaqvḷa word meaning 'we are all kin') is a NRCan-led single-window initiative providing funding for renewable energy and capacity-building projects in Indigenous, rural, and remote communities across Canada. Launched in 2023 with a $300M mandate, it consolidates access to multiple federal clean energy programs — including the Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative (IODI), the Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities (CERRC) program, and the Northern Responsible Energy Approach for Community Heat and Energy (NREACHE) — under one no-wrong-door entry point. A dedicated Indigenous Council of 6 distinctions-based representatives guides program design. Funding supports a continuum from feasibility studies and capacity-building through to full renewable energy project construction.

Eligibility Requirements

• Indigenous communities (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and organizations)
• Rural and remote communities that rely on diesel for heat and/or power
• Community-owned or community-controlled entities undertaking clean energy projects
• Municipalities and regional governments serving eligible remote communities (as project partners; only Indigenous-governed bodies may be primary applicants)
• Non-profit organizations and development corporations representing Indigenous communities
• Projects must reduce diesel reliance for electricity generation or space heating
• Eligibility note: Confirmed at two independent live sources: a legally registered/incorporated Canadian FOR-PROFIT organization is its own listed eligible-recipient class, separate from the Indigenous bullet, and the guide states outright that the communities served 'can be Indigenous or non-Indigenous'. The Indigenous emphasis is stated twice in explicitly preferential language ('we prioritize',