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12 SUMMER 2024 MANITOBA'S CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE CONT. Ben Graham: "We're working closely with the Government of Manitoba on an energy policy and the Public Utilities Board. We'll be speaking to Manitobans throughout this transi- tion process. We'll try to get as many Indigenous Manitobans involved in this consultative process as pos- sible to ensure everyone has a voice on how we make this transition to green power beneficial to everyone across the province." Colleen Kuruluk: "Everything we do is collaboration. We have a network of delivery partners — everything from an insulation contractor to an energy auditor or a specialized professional doing energy model- ling on buildings. Energy efficiency is delivered more effectively via us working closely with these partners. With the Manitoba Métis Federation, we've funded an energy advocate and work in partnership on sev- eral initiatives. We also have an Indigenous energy-efficiency work- ing group to ensure we're recogniz- ing and responding to the needs of the communities accessing our programs. For our business custom- ers, we work with the Association of Manitoba Municipalities and both the Manitoba and Winnipeg Chambers of Commerce. And, for at- tracting new customers to Manitoba, we work super closely with CentrePort, Business and Economic Development (Province of Manitoba) and Yes! Winnipeg." Bram Strain: "We need to do an inventory of what's available and what best practices are, making sure that we're making the best use of our resources. There is a ton of work going on in the logistics field, investing in fuel efficiency, drag reduction and anything they can do to use less fuel and lower the cost of freight, resulting in lower cost of goods for consumers. The provincial government just talked about an Electric Vehicle Centre of Excellence, which is going to help with electric buses. We have the largest bus manufacturer in North America investing a lot of money into hy- drogen cells and electric buses. We also need to forge true partnerships with Indigenous communities to ensure future natural resource deals include and benefit everyone — not just in royalties and jobs but most importantly in ownership." COLLABORATIONS – Minister of Environment and Climate Change Tracy Schmidt: "We're collaborating with a variety of stakeholders and partners to reach our sustainability goals. We work closely with the business sector through the Merit Fund. We're also very proud of our collaborations with Indigenous communities to support energy improvements and fuel switching. We're working with rural municipalities and an organization called Eco-West to support climate resiliency, reduce emissions and expand our electric vehicle infrastructure. We will continue working closely with the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, which is doing great work in increasing education and collaboration opportunities across the business sector." PHOTO BY DARCY FINLEY 12 SUMMER 2024

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