Indigenous Economy Powering Canada’s Energy Transition (Small Modular Reactors)
Indigenous Economy Powering Canada’s Energy Transition (Small Modular Reactors)
Overview
Change Makers – English River First Nation & Denison Mines leading together in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada
Rewriting the Future of Uranium Mining Through Indigenous Equity and Technical Innovation
Overview
Something Powerful
Resources & Pre-Reading
Speakers

Sheldon M. Wuttunee
Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Future Energy
As Saskatchewan positions itself at the forefront of clean energy innovation, SIIFC will help facilitate Indigenous equity in next-generation energy projects, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and micro-reactors. This ensures Indigenous capital is embedded in the province’s future energy landscape, aligning economic progress with the global transition to low-carbon solutions. Indigenous ownership in SMR projects has the potential to generate long-term returns while advancing Canada’s clean energy ambitions. Opportunities to participate in the emerging SMR and micro-reactor space will present a unique opportunity to enter a sector at its infancy, a first in Canada.
Natural Resources: Energy and Mining
First Nations and Métis peoples and businesses have played a foundational role in Saskatchewan’s resource economy, securing long-term partnerships and ownership stakes in key industries. SIIFC supports these efforts by enabling Indigenous groups to gain equity in sectors such as uranium, potash, critical minerals, forestry, renewable energy, and oil & gas, strengthening economic resilience and expanding investment opportunities. This alignment ensures Indigenous governments, communities and businesses continue to influence resource management and environmental stewardship, while investors benefit from stable, long-term partnerships that can help advance projects and drive sustainable growth.
Policy Innovation
SIIFC represents a landmark shift in government policy, offering loan guarantees to Indigenous communities to facilitate equity investments in large-scale projects. This innovative approach fosters Indigenous economic empowerment and creates a replicable blueprint for other jurisdictions seeking to promote Indigenous ownership in natural resource development.
Labour and Workforce Impact
Indigenous participation in resource projects has been instrumental in fostering skilled job creation and advancing long-term economic sovereignty. Equity participation translates into more than just financial returns. SIIFC-backed projects have opened pathways to sustainable employment, workforce development, capacity-building for Indigenous workers and seats at Board tables. These initiatives directly contribute to long-term economic independence, ensuring Indigenous peoples are active participants in Saskatchewan’s resource economy.
Indigenous Equity Partnerships
The SIIFC model provides Indigenous communities and governments a mechanism to facilitate equity ownership in addition to traditional Impact Benefit Agreements (IBAs). Indigenous communities and governments are no longer passive beneficiaries but active partners in resource ventures. This transition fosters wealth creation, enhances decision-making influence, and strengthens community resilience.
Indigenous capital is a driver of long-term economic growth, fostering business resilience and supporting regulatory stability in resource and energy investments. These partnerships provide investors with a strategic advantage, ensuring alignment with government priorities and unlocking new opportunities in high-growth sectors.
Strengthening Project Stability for Long-Term Returns
Access to Capital and Competitive Advantage
Replicable Model for Market Expansion
Strategic Growth Opportunities
Indigenous-backed resource and energy projects ensure long-term operational stability, creating investment environments with lower volatility and higher resilience.

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