Sustainable Jobs for Indigenous Clean Energy Action

This policy brief recommends that the Canadian government implement the Sustainable Jobs Act through joint governance, flexible definitions of sustainable employment, and increased Indigenous equity and ownership in clean energy. It emphasizes that for the energy transition to be just, it must advance Indigenous self-determination and provide comprehensive wrap-around supports for workforce development.

• The Sustainable Jobs Act (Bill C-50), passed in June 2024, establishes the Sustainable Jobs Secretariat and Partnership Council to support economic diversification and skills development for a net-zero economy. However, the legislation is criticized for lacking specifics on Indigenous involvement, with the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science, and Technology noting that its wording suggests an "optional approach to Indigenous knowledge," which may conflict with the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
• Indigenous Peoples in Canada are already significant leaders in the clean energy sector, holding the majority of clean energy assets outside of private and Crown utilities. This includes nearly 200 medium-to-large renewable energy projects and between 1,700 and 2,100 small projects involving Indigenous ownership or partnership.
• To support Indigenous self-determination, the brief recommends that the federal government adopt joint governance and co-design for sustainable jobs programs. This includes moving beyond treating Indigenous Peoples as stakeholders to treating them as decision-making partners, ensuring that the three Indigenous seats on the Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council do not replace nation-to-nation obligations.
• The brief argues for a flexible definition of "sustainable jobs" that accommodates Indigenous knowledge systems and community needs. This includes recognizing seasonal land-based activities (such as hunting and fishing) and viewing language revitalization and land-based learning as valid sustainable job pathways that may not fit conventional salaried employment structures.
• To enable Indigenous equity, the document recommends moving from simple benefit-sharing to supporting majority Indigenous ownership and partnership in energy projects. Specific suggestions include creating distinction-based funding set-asides in the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund, implementing multi-phase funding to avoid "stop-and-start" programs, and utilizing price adders for energy generation to incentivize Indigenous-owned projects.
• Scaling up workforce capacity requires responsive training and the inclusion of "wrap-around supports" to remove barriers to employment. Impactful supports identified from Indigenous Clean Energy (ICE) programs include childcare, animal care, living wages, transportation costs, rent support, and the involvement of Elders and Knowledge Keepers.
• The federal government has existing commitments that should inform sustainable jobs implementation, including the UNDA Action Plan's goal to award at least 5% of federal contracts to Indigenous businesses and the Paris Agreement NDC commitment to provide clean, reliable energy to rural, remote, northern, and Indigenous communities currently relying on diesel by 2030.

APA

Cameron, L., Campbell, F. H., & Roop, M. (2024). Sustainable Jobs for Indigenous Clean Energy Action. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-08/sustainable-jobs-indigenous-clean-energy-action.pdf

Chicago

Cameron, Laura, Freddie Huppé Campbell, and Mackenzie Roop. Sustainable Jobs for Indigenous Clean Energy Action. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2024. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-08/sustainable-jobs-indigenous-clean-energy-action.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cameron |first1=Laura |last2=Campbell |first2=Freddie Huppé |last3=Roop |first3=Mackenzie |title=Sustainable Jobs for Indigenous Clean Energy Action |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=August 2024 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-08/sustainable-jobs-indigenous-clean-energy-action.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cameron2024sustainable, author = {Cameron, Laura and Campbell, Freddie Huppé and Roop, Mackenzie}, title = {{Sustainable Jobs for Indigenous Clean Energy Action}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2024}, month = aug, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-08/sustainable-jobs-indigenous-clean-energy-action.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }