Québec City –The agreement concluded provides for the signing of a 30-year contract to purchase the electricity that will be produced by the Apuiat wind farm. The contract between Hydro-Québec Production and Parc éolien Apuiat S.E.C., a company jointly held by the Innu communities and Boralex, provides for the electricity to be bought at a cost of about 6¢/kWh. Apuiat becomes the wind farm offering the most competitive cost of all wind farms under contract in Québec.

The word “Apuiat” in Innu Aimun, means a paddle, a symbol of moving forward together in the same direction. The wind farm, of approximately 200 MW, will be built on the traditional territory (Nitassinan) of the Uashat mak Mani-utenam First Nation and on public lands in the City of Port-Cartier in the Côte-Nord Region.
The Innu communities and Boralex are 50-50 partners in the project. The partners will equally share the profits generated by the sale of electricity throughout the life of the project.

Apuiat is the result of an Innu idea, a desire to build collective wealth. For the first time, across our nation, we are the master builders of a large project of benefit to the Innu and to Quebecers. This project will help us enter into a dialogue and build interdependence, instead of maintaining dependency. The road toward reconciliation must involve economic inclusion of the First Nations and the creation of opportunities for current and future generations. This also means rebuilding a government-to-government relationship, on a nation-to- nation basis. History is taking place right before our eyes; we are writing it together: the Innu, the people of the Côte-Nord Region and Quebecers.” Mike Mckenzie, Chief of the Innu Community of Uashat mak Mani-utenam

“Apuiat is more than just a wind farm. It involves 30 years of revenues for our communities, and a breeze of fresh air for the economy of the Côte-Nord Region. This is also an opportunity for each of our communities to invest autonomously in its own priorities. The Innu have the potential and the willingness to participate in Québec’s economic development, and we have much to offer. Although Apuiat is our first national project, it will certainly not be the last.”

Martin Dufour, Chief of the Innu Essipit Band Council