TORONTO – The Ontario government has announced 148 projects will receive funding through the 2025 intake of the Indigenous Energy Support Program (IESP). The province is investing $25 million through the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to support Indigenous-led energy initiatives that strengthen community participation in Ontario’s growing energy sector, a release reads.
The money is dispersed across three Areas of Funding:
- Capacity Building to support education and awareness initiatives, energy skills-building as well as the hiring of a Community Energy Champion to leverage energy opportunities.
- Economic Development to support equitable access to project partnerships and energy infrastructure development opportunities.
- The IESO expanded the Economic Development AOF to include an enhanced Remote Projects Development stream, designed to advance diesel reduction and energy transition objectives in nine identified off-grid First Nation communities.
- Energy Resiliency and Monitoring to support the development and updating of community energy plans and initiatives.
Applications for 2026 funding are now open. The deadline to apply is Oct. 2 and more information can be found here.
