Seven First Nations in Ontario have signed a deal with the federal and provincial governments that will allow them to own part of the Darlington Nuclear Project. The agreement gives the communities a minority interest in the small modular reactor being built in Bowmanville, marking a notable step in Indigenous participation in major energy infrastructure.
At the heart of the announcement is a loan guarantee provided by both Ottawa and the province. The guarantee is what enables the seven First Nations to take an ownership stake in the reactor, turning what would otherwise be a government and utility project into one that includes Indigenous communities as part owners.
The seven communities are collectively known as the Williams Treaties First Nations. Several chiefs and councillors from those nations attended the event in Bowmanville, where they were joined by the federal and provincial finance ministers as well as Ontario's energy minister, underscoring the political weight behind the deal.
Officials described the agreement as a milestone. It is the largest Indigenous loan guarantee ever issued in Canada, and one of the largest Indigenous investments in a major infrastructure project, signalling a new scale of involvement for First Nations in the country's energy sector.
The loan is worth approximately 715 million dollars. Half of that amount flows from Ottawa's Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program, while the other half comes from Ontario's Indigenous Opportunities Financing Program, splitting the backing evenly between the two levels of government.
For the chiefs, the decision was framed around the future. They spoke of creating opportunities and long-term economic benefits for future generations, with returns intended to support priorities identified by their nations. Those priorities include housing, education, language revitalization, health and wellness, infrastructure, economic development and opportunities for youth.
The move was not taken lightly. One chief said it was not necessarily an easy decision and that it took bravery and courage to invest in nuclear power. The leaders stressed that they were keeping future generations in mind as they committed their communities to a long-term stake in the Darlington reactor.