The North's energy conundrum

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Published on Thursday, 14 February 2019 07:08

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The North's energy conundrum r1 How do we get Canada's North off diesel? ... View archive version It’s easy to forget where our energy comes from. We flip a switch, we turn up the thermostat or we turn on the television, and ZAP — it just works.

In many northern communities, that’s a luxury residents can’t afford — sometimes literally. Almost every electron flowing through the wires in most of northern Canada is produced by burning diesel.

The Narwhal’s Jimmy Thomson lives in Yellowknife, a city that relies on diesel for much of its electricity, and which lies on the northern frontier of the electricity grid.

Electricity is only part of the picture. Diesel also provides much of the heating energy that keeps northern homes warm in the harshest of climates. But what was once a miracle solution has become a nightmare that's dirty and expensive.

Nunavut spends $54 million a year keeping the lights on for just 38,000 people. In Kugaaruk, Nunavut, the price for a residential customer is currently $1.12 per kWh — more than 10 times the national average. That has knock-on effects for businesses, too.

This isn’t a new story. It’s classic Narwhal: diving deep into an issue that, at best, gets a few hundred incremental words at a time from the media. Reporting this story was a months-long process of compiling and analyzing spill reports, poring over annual reports from energy corporations, conducting dozens of hours of interviews and hunting through years of coverage to answer the question: how can Canada's North get off diesel?

We hope you like it. And if you live in a remote community, please get in touch with Jimmy via e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on Twitter @jwsthomson to tell us how reliance on diesel affects your life.

We've got lots more this week, so read on!

Emma Gilchrist
Editor-in-chief, The Narwhal

EXCLUSIVE: Oil and gas companies owe Albertans $20 million in unpaid land rents

By Sharon J. Riley

Information obtained by The Narwhal reveals that oil and gas companies owe the Alberta government more than $20 million in unpaid land rents accumulated since 2010 — and basically none of that has been recouped. Annual payments by government on behalf of delinquent companies have increased 840 per cent between 2010 and 2017.

The wells in question are not technically orphans. These are wells owned by companies that are still in operation — but are just (way) behind on their bills. Read more.

Healing and hope: how Indigenous guardians are transforming conservation

By Judith Lavoie

Australia has reached its international conservation commitments in part by creating 75 Indigenous Protected Areas, creating 3,000 jobs in the process. Will Canada follow suit? Read more.

The Narwhal in the world An in-depth look at the impact of Alberta's coal phase-out on workers by The Narwhal's Sharon J. Riley earned a nod from the Solutions Journalism Network this week, which recognized Riley's article as a great example of "complicating the narrative."

The Solutions Journalism Network writes: "Riley’s story highlights how their identities are far from ‘one thing’; they include a father who’s most concerned about working further from his kids, a passionate workers’ rights enthusiast who wants to study labor law, and — to quote the miner himself — 'probably the only steelworker who’s a vegan.' "

Ottawa's Wood Buffalo plan 'not good enough': First Nations

By Judith Lavoie
Canada’s largest national park is at risk of losing its status as a World Heritage site due to the impacts of dams, oil development and climate change.

Now the federal government is promising to create artificial ice jams, strategically release water from BC Hydro dams and assess cumulative impacts on northern Alberta’s Peace-Athabasca delta — but one thing it's not promising is to re-evaluate its decision on the Site C dam. Read more. Barry Lopez in conversation with Wade Davis Tickets are selling like hotcakes, but there are still some left for this special event in Vancouver on March 25th.

Join author Barry Lopez as he discusses his hopeful vision for the world, despite the threats it faces, with renowned explorer, anthropologist and author Wade Davis.

The Narwhal is a proud sponsor of this event in partnership with the Vancouver Writers Fest and UBC's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs.
Get your tickets. Become a Narwhal! 570 amazing humans give what they can each month to make The Narwhal's independent journalism a reality. Join the club and become a member. Bonus: if you give $20 a month, you get a snazzy toque. What we're reading this week The Guardian: Plummeting insect numbers 'threaten collapse of nature' Share the love. Send this newsletter link to your Valentine. Donate Copyright © 2018 The Narwhal, All rights reserved.
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