The OPA is pleased to move forward with the revised Aboriginal Renewable Energy Fund (AREF), which incorporates the outcome of the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) Program review.

AREF 2.0 program rules are now available and applications are now being accepted for the Partnership, Organizational Development and Development and Approvals funding streams.

The AREF is designed to provide funding for First Nation and Métis communities to assist them in developing renewable energy generation facilities. The program assists qualifying Aboriginal communities by paying for a portion of the project costs associated with developing a renewable energy project. These costs include resource assessments, legal services, engineering designs and regulatory approvals. Aboriginal communities can receive up to a maximum of $500,000 per project.

AREF funding is available for three streams of project development:

1.    Partnership Stream Funding: 80 percent of actual costs up to $20,000 for the first project.

2.     Organizational Development Stream Funding: 80 percent of actual costs up to $20,000 for the first project.

3.     Development and Approvals Stream Funding: 50 percent of actual costs up to $500,000 per project.

For more information about each funding stream, see the program rules.