First Nations’ Increasing Participation In Hydroelectric Projects In Canada

As the world’s second largest producer of hydroelectricity, the majority of Canadian renewable energy comes from hydro power. Hydroelectricity is renewable and clean, which can significantly reduce the generation of greenhouse gases and help prevent global climate change. However, the development of hydroelectric facilities has some environmental impacts such as flooding vast land, dislocating local residents, increasing the level of methylmercury, etc.Since most hydroelectric plant construction happens on First Nation land, First Nations would be directly and severely affected by hydroelectric facility constructions. Through the analysis of two series of hydroelectric projects in Quebec and Ontario-two hydroelectricity giant province in Canada, I find that before the1970s, the participation of First Nations in hydroelectric projects was minimal. From the1970s on, the spreading of environmental consciousness in Canada has been helping them to improve their level of participation.This thesis uses case study of qualitative study within the theoretical framework of contingency theory to analyze how has First Nations’ participation in hydroelectricity projects been evolving? What were the factors preventing First Nations’ from participating before the1970s? And what reasons are behind the evolution of First Nations’ participation?According to contingency theory, there is no one best way to organize and make decisions. The appropriate way of management is contingent upon internal needs and external environmental circumstances. This thesis argues that before the1970s, First Nations’participation in the development of hydroelectric projects was constrained for reasons such as their traditional mindset of preserving their land and traditional way of life, the mistreatment of government and corporation, and their lack of financial and technological capacity. However, over the past four decades, both First Nations and governments and enterprises have been adapting their hydroelectricity-related strategy according to their internal needs and social circumstances. Externally, the global promotion of renewable energy and the favorable legislative, regulatory and financial policies adopted by governments and society encourage First Nations’ willingness to participate, and strengthened their financial and technological capacity, together with their internal desire to achieve energy and financial independence, First Nations are gradually equipped with the desire as well as the tool to play a more active and assertive role in the development in hydroelectric industry or even renewable energy sector as a whole. The internal and external incentives do not just exercise their functions independently, it is through their joint implementation that First Nations’ level of participation increases. With the importance of renewable energy continues to grow, it is likely that First Nations will play a bigger and more important role in the development of hydroelectric projects.