The general ambience of snarkiness permeating the Yukon legislative assembly was on full display recently as Energy, Mines and Resources Minister John Streicker presented a statement on the government’s renewable energy projects.

“The purpose of today’s ministerial statement is to provide an update on some of these community renewable energy projects,” Streicker said.

“These projects include: the four-megawatt wind farm project on Haeckel Hill that is now under construction; the proposed 2.85-megawatt solar project in the off-grid community of Watson Lake; and the currently operational 940-kilowatt solar array with battery system in Old Crow.”

In this fiscal year, he said, the program is supporting a variety of different proponents, including:

• the Klondike Development Organization for a 309-kilowatt solar project in Dawson City;

• the Solstice Clean Energy Cooperative for a community-owned solar farm; and

• Mgrid Energy for a feasibility study that will look at converting former brownfield in Carcross into a solar project.

“The initiative supports the territory’s goal to have 97 per cent of our energy generated from renewable sources and to have independent power production in all off-grid communities by 2030,” Streicker said.

“These goals are part of the territory-wide Our Clean Future strategy. The strategy is our Yukon approach to tackling the climate crisis, and this initiative will play a key role in helping to meet our targets.”

It didn’t take long for the discussion to turn sarcastic.

“This Liberal government continues to pat themselves on the back for their green energy project work, but the results are limited,” Yukon Party MLA Geraldine Van Bibber said in response to Streicker’s comments.

“This announcement today appears to be more of the same. It’s a new study to study the old study on green energy.

“It’s like a Russian nesting doll, where every study leads to another study, but we never see action.

“At the same time, we see the Liberals constantly increasing our electrical rates for Yukoners,” Van Bibber added.

“Under this government, we saw the Liberals increase electrical rates by 12 per cent in 2019. This year, the Liberal government is seeking to increase them even further by 11.5 per cent.

“According to the Yukon Energy application, Yukoners could see that increase applied to bills this December 1, 2021, with potential retroactive payments included. This means that the Liberals are giving Yukoners a lump of coal for Christmas with a brand new rate hike.

“Can the minister guarantee that his announcement today won’t result in additional rate applications to increase power rates?”

Streicker said: “I’ll just mention some of the projects that are not about planning; they are in the construction phase. Haeckel Hill wind farm — they are up there today, up at the top of the hill, working to install four megawatts. I got some recent reports on the work that is ongoing. They are actually putting up the work as we speak.

“The Dawson solar, I think, is electrifying next week, so it’s here.”

As noted by Van Bibber, the minister said, the Old Crow solar and battery project started this past summer.

“It is great that there are times now when we don’t have the diesels running in Old Crow. I think that’s a great thing.”

As for power rates, Streicker said, “I took a look at the rates that she is talking about and I saw that increase.

“I asked — to try to dig into that a bit — to try to understand what the cause of that rate increase was. The largest factor that I saw was the LNG plant, which came before I was ever elected into this legislature (in 2016).

“The challenge is that it didn’t go to rate right away. The members opposite actually pushed those rates down, and I think that’s the wrong thing to do.

“We need to make sure that we allow the costs that are being accrued to come to rate over time so that we don’t get big jumps,” Streicker added.

“I think the point is that we need to see the work being done and decided upon by the Yukon Utilities Board, Yukon Energy, and through the 10-year renewable plan and Our Clean Future — that, over time, we see those changes.”

He said he will research the answer to the question about the diesel generators.

“Of course, it is our goal to get off of diesel generation. It is stated in Our Clean Future.”

NDP MLA Emily Tredger said, “Last summer, the diesel generators in Old Crow fell silent for the first time in 50 years. That is real leadership in moving away from fossil fuels.

“First Nations and communities continue to lead the way. Projects in communities from across the Yukon have applied for funding through the Innovative Renewable Energy Initiative to develop proposals and get them off the ground,” Tredger added.

“Because of their work, we’ll see more wind and solar projects across the territory. That means less fossil fuels burned, less fuel trucked along the highways.

“I hope that soon, across our communities, diesel generators will power down one by one, leaving room for the sounds of nature instead of the sounds of machines.”

These are the kinds of projects required to reach the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent, Tredger said.