Pukwis Community Wind Park
The Project
Pukwis Community Wind Park is a 20 MW wind park joint venture between the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation and Windfall Ecology Centre. The joint venture partners have worked together since 2002 when Brent Kopperson and former Chief Hugh 'Buzzy' Big Canoe created an innovative community-wide energy efficiency housing retrofit pilot that is now being replicated in First Nation communities across Ontario with funding from the Ontario Power Authority.
Collaboration on Pukwis began in 2003 and has advanced steadily in accomplishing pre-construction milestones. Pukwis is now ready to move from feasibility to construction.
Ownership
Pukwis will ultimately be a joint venture between the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation and a community based co-operative, Pukwis Energy Co-operative. The co-operative will be comprised of members from within the GTA. Project construction will be financed by equity raised within the GTA through a co-operative share offering enabled by the Green Energy Act and by traditional commercial loans backed by a long term power purchase agreement with the Ontario Power Autority.
This means that opportunities will be available for individuals to become members of this community based cooperative and to become investors in Pukwis .
Pukwis Energy Co-operative Info
Co-op Directors
Why Community Wind for Georgina Island?
Read the answers provided by Chief Donna Big Canoe and Councillor William McCue.
Georgina Island
Georgina Island is a 1291 hectare First Nation Reserve located 1.5 km off the south east shore of Lake Simcoe, in the Township of Georgina. The site is strategically located within the Greater Toronto Area, only one hour from Toronto.
The windmills will be sited on Georgina Island, on land collectively-owned by the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation. The specific sites have been selected for their access to a strong wind resource, as well as to ensure a benign impact on the Island's natural environment. The siting also takes into account the way in which land is used on the island to ensure the continued enjoyment of island residents.
