Government of Canada Supports Aboriginal Involvement in Green Energy Projects in British Columbia

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, May 19 (MARKET WIRE) --
The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern
Development and Federal Interlocutor for Metis and Non-Status Indians,
today announced a contribution to the Aboriginal Energy Partnership to
establish a new fund that will support Aboriginal involvement in
renewable energy hydro projects in British Columbia.

"Our Government is committed to encouraging Aboriginal participation in
resource and energy projects across Canada," said Minister Strahl.
"Through this unique approach, we are maximizing the benefits of our
investment in Aboriginal economic development by leveraging capital from
the private sector and other partners."

The Aboriginal Energy Partnership will work with Ecotrust Canada to
establish the First Nation Regeneration Fund. This new fund will provide
financing to Aboriginal businesses and communities in British Columbia to
purchase an equity stake in run-of-river hydro projects, which produce
renewable energy.

The Aboriginal Energy Partnership is a new partnership between two
Aboriginal capital corporations, Tale'awtxw Aboriginal Capital
Corporation and Tribal Resources Investment Corporation. Ecotrust Canada
Capital, a subsidiary corporation of Ecotrust Canada, will manage the new
$7-million fund. The Aboriginal Energy Partnership and Ecotrust Canada
will each contribute $2 million to the new fund, with the remaining $3
million being provided by the Government of Canada.

"The Regeneration Fund is going to provide access to much needed capital
for First Nations," says Sandy Wong, General Manager of the Tale'awtxw
Aboriginal Capital Corporation. "The $7 million fund will help First
Nations finance equity in independent power projects in B.C. It will help
grow Aboriginal ownership in this critical sector of our economy."

"We have two goals in launching the First Nation Regeneration Fund
today," says Ian Gill, President of Ecotrust Canada. "By investing in
run-of-river hydro-electric projects, we want to generate green energy to
help meet B.C.'s carbon reduction targets and we want to regenerate
Aboriginal economies which are suffering from high unemployment and
stagnation."

"Run-of-river hydro power generation is one area where First Nations
clearly have a competitive advantage," says Peter Lantin, Chief Operating
Officer of Tribal Resources Investment Corporation."Our traditional
territorities, especially on the coast, have an abundance of clean
energy. In fact, the first project we are helping to finance is a
two-megawatt run-of-river hydro project owned by the Taku River Tlingit
First Nation near Atlin in northern British Columbia."

The Government of Canada is providing support to the new fund through the
Major Resource and Energy Development (MRED) Investments Initiative, a
pilot program run by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. These
investments are designed to help Aboriginal businesses to partner in some
of the most important economic developments and energy projects in the
country.

Ecotrust Canada is an enterprising non-profit organization whose purpose
is to build the conservation economy in coastal B.C. The organization
works at the intersection of conservation and community economic
development, promoting innovation and providing services for communities,
First Nations and enterprises to green and grow their local economies.
For more information, visit www.ecotrust.ca

Tale'awtxw Aboriginal Capital Corporation (TACC) supports the success of
Aboriginal businesses within the Coast Salish Traditional Territories
through business financing and support services. Its mission is to
support, encourage and build Aboriginal economies that create sustainable
self-sufficiency. For more information, visit www.tacc.ca

Tribal Resources Investment Corporation (TRICORP) provides business
consulting and financial services to First Nations entrepreneurs in
north-western British Columbia. TRICORP's mandate is to increase the
number of permanent jobs, reduce unemployment and facilitate business
ownership among First Nations people. For more information, visit
www.tricorp.ca

Through the MRED Investments Initiative and other Aboriginal economic
development measures, the Government of Canada is demonstrating its
continued commitment to increasing Aboriginal participation in the
Canadian economy.

For more information on the First Nation Regeneration Fund, visit
www.regenerationfund.ca

This release is also available on the Internet at www.inac.gc.ca

Contacts:
Office of the Honourable Chuck Strahl
Minister's Office
Nina Chiarelli
Press Secretary
819-997-0002

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
Media Relations
819-953-1160

Ecotrust Canada
Eric Enno Tamm, Communications Manager
604-219-1472 (cell)
eric@ecotrust.ca

Tale'awtxw Aboriginal Capital Corporation
Sandy Wong, General Manager
604-926-5626

Tribal Resources Investment Corporation
Peter Lantin, Chief Operating Officer
250-624-3535

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