National industry recognition for the partnership between ATCO and Denendeh Investments Incorporated – one of Canada’s longest-standing Indigenous partnerships in the utility sector
Naka Award
Darrell Beaulieu, Chief Executive Officer, DII and Jay Massie, Vice President, Northern Development & Indigenous Relations, ATCO Electric, were joined by ATCO leadership to accept the recognition with their colleagues and peers.
Yellowknife, N.W.T. – November 27, 2024 – Northland Utilities Enterprises Ltd. (“Naka Power Utilities”), a joint partnership between Denendeh Investments Incorporated (DII) and ATCO, is proud to receive the Electricity Canada’s prestigious, “2024 Leadership in Community Partners Award.” The award was presented last night at the electricity industry association’s Powering Partnerships summit in Toronto. The national recognition celebrates Naka Power Utilities for its outstanding commitment to community partnerships and highlights the power of collaboration and mutual respect.
Darrell Beaulieu, Chief Executive Officer, DII and Jay Massie, Vice President, Northern Development & Indigenous Relations, ATCO Electric, were joined by ATCO leadership to accept the recognition with their colleagues and peers.
“We take great pride in our Naka Power Utilities partnership and are grateful to be recognized by Electricity Canada,” said Mr. Beaulieu. “The award is a clear reflection of the strength and collaboration between DII and ATCO. Through this partnership, we’ve enhanced infrastructure and strengthened reliability in remote communities.”
“Receiving this award is a testament to the strength and success of our partnership with Denendeh Investments Incorporated,” said Mr. Massie. “Building lasting relationships with Indigenous partners is a hallmark of how ATCO does business, and we are honoured to be recognized for this commitment on a national stage.”
The 37-year partnership between DII and ATCO reinforces the importance of collaboration and being a leader in championing responsible practices and meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities.
DII first partnered with ATCO in 1987, making it one of the first regulated electric utilities in Canada with Indigenous ownership, and they currently share a 50/50 financial ownership structure. This was ATCO’s first partnership with an Indigenous organization. Since that time, building and sustaining relationships with Indigenous partners has become a core pillar of ATCO’s business.
Currently, ATCO has more than 50 joint-venture partnerships, memorandums of understanding and/or other partnerships with Indigenous communities that supports millions of dollars of economic growth for these communities. ATCO continues to advance new, collaborative models for partnerships with Indigenous Peoples around the world, in the spirit of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
About Naka Power Utilities
Northland Utilities Enterprises Ltd. operates through its subsidiaries, Naka Power Utilities (Yellowknife) and Naka Power Utilities (NWT) (collectively “Naka Power Utilities”). Naka Power Utilities is a leading electrical utility serving more than 11,000 customers across nine communities in the Northwest Territories. It is equally owned by Denendeh Investments Incorporated (DII) and ATCO Ltd., through its investment in Canadian Utilities Limited. We are committed to fostering sustainable relationships with Indigenous communities and offering programs such as job shadowing and apprenticeship training. Naka Power Utilities continues the legacy of collaboration initiated in 1987, when DII and ATCO first partnered, setting a precedent for Indigenous partnerships in the industry.
Media Contact:
Doris Kaufmann Woodcock
Manager, Media and Corporate Communications, ATCO
587 215 9115
Media@atco.com