Name
4. Cara Sanders (she/her)
Location
Curve Lake First Nation
Description
Cara Sanders is an Anishinaabe Qwe from Curve Lake First Nation, and is the founder of Askii Environmental Inc., the Chair of the Indigenous Clean Energy (ICE) Board of Directors and a 2016 Catalyst. In 2016, Cara embarked on her clean energy journey and started her own business: Askii Environmental Inc. and joined the 20/20 Catalysts Program. Since that time, Cara has worked with many Nations guiding them to reduce their carbon footprint. NRCan and IESO have been huge supporters of the Nations, allowing Askii to assist them with their Community Energy Plans, hiring Community Energy Champions, installing a 300 kW wood chip boiler with the CERRC program and solar with the Indigenous Energy Project. In addition, developing skills on their boiler projects with the Indigenous Forest Initiative and Education and Capacity Building. Cara has created community buy-in through the capacity-building and training of Indigenous Youth (under 30) in the communities. For Indigenous Youth in remote communities, employment opportunities are often limited, so this project is a great fit. For Cara, the most rewarding experience is how the involvement in their communities’ clean energy projects has contributed to the Youth’s personal and professional growth. “I have loved helping them learn and seeing them take pride in the projects.” As Cara reflects on her career, she recognizes that everything that she has achieved was fueled by her own courage and the support of her family, friends, and network. Cara encourages Indigenous Youth to learn about different opportunities, explore different pathways, and reach out for support. She says, “The biggest thing that you have to learn is that there is help out there. You just have to ask, and things can happen.”