Evan Michael Minisinoons Belleau is Anishinaabe from Garden River First Nation and serves as the Supervisor of Capacity Development for Garden River First Nation. Since joining the Nation in 2023 through the Independent Electricity System Operator's (IESO) Community Energy Champion Program as an Energy Advisor, he has been dedicated to advancing Indigenous leadership in clean energy, economic development, and community capacity building. His work focuses on developing community-scale renewable energy projects, delivering energy education programming, and supporting long-term community prosperity through strategic partnerships.
In 2024, Evan was selected to participate in the Indigenous Clean Energy 20/20 Catalyst Cohort, where he toured and learned from renewable energy projects in First Nations communities across Canada. These experiences included large-scale solar, battery energy storage, wind, and run-of-river hydroelectric projects, providing valuable insight into Indigenous-led clean energy development and best practices from communities at various stages of the energy transition.
Today, Evan leads the development and management of community renewable energy initiatives, primarily focused on solar projects, while engaging with industry proponents operating within Garden River First Nation's traditional territory to advance economic and capacity development opportunities. His work includes collaboration on major infrastructure projects such as the NEPL and NSL Transmission Line developments and the 200 MW Dunns Valley Solar Project, approved through the IESO's LT2 procurement process.