Reconciliation is about the genuine restructuring and transformation of the relationships between Indigenous and settler people. Although renewable energy has not been inherently positive for Indigenous peoples, Indigenous communities in Canada have been participating in renewable energy production, which presents a potential pathway to reconciliation, climate change mitigation and a just energy transition. This study explores whether and to what extent community energy—defined by deep engagement in process, as well as local and collective benefits—relates to elements of participation associated with reconciliation, both conceptually and empirically. A conceptual framework based in community energy was developed to characterize and analyse 194 renewable energy projects associated with Indigenous communities. This framework considered ‘community’ as belonging to traditional land, places where Indigenous people live, and as local authority, such as the Indigenous political organization of a settlement or reserve. Projects were examined by legal form, project location, and control. The findings do not provide strong indications of reconciliation. We suggest that one pathway to reconciliation is equity ownership, which has risen over time, although most projects located on traditional territories and Indigenous communities generally have minority or no ownership. There were no projects associated with Métis communities, and only 6 associated with Inuit communities. Institutional change requires implementation of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) and extensive policy supports. Further research with and by Indigenous communities should examine how to support equity ownership by examining the findings of the 41 projects controlled by Indigenous communities and increased attention to Métis and Inuit communities.

和解是关于原住民与定居者之间关系的真正改组和转变。尽管可再生能源对土著人民并不是天生就积极的，但是加拿大的土著社区一直在参与可再生能源的生产，这为和解，减缓气候变化和公正的能源过渡提供了潜在的途径。这项研究探讨了社区能量（由深入参与过程以及本地和集体利益所定义）在概念上和经验上是否以及在多大程度上与和解相关的参与要素。建立了以社区能源为基础的概念框架，以表征和分析与土著社区相关的194个可再生能源项目。该框架认为“社区”属于传统土地，土著人民居住的地方以及地方当局，例如定居点或保护区的土著政治组织。通过法律形式，项目位置和控制来检查项目。调查结果没有提供和解的有力迹象。我们建议实现和解的一种途径是股权所有权，尽管大多数位于传统领土和土著社区的项目通常都拥有少数股权或没有所有权，但股权所有权却随着时间的推移而上升。没有与Métis社区相关的项目，只有6个与因纽特人社区相关的项目。制度上的变化要求实施自由，事先和知情同意（FPIC）和广泛的政策支持。