Built on the original river lots of Métis people in Alberta, Canada, Métis Crossing is home to a 512-acre cultural interpretive center designed to promote an appreciation of Métis heritage, customs, and celebrations.
The Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) leaders who led the Salay Prayzaan project, which officially opened in June 2024, aimed to produce energy from renewable sources as part of their commitment to Alberta sustainability projects in mitigating future impacts of climate change, coexisting with nature, and honoring traditional Métis values.
The Métis Crossing Solar Project, also known as Salay Prayzaan (“gift from the sun”), is a community-owned renewable energy initiative and the first major Métis cultural interpretive destination in Alberta, Canada.
The solar farm emerged from a collaboration between the Otipemisiwak Métis Government (Métis Nation of Alberta), local governments, and several industry partners, including Arcadis, which served as engineering project manager. Arcadis supported the full energy transition process: feasibility studies, capital acquisition, site selection, environmental and associated studies, AUC regulatory and interconnection applications, grant funding, and owner’s engineering, guiding the project from start to completion.
Salay Prayzaan is one of many initiatives Arcadis is advancing across Alberta, with the distinction of being integral to the ongoing Métis Crossing development and the MNA Climate Change Action Plan. This solar energy project represents a major advancement for climate action, Métis sovereignty, and self-sufficiency in Canada.
As a community generation project, Salay Prayzaan will share a portion of its revenue with the local community through a development fund. It will also add to county land value through taxes and provide direct revenue to the MNA.
Arcadis is proud of its long-standing partnerships with Indigenous communities worldwide and in Canada, including through our membership in the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, the First Nations Major Projects Coalition, and our work with organizations like the Métis Nation of Alberta.
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