N.S. announces clean energy funding for new Black business hub

The Nova Scotia government is investing in a new facility for African Nova Scotian businesses that will use clean energy.

Twila Grosse, the minister of African Nova Scotian affairs, announced Wednesday that more than $100,000 has been awarded to Akoma Holdings for the space that's to be built in Cherry Brook near Kinney Place, a Black business and community hub that the non-profit opened in 2022.

The cash is coming through the sustainable communities challenge fund, which supports community efforts to reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions.

Veronica Marsman, the property manager of Akoma, said in an interview that since the organization repurposed the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children in 2022 to create Kinney Place, other Black and African Nova Scotian businesses have been looking for space to operate.

Marsman said since Kinney Place opened, it's been "packed" with business, so much so that she had to move her own office so that space could be rented out.

"I have nine organizations and businesses tapping at the door saying, 'Hey, we'd like to be in this space' … so we're looking at building a second business hub," she said.

New space will have 'Afrocentric flair'

She added that once the new space is completed, it "might look different than your traditional business hubs elsewhere," complete with "Afrocentric flair." It will also serve as a centralized space for the three historic Black communities that are nearby.

As for the energy efficiency piece, Marsman said the funding from the government will be used to assess the best ways to ensure the facility is keeping with the most up-to-date technology when it comes to clean energy.

"We could be groundbreaking," she said. "We can come up with, maybe, the best energy efficient building around. Probably one of the best ones in the Black community, for sure."

All told, the building is expected to cost around $7 million, and Marsman said Akoma is continuing to look for funding.

The hope is to break ground on the facility sometime this summer, she added.

Skills organization eyes spot in new facility

So far, none of the tenants are officially confirmed, but the Africadian Empowerment Academy has expressed interest in the new space. 

Formerly known as the East Preston Empowerment Academy, Africadian is a non-profit organization focused on education and skill development for people of African descent. The organization works with several other institutions, including Akoma, to offer skilled trade programs. It's currently also located at Kinney Place.

Omolara Ogunbosi, the executive director of Africadian, said in an interview the academy has also seen significant growth in recent years.

"We are expanding by the day ... so we are looking forward to having this building with Akoma so we can have enough space for our operation," she said. "The office is growing and we also [need] a place to accommodate the staff to do their work comfortably."

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.