Canada Funds Multi-Billion Dollar Power Line Expansion in Northern BC
Canada has committed US$ 2.467 billion (C$3.5 billion) in federal funding toward the first two phases of the North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL) in British Columbia, advancing one of the country’s largest grid expansion projects. The announcement was made in Vancouver under the Canada–British Columbia Cooperative Prosperity Agreement, alongside wider infrastructure and resource development measures.
The NCTL is a US$ 4.23 billion (C$ 6 billion) transmission project designed to strengthen electricity transfer across northern British Columbia. Phase 1 covers 170 kilometres from the Williston substation east of Prince George Airport to Glenannan, west of Fraser Lake, with completion targeted for 2030. Phase 2 extends 275 kilometres to the Skeena substation near Terrace, scheduled for 2032, while a third phase is planned for 2034.
Prime Minister Mark Carney linked the investment to long-term economic and energy development, noting: “We will support the development of the power, the mining, and the trade infrastructure needed to unlock Northern British Columbia's full economic potential in an environmentally sustainable way.”
The agreement also allocates US$ $352.4 (C$ 500 million) for the Red Chris copper mine, along with broader infrastructure spending, including C$10 billion for Roberts Bank port expansion in Tsawwassen and C$3 billion for the Massey Tunnel replacement project between Delta and Richmond.
Provincial leadership described the package as “a generational federal commitment that we have been asking for for a long time and have never seen,” estimating it represents nearly C$20 billion in total commitments to British Columbia.
Additional elements include funding for childcare, trades training, and environmental protections for marine ecosystems along southern shipping routes. Once completed, the NCTL is expected to expand transmission capacity across northern corridors, supporting electrification, resource development, and long-term grid reliability in the province.
Source: princegeorgecitizen.com
