Construction is set to begin on an 1,800-kilometre transmission line project in Northwestern Ontario.

Financial details of the Wataynikaneyap Power Transmission Project were completed late last month, and a notice to proceed with construction issued to Valard LP.

The project, which is majority-owned by 24 First Nations communities and utility company Fortis, will connect 17 remote First Nations communities to the Ontario power grid. This means that thousands of First Nations people in the region will, for the first time, be able to access clean, reliable energy, as opposed to accessing power through unsustainable sources such as diesel generators.

“Today marks a significant milestone for the 17 First Nations communities who will be connected to the main electricity grid in Ontario for the first time,” said Fortis president and chief executive officer Barry Perry. “We are proud to work with our First Nations partners to bring cleaner and more reliable energy to their communities.”

The total construction works are valued at nearly $1.9 billion, and the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. In the process, it will generate nearly 770 construction jobs, nearly $900 million in socio-economic value, and countless other new economic opportunities. It will also help eliminate an estimated 6.6 million tonnes of CO² equivalent GHG emissions over 40 years.

“Valard has successfully and safely engineered and constructed some of the largest electric transmission projects in Canada,” said Barkley Adams, Valard president & CEO. “We want to thank Wataynikaneyap Power for selecting our company to safely execute on this project, and we look forward to working with the communities and beginning work immediately.”

The 24 partner communities include Bearskin Lake, Cat Lake, Deer Lake, Kasabonika Lake, Keewaywin, Kingfisher Lake, Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, Lac des Mille Lacs, Lac Seul, McDowell Lake, Muskrat Dam, North Caribou Lake, North Spirit Lake, Pikangikum, Poplar Hill, Sachigo Lake, Sandy Lake, Slate Falls, Wabigoon Lake, Wapekeka, Wawakapewin, Wunnumin Lake, Mishkeegogamang, and Ojibway Nation of Saugeen.

The communities are dispersed along an 800 kilometre arc starting from approximately 90 kilometres north of Red Lake to about 160 kilometres east to Pickle Lake. None of the communities north of Red Lake and Pickle Lake have access to all-season transportation or utility corridors. The average distance separating these communities ranges between 20 and 90 kilometres. These communities are considered remote because most do not have all-season road access or are not connected to the province’s electric grid.

More information on the project is available at wataypower.ca.