Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link
Project Spotlight
Nukik Corporation, a 100 per cent Inuit-owned company jointly held by the Kivalliq Inuit Association and Sakku Investments Corporation, is developing the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link (KHFL): a 1,200-kilometre transmission line and parallel fibre optic corridor extending from the Gillam, Manitoba area into the Kivalliq region of Nunavut. The project will serve five communities (Arviat, Whale Cove, Rankin Inlet, Chesterfield Inlet and Baker Lake) with hydroelectric power and terrestrial high-speed broadband for the first time. The most recent cost estimate is approximately C$3.39 billion.
Source: Nukik Corporation; Nunatsiaq News, 10 February 2026
Overview
The project comprises two integrated components sharing a single right-of-way: a high-voltage transmission line with a rated capacity of 150 MW, carrying hydroelectric power from Manitoba Hydro's grid into the Kivalliq region, and a fibre optic cable with a capacity of 1,200 Gbps, providing terrestrial broadband connectivity.
The high-voltage line will connect to Manitoba's grid at the Keewatinohk Converter Station, approximately 80 kilometres northwest of Gillam, with over 370 kilometres of lower-voltage feeder lines extending to serve Arviat, Whale Cove, Rankin Inlet, Chesterfield Inlet and Baker Lake, as well as Agnico Eagle Mines' operations in the region.
Source: Canada Infrastructure Bank, project page; Nukik Corporation, 27 November 2025; Fox Lake First Nation, projects page
Key Facts
| Category |
Information |
| Location |
Keewatinohk Converter Station (Gillam area), Manitoba to Arviat, Whale Cove, Rankin Inlet, Chesterfield Inlet and Baker Lake, Nunavut |
| Proponent |
Nukik Corporation (100 per cent Inuit-owned) |
| Owners | Kivalliq Inuit Association (51 per cent) and Sakku Investments Corporation (49 per cent) |
| Type |
Energy and telecommunications: hydroelectric transmission and fibre optic broadband |
| Transmission distance | Approximately 1,200 kilometres, including over 370 kilometres of feeder lines |
| Transmission capacity | 150 MW |
| Fibre optic capacity | 1,200 Gbps |
| Estimated value | Pre-development (proposed) |
| Status | Pre-development (proposed) |
| Indigenous ownership | 100 per cent Inuit-owned |
Indigenous Participation
Nukik Corporation was incorporated on 29 March 2021 following a unanimous vote by the boards of both the Kivalliq Inuit Association and Sakku Investments Corporation. The Kivalliq Inuit Association holds 51 per cent and Sakku Investments Corporation holds 49 per cent. The KIA is a Designated Inuit Organisation under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, and Sakku is KIA's development arm, established in 1989 and deemed an Inuit Birthright Corporation. Nukik is headquartered in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut.
The project has been developed within Inuit governance structures, with the explicit purpose of generating long-term revenue for Inuit beneficiaries through transmission tariffs and equity returns. As stated in Nukik's submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, the corporation was created to lead the development of the KHFL under 100 per cent Inuit ownership and control.
Source: Nukik Corporation, House of Commons brief; Nunavut News, 16 May 2021; Federal corporation registry, Corporation No. 12878488; Sakku Investments Corporation
Development
The Manitoba-Nunavut memorandum of understanding on grid interconnection dates back to Nunavut's creation in 1999 and was last renewed in 2015, before further renewals in 2025 and 2026.
In November 2025, Nukik filed a Transmission Service Request with Manitoba Hydro, initiating the formal technical and commercial evaluation required to secure grid access. In the same period, Nukik and Qulliq Energy Corporation, the territorial energy utility, aligned on key commercial terms for their collaboration on the project's development and future operations. Nukik also became the first Arctic electricity developer in North America to be certified by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), establishing Nunavut's pathway to connect to the North American grid.
In December 2025, Nukik and Agnico Eagle Mines signed a memorandum of understanding formalising commercial negotiations and technical collaboration on the KHFL. Agnico Eagle operates the Meliadine gold mine approximately 25 kilometres north of Rankin Inlet and the Meadowbank complex, fed by the Amaruq mine, approximately 110 kilometres north of Baker Lake. Agnico Eagle is not a proponent of, and will not directly fund, the KHFL.
In February 2026, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and Nunavut Premier John Main, meeting in Winnipeg with Kivalliq Inuit Association president Kono Tattuinee, renewed their partnership on the project.
On 7 July 2026, the Governments of Manitoba and Nunavut signed a formal memorandum of understanding in Arviat, Nunavut. The MOU reaffirms Manitoba's commitment to provide 50 MW of firm electric capacity to the project. Nukik Corporation, the Kivalliq Inuit Association and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated are parties to the broader collaboration.
Source: Nukik Corporation, 27 November 2025; Nunatsiaq News, 18 December 2025; Nunavut News, 27 December 2025; Nunatsiaq News, 10 February 2026; Globe and Mail, 13 November 2025; Nukik Corporation, 8 July 2026
Federal Funding
The project replaces diesel generation in five Kivalliq communities with hydroelectric power from Manitoba's grid and delivers terrestrial broadband on the same right-of-way. The proponent is Inuit-owned. Federal funding has been announced for early-stage work. Potential industrial offtake exists in the region — Agnico Eagle operates the Meliadine mine near Rankin Inlet and the Meadowbank/Amaruq complex near Baker Lake — though no offtake arrangements have been publicly confirmed.
| Date | Amount |
Programme and purpose |
| 2019 onwards |
C$4.6 million | CanNor: technical and feasibility assessments |
| May 2021 |
C$3 million | CanNor (Budget 2021): continuation of feasibility studies |
| November 2022 | C$7 million |
Northern REACHE Programme: project advancement |
| March 2024 |
C$2.8 million | Northern REACHE Programme: engineering, design and environmental fieldwork |
| April 2026 | Part of a C$13 million package |
CanNor (SNID): environmental studies and community engagement |
As of June 2025, total federal funding received since 2018 was reported as just under C$15 million. Separately, a Clean50 profile of Nukik's chief executive officer states that more than C$25 million in federal and territorial funding commitments were secured between January 2023 and 2026.
The Canada Infrastructure Bank signed a memorandum of understanding in February 2020 to provide advisory services to the project, working with the Kivalliq Inuit Association and Sakku Investments Corporation on planning and development. Nukik is also assessing the federal Arctic Infrastructure Fund, established in the 2025-26 budget, as a potential further funding pathway.
Source: Government of Canada, 8 November 2022; Government of Canada, 21 March 2024; Government of Canada, 22 April 2026; Nunatsiaq News, 2 June 2025; Canada Infrastructure Bank, project page; Clean50, Anne-Raphaelle Audouin; Nunatsiaq News, August 2025
Federal Funding
The estimated project cost has risen significantly from the original 2019 figure:
| Date | Estimated cost |
Source |
| 2019 |
C$1.2 billion | Initial estimate |
| 2022 |
Approximately C$3 billion | Nukik Corporation |
| June 2025 | C$3.2 billion |
Nunavut Minister responsible for Qulliq Energy Corporation |
| 2025-2026 |
C$3.39 billion | Nukik Corporation |
The cost estimate has increased since 2019 amid broader post-pandemic construction cost escalation across the sector. Project funding is expected to draw on a combination of private investment and federal government funding, with the Canada Infrastructure Bank and the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Programme identified as potential mechanisms. Nukik is also engaging with private equity partners.
Source: Nunatsiaq News, 2 June 2025; Nunatsiaq News, June 2025; Globe and Mail, 13 November 2025
Regulatory Status
The project has not been referred to the federal Major Projects Office as a standalone proposal. As of November 2025, Nukik was planning to engage with the Major Projects Office once its funding structure is in place, with discussions ongoing as to whether the project would be assessed as a standalone proposal or in connection with the Port of Churchill expansion.
The Nunavut Impact Review Board holds a screening file for the KHFL (File No. 21YN027), with the Kivalliq Inuit Association as applicant. Environmental fieldwork has been approved under this file to support ongoing project design and evaluation, including wildlife biology, vegetation, aquatics, geomorphology and permafrost studies.
The project is included on the Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated's list of priority nation-building projects submitted to the federal government.
Source: Globe and Mail, 13 November 2025; CBC News, 10 October 2025; Nunatsiaq News, 10 February 2026; Nunavut Impact Review Board, File 21YN027
Timeline
| Date |
Milestone |
| 1999 |
Manitoba-Nunavut MOU on grid interconnection first established |
| 2019 |
CanNor invests in initial feasibility work; original cost estimate C$1.2 billion |
| February 2020 | Canada Infrastructure Bank signs MOU to provide advisory services |
| 29 March 2021 |
Nukik Corporation incorporated |
| May 2021 |
C$3 million federal funding announced; Budget 2021 proposes C$40.4 million for northern hydroelectricity projects |
| November 2022 | C$7 million Northern REACHE Programme funding announced |
| March 2024 |
C$2.8 million Northern REACHE Programme funding announced |
| April 2025 | Manitoba and Nunavut premiers sign agreement to jointly advance the KHFL |
| November 2025 |
Nukik files Transmission Service Request with Manitoba Hydro; Nukik and Qulliq Energy Corporation align on commercial terms; Nukik certified by MISO |
| December 2025 | Nukik and Agnico Eagle sign MOU |
| February 2026 |
Manitoba and Nunavut premiers renew cooperation agreement in Winnipeg |
| April 2026 |
CanNor announces further funding for environmental studies and community engagement |
| 7 July 2026 |
Governments of Manitoba and Nunavut sign formal MOU in Arviat; Manitoba commits 50 MW of firm electric capacity |
Source: as cited throughout this fact sheet
Technical Specifications
| Specification |
Detail |
| Transmission line |
High-voltage overhead line, approximately 1,200 kilometres, including over 370 kilometres of lower-voltage feeder lines |
| Southern connection point |
Keewatinohk Converter Station, approximately 80 kilometres northwest of Gillam, Manitoba |
| Transmission capacity | 150 MW |
| Fibre optic capacity |
1,200 Gbps |
| Communities served |
Arviat, Whale Cove, Rankin Inlet, Chesterfield Inlet, Baker Lake |
| Mining operations served | Agnico Eagle Meliadine mine (approximately 25 km north of Rankin Inlet); Agnico Eagle Meadowbank complex and Amaruq mine (approximately 110 km north of Baker Lake) |
| Confirmed capacity commitment |
50 MW firm electric capacity from Manitoba, per the July 2026 intergovernmental MOU |
Source: Nukik Corporation; Fox Lake First Nation, projects page; Manitoba Hydro, transmission; Government of Canada, 8 November 2022; Nukik Corporation, 8 July 2026
Sources
- Nukik Corporation, project page
- Nukik Corporation, milestones press release, 27 November 2025
- Nukik Corporation, MOU press release, 8 July 2026
- Nukik Corporation, House of Commons pre-budget brief
- Canada Infrastructure Bank, Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link project page
- Government of Canada, Minister Vandal announcement, 8 November 2022
- Government of Canada, Minister Vandal announcement, 21 March 2024
- Government of Canada, CanNor Nunavut investment announcement, 22 April 2026
- Government of Canada, CanNor, 4 May 2021
- Nunavut Impact Review Board, File 21YN027
- Nunatsiaq News, cost estimate update, 2 June 2025
- Nunatsiaq News, Agnico Eagle MOU, 18 December 2025
- Nunatsiaq News, Manitoba-Nunavut cooperation renewal, 10 February 2026
- Nunavut News, Nukik incorporation, 16 May 2021
- Nunavut News, Agnico Eagle MOU, 27 December 2025
- CBC News, 10 October 2025
- Globe and Mail, 13 November 2025
- Fox Lake First Nation, projects page
- Manitoba Hydro, transmission
- Sakku Investments Corporation
- Federal corporation registry, Nukik Corporation No. 12878488
- Clean50, Anne-Raphaelle Audouin
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