Energy Project Fact Sheet

NORTH COAST TRANSMISSION LINE (BC)

Canadian Indigenous Investment Forum 04 December, 2025

North Coast Transmission Line

BC Hydro is building new 500 kilovolt transmission lines across northwest British Columbia to twin the existing transmission corridor from Prince George to Terrace and extend northward to Bob Quinn substation. The multi-phase programme will more than double the region’s electricity transmission capacity.

Phases 1 and 2 carry an estimated cost of C$6 billion. On 2 July 2026, the governments of Canada and British Columbia signed the Canada-British Columbia Cooperative Prosperity Agreement, committing C$3.9 billion towards the capital costs of Phases 1 and 2. The project was referred to Canada’s Major Projects Office on 13 November 2025, and Phase 1 construction began in July 2026.

Sources: BC Hydro; Major Projects Office; Prime Minister of Canada, 2 July 2026

Overview

The North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL) is a three-phase programme delivering approximately 789 kilometres of new 500 kilovolt transmission lines and associated infrastructure across northwest British Columbia. The programme is intended to support clean energy growth, enable electrification of major industrial developments including LNG, critical minerals and port operations, and improve electricity access for remote and regional communities.

The project ties into the Northwest Critical Conservation Corridor, a transformative strategy also referred to the Major Projects Office, which links clean energy transmission to industrial electrification, critical minerals development, and community resilience objectives across Canada’s West Coast.

Sources: Major Projects Office; BC Hydro

Key Facts

Category	Information
Location	Northwest British Columbia (Prince George to Terrace and northward to Bob Quinn)
Proponent	BC Hydro (Crown corporation)
Technology	High-voltage electricity transmission (500 kilovolt)
Total Programme Length	Approximately 789 km across three phases
Estimated Value (Phases 1 and 2)	C$6 billion
Federal-Provincial Commitment	C$3.9 billion (Canada-BC Cooperative Prosperity Agreement, Phases 1 and 2)
CIB Early Works Loan	C$139.5 million
Indigenous Partners	Six First Nations and Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs through K’uul Power consortium (Phase 2 co-ownership term sheets signed; Phase 1 negotiations ongoing)
Indigenous Equity	Option to acquire up to 50 per cent equity
Status	Phase 1 under construction; Phase 2 in pre-construction; Phase 3 in planning
Construction Start	July 2026 (Phase 1); 2027 (Phase 2 construction)
Target Completion	2032 to 2034 (phased)

Sources: Prince George Citizen, 4 June 2026; Major Projects Office; Canada Infrastructure Bank, 13 November 2025; Government of British Columbia, 20 October 2025

Programme Structure

Phase 1: Prince George to Fraser Lake

Approximately 165 kilometres of new 500 kilovolt transmission from Williston Substation (near Prince George) to Glenannan Substation (near Fraser Lake), with associated upgrades to existing transmission infrastructure. The Government of British Columbia’s October 2025 release rounds this distance to approximately 164 kilometres. Phase 1 construction started in July 2026.

Phase 2: Fraser Lake to Terrace

Approximately 275 kilometres of new transmission delivered as two segments: Glenannan to Telkwa (approximately 130 kilometres) and Telkwa to Skeena Substation near Terrace (approximately 145 kilometres). Phase 2 includes substation upgrades and expansions at Glenannan, Telkwa and Terrace, as well as capacitor station expansion at Palling and Walcott. Pre-construction activities began in 2026, with construction targeted for 2027.

Phase 3: North of Terrace to Bob Quinn

New transmission infrastructure extending approximately 350 kilometres north of Terrace towards Aiyansh and Bob Quinn Lake. Planning is underway, with Phase 3 targeted for completion by 2034. Detailed costing for Phase 3 has not yet been published.

All phases include installation of fibre optic cable on new transmission structures and access road upgrades to support construction and improve regional telecommunications capacity.

Sources: Government of British Columbia, 20 October 2025; BC Hydro, Phase 1; BC Hydro, Phase 2; BC Hydro Virtual Open House, 9 June 2026 (PDF)

Development

BC Hydro initiated planning for the NCTL in response to projected demand growth and British Columbia’s clean energy and economic development objectives. In 2023, a BC Hydro expression of interest process identified approximately 5,000 megawatts of potential industrial load in the northwest region, roughly five times the capacity of the Site C hydroelectric project.

In January 2026, BC Hydro signed a memorandum of understanding with Ksi Lisims LNG to confirm interconnection steps for the supply of 600 megawatts of clean electricity.

The Province of British Columbia exempted the project from the requirement to obtain a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the BC Utilities Commission, in order to avoid 12 to 18 months of delay. The Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act (Bill 14), which received Royal Assent on 29 May 2025 and came into force on 1 July 2025, exempted the NCTL from provincial environmental assessment and delegated permitting authority to the BC Energy Regulator. The BCUC CPCN exemption came separately through the Energy Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 31), which received Royal Assent on 27 November 2025, with the ministerial order coming into effect on 8 December 2025.

In March 2026, BC Hydro announced plans to repurpose approximately 85 per cent of the former Site C worker accommodation facility (1,764 beds in 21 three-storey modular dormitories) for NCTL construction workers, supporting cost efficiency and schedule. The peak construction workforce is anticipated at approximately 1,400 workers.

Sources: Government of British Columbia, 20 October 2025; Major Projects Office; BC Hydro, Site C Camp, 27 March 2026; BC Energy Regulator; Government of British Columbia, 8 December 2025

Timeline

Date	Milestone
2023	BC Hydro expression of interest identifies approximately 5,000 MW of potential industrial load
29 May 2025	Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act (Bill 14) receives Royal Assent
1 July 2025	Bill 14 comes into force; NCTL exempted from provincial environmental assessment; permitting authority delegated to BC Energy Regulator
21 July 2025	K’uul Power consortium signs non-binding co-ownership term sheets for Phase 2 with Province and BC Hydro
20 October 2025	Energy Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 31) tabled; BCUC CPCN exemption announced
13 November 2025	NCTL referred to Major Projects Office; CIB closes C$139.5 million early works loan
27 November 2025	Energy Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 31) receives Royal Assent
8 December 2025	Ministerial order exempting NCTL from BCUC CPCN requirement comes into effect
January 2026	BC Hydro signs MOU with Ksi Lisims LNG for 600 MW interconnection
27 March 2026	BC Hydro announces repurposing of Site C worker camp for NCTL
July 2026	Phase 1 construction starts
2 July 2026	Canada-BC Cooperative Prosperity Agreement signed; C$3.9 billion committed for Phases 1 and 2
2027	Phase 2 construction targeted to start
2032 to 2034	Phased completion of all three phases

Sources: BC Energy Regulator; Lakes District News, 1 August 2025; Government of British Columbia, 20 October 2025; Major Projects Office; Prime Minister of Canada, 2 July 2026

Cost and Financing

Phases 1 and 2 of the NCTL are estimated at C$6 billion. This estimate has approximately doubled since the initial 2023 figure of around C$3 billion. Detailed costing for Phase 3 has not yet been published.

Component	Amount
Phases 1 and 2 estimated cost	C$6 billion
Canada-BC Cooperative Prosperity Agreement commitment (Phases 1 and 2)	C$3.9 billion
Canada Infrastructure Bank early works loan	C$139.5 million
Phase 3 cost	Not yet published

The C$3.9 billion commitment encompasses capital cost savings from access to low-cost financing, the Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit, and First Nations equity supports. Details of the financing package are to be finalised by 1 December 2026.

Sources: Prince George Citizen, 4 June 2026; Prime Minister of Canada, 2 July 2026; Canada Infrastructure Bank, 13 November 2025; Government of British Columbia, July 2026

Regulatory Status

The NCTL was referred to Canada’s Major Projects Office on 13 November 2025 as part of the second tranche of nation-building projects.

The Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act (Bill 14), which received Royal Assent on 29 May 2025 and came into force on 1 July 2025, exempted the NCTL from provincial environmental assessment and delegated permitting authority to the BC Energy Regulator. The BCUC CPCN exemption came separately through the Energy Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 31), which received Royal Assent on 27 November 2025, with the ministerial order coming into effect on 8 December 2025.

Regulatory oversight of construction and operation sits with the BC Energy Regulator.

Sources: BC Energy Regulator; Government of British Columbia, 8 December 2025; Prime Minister of Canada, 13 November 2025

Indigenous Participation

On 21 July 2025, leaders from six First Nations and the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs signed non-binding co-ownership term sheets with the Province of British Columbia and BC Hydro, in a ceremony on Squamish traditional territory. The signing was specifically for Phase 2 of the NCTL. The participating nations are Lax Kw’alaams, Metlakatla, Witset, Ts’il Kaz Koh, Wet’suwet’en First Nation, and Nee Tahi Buhn Band, together with the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs.

The nations are represented through the K’uul Power consortium, chaired by Wes Sam, Chief of Ts’il Kaz Koh. The Major Projects Office states that the participating nations have signed agreements providing the option to acquire up to 50 per cent equity in the project.

K’uul Power has stated that the final project agreement could be worth over C$1.4 billion in financial benefits to First Nations, excluding an additional minimum of C$450 million in construction opportunities earmarked for First Nations businesses.

The Energy Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 31), which received Royal Assent on 27 November 2025, amends the Hydro and Power Authority Act to enable BC Hydro to enter into co-ownership arrangements for transmission infrastructure with First Nations. The Province is also developing regulations to exempt First Nations partnerships for the NCTL from regulation as public utilities by the BCUC, as BC Hydro will continue to operate and maintain the line.

As of the Government of British Columbia’s October 2025 release, negotiations with First Nations along Phase 1 were continuing, with the aim of reaching similar co-ownership arrangements. Phase 1 co-ownership terms have not yet been publicly confirmed.

Sources: Lakes District News, 1 August 2025; Government of British Columbia, 20 October 2025; Major Projects Office; Government of British Columbia, 8 December 2025

Strategic Context

The NCTL is positioned within British Columbia’s broader strategy to unlock industrial development across the northwest, including:

Ksi Lisims LNG, an Indigenous-led LNG export project on the North Coast, for which BC Hydro signed a 600 MW interconnection MOU in January 2026.

Critical minerals projects in the Golden Triangle, including copper, gold and rare earth exploration and development. The Mining Association of British Columbia has estimated that the NCTL will unlock more than C$45 billion in near-term economic activity from mine construction alone.

Port expansions and manufacturing growth across the North Coast.

The federal Cooperative Prosperity Agreement explicitly positions the NCTL as the backbone of a clean energy corridor, including a proposed Yukon to British Columbia Grid Connect that would increase the Yukon’s energy security and affordability, and a potential interconnect with Alberta.

Sources: Major Projects Office; Prime Minister of Canada, 2 July 2026; Government of British Columbia, 20 October 2025

Economic and Emissions Impact

Once fully operational, the Province of British Columbia projects the following outcomes for the NCTL programme:

Measure	Figure
Direct full-time jobs	Approximately 9,700
Annual GDP contribution	Nearly C$10 billion per year
Annual public revenues	Approximately C$950 million per year
Emissions reduction	2 to 3 million tonnes avoided annually
Construction workforce (peak)	Approximately 1,400
Near-term economic activity from mining (MABC estimate)	Over C$45 billion

Sources: Government of British Columbia, 20 October 2025; Prime Minister of Canada, 2 July 2026; Major Projects Office

Development Stage (August 2026)

Status: Phase 1 under construction; Phase 2 in pre-construction; Phase 3 in planning

Phase 1 construction started July 2026, with site preparation, vegetation management and access road work underway
Phase 2 pre-construction activities underway, with construction targeted for 2027
Phase 3 route planning underway; completion targeted by 2034
K’uul Power co-ownership term sheets signed for Phase 2; Phase 1 negotiations ongoing
Canada-BC Cooperative Prosperity Agreement commits C$3.9 billion for Phases 1 and 2
CIB early works loan of C$139.5 million closed
BC Hydro MOU signed with Ksi Lisims LNG for 600 MW interconnection
Former Site C worker camp being repurposed for NCTL construction workforce

Sources: BC Hydro, Construction Activities; Major Projects Office; Government of British Columbia, 20 October 2025