Premiers Kinew, Akeeagok ink deal to build hydro transmission line from Manitoba to Nunavut

Steve Lambert · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Apr 16, 2025 7:25 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

The premiers of Manitoba and Nunavut are hopeful a projected hydroelectric and fibre optic task is moving person to fruition, and are seeking national money.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok person signed a memorandum to enactment unneurotic connected the task and inquire Ottawa for superior funding.

The projected Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link would spot a 1,200-kilometre enactment built done bluish Manitoba to respective Nunavut communities westbound of Hudson Bay that presently usage diesel to make electricity.

It has been talked astir for years, and a caller estimation enactment the outgo astatine $1.6 billion.

Manitoba announced this week it would dedicate 50 megawatts from its Crown vigor corp to the project, which Kinew says is lone a start.

Kinew and Akeeagok met astatine the Manitoba Legislature and said, fixed the existent commercialized quality with the United States, determination is appetite for nation-building projects and efforts to physique up the North.

"In presumption of the terms tag, these are things we'll benignant retired erstwhile they travel to the table, which I'm definite they will," Kinew told reporters Wednesday.

"We request Ottawa to beryllium capable to travel to tract with america arsenic well," Akeeagok added.

"All the governmental leaders truthful acold person identified that there's going to beryllium important investments travel to corridors oregon nation-building projects, and we truly spot this 1 aligning truly well."

Neither premier would accidental what level of backing they're seeking from the national government.

Ottawa has already enactment up wealth for aboriginal stages of the project. Last year, it announced $2.8 cardinal for design, biology fieldwork and different tasks.

The project, enactment guardant by the Inuit-owned Nukik Corp., could spot operation statesman arsenic aboriginal arsenic 2028. Aside from communities successful Nunavut, it could besides proviso mines successful the portion and spur much economical development, backers say.

Kinew says helium intends to motion commercialized woody with Ontario

The premiers of Manitoba and Nunavut weren't the lone determination leaders signing commercialized agreements connected Wednesday. 

Ontario Premier Doug Ford signed memorandums of knowing with the premiers of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick agreeing that a good, work oregon registered idiosyncratic that is recognized successful 1 state is acceptable successful the other.

Kinew said his gathering with Akeeagok meant helium couldn't articulation Ford, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt at Queen's Park successful Toronto on Wednesday, but helium intends to besides motion a memorandum of understanding.

"What an astonishing clip to beryllium a Canadian, wherever leaders from antithetic parts of the state are stepping up to physique Canada," Kinew told reporters.

"We're knocking down interprovincial commercialized barriers and, yes, I mean to question to Toronto and … bash the aforesaid enactment with premier Ford conscionable arsenic soon arsenic I can."