WASHINGTON, D.C. – Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced funding for the construction of the Northwest Transmission Line in northern British Columbia, which could eventually connect with Alaska, reflecting Canada’s commitment to clean energy.

“Our government is supporting environmentally sound infrastructure and initiatives that promote cleaner, greener energy,” said the Prime Minister.  “The Northwest Transmission Line will facilitate the development of green energy and help provide British Columbia’s northern and remote communities with more sustainable and affordable power.”

The project could advance a potential connection between southeast Alaska and the North American transmission grid via British Columbia. 

In February 2009, Prime Minister Harper and President Obama launched the Clean Energy Dialogue.  Today, they discussed a progress report on the Dialogue focusing on clean energy research and development, a more efficient energy grid, and carbon capture and storage. The Prime Minister also highlighted a number of new projects that demonstrate progress on these discussions.

“Our government is pursuing joint projects with President Obama and his Administration.  Our government is taking action to promote cleaner energy use,” said the Prime Minister.  “The British Columbia Northwest Transmission Line will build a more efficient electricity grid, increasing our use of clean and renewable sources of energy generation in the years to come.”

To learn more about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.  For more information on Government of Canada investments in infrastructure, visit www.creatingjobs.gc.ca.


Backgrounder

NORTHWEST TRANSMISSION LINE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

The Government of Canada is supporting a green infrastructure project in northern British Columbia involving the construction of a 335-kilometre transmission line that will contribute to the development and use of green energy in the area. This project has been selected as a priority for funding under the new federal Green Infrastructure Fund.

The Northwest Transmission Line will extend British Columbia’s high voltage transmission grid into the Northwest portion of the province. The transmission line will benefit local communities by providing them with the potential to access clean electricity in the future, thereby reducing their reliance on diesel generation, resulting in more reliable energy service for the communities and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

The area surrounding the project has a significant potential to generate green power. There is currently an estimated 2000 megawatts of renewable energy in the area from small hydro, geothermal, wind and biomass sources. A number of potential generation projects in the area are already being considered under British Columbia’s current Clean Power Call, representing almost 500 megawatts of renewable energy that would be immediately served by the Northwest Transmission Line project.  These projects depend on access to robust transmission infrastructure for their development.

The project is also a key step in a potential interconnection between southeast Alaska and the North American transmission grid via British Columbia. 

This project, estimated at $404 million, and is expected to be ready for construction in the spring of 2010.

The Government of Canada will set aside funding of up to a maximum of $130 million for this project.

Federal financial support for this green infrastructure project is conditional on the signing of a contribution agreement with the British Columbia government under the Green Infrastructure Fund.


ABOUT THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE FUND

Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the federal government is providing $1 billion over five years for a Green Infrastructure Fund (GIF).  The Fund supports sustainable energy generation and transmission, along with municipal wastewater and solid waste management infrastructure.  Targeted investments in green infrastructure can improve the quality of the environment and will lead to a more sustainable economy over the longer term.

About the Program   

The fund focuses on green priorities including clean energy generation and transmission infrastructure, building and upgrading wastewater treatment systems, and improving solid waste management.  Sustainable energy infrastructure, such as modern energy transmission lines, contributes to improved air quality and lower carbon emissions.

Eligible projects are those that promote cleaner air, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and cleaner water and fall within any of the following categories: wastewater infrastructure; green energy generation infrastructure; green energy transmission infrastructure and solid waste infrastructure, and carbon transmission and storage infrastructure.

How it Works

The new $1 billion Green Infrastructure Fund will be allocated based on merit to support green infrastructure projects on a cost-shared basis.  The fund will focus on a few, large scale, strategic infrastructure projects.  The merit of the projects will be based on assessment criteria such as eligibility, leveraging financial investments and project benefits.

Proponents can summarize their project in a letter.  If there is interest, proponents will be invited to submit a more detailed proposal that describes the project and its components, cost estimates, expected results and benefits.  For all projects selected for funding, eligible recipients will enter into contribution agreements with Canada.  These agreements will outline eligible and ineligible costs as well as federal cost sharing and limits.

Who is Eligible?

Eligible recipients include provinces, territories, local or regional governments; public sector bodies, non-profit organizations and private companies, either alone or in partnership with a province, territory or a government.