Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Red Lake Transmission Line has been designated a priority infrastructure project and Hydro One has been selected to develop and construct the new line, accelerating plans to expand electricity capacity across Northwestern Ontario’s mining region.
The designation, issued through a Minister’s directive to the Ontario Energy Board, will fast-track regulatory approvals for the 162-kilometre double-circuit 230-kilovolt transmission line linking Dryden, Ear Falls and Red Lake. The project is expected to be in service in the early 2030s.
Provincial officials say the line is critical to supporting rapid growth in one of Canada’s most prospective mining regions, where electricity demand could rise by as much as 525 per cent, tied to population growth and the potential development of up to 41 new mines by 2033.
The new transmission infrastructure will help enable major projects, including Kinross Gold’s Great Bear Project and Frontier Lithium’s PAK Lithium Project, while supporting an estimated 5,800 jobs and contributing $830 million to Ontario’s GDP.
“Our government is on a mission to grow our economy by generating more reliable hydro power in the North and electrifying one of Ontario’s most mineral-rich regions with a new transmission line,” said Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce. “We are accelerating the transmission line to power new mines, strengthen energy security and create good jobs.”
Declaring the project a priority and formally designating Hydro One as transmitter is intended to reduce approval timelines and provide regulatory certainty as development begins. The utility will continue consultation and engagement with Indigenous communities, including opportunities for economic participation.
First Nations along the route will also be eligible to participate in Hydro One’s equity partnership model, which offers up to a 50 per cent ownership stake in transmission projects once construction is complete.
Alongside the transmission announcement, the province launched the Northern Hydro Program to secure long-term electricity supply across the region. The program will renew contracts for hydroelectric generating stations larger than 10 megawatts, preserving more than 1,000 megawatts of existing capacity—most of it in Northern Ontario.
Hydroelectricity currently supplies about 24 per cent of Ontario’s electricity, and the program is designed to ensure continued reliability as contracts begin to expire before 2050.
An Independent Electricity System Operator will initiate its first competitive long-lead time procurement, targeting up to one terawatt-hour per year of new hydroelectric generation and up to 800 megawatts of long-duration energy storage. The procurement process is scheduled to launch May 6, with projects expected to connect to the grid by 2035.
“The Red Lake Transmission Project is a vital piece of infrastructure that will help connect opportunity to capacity, supporting resource development, strengthening regional economies, and ensuring communities have the power they need to grow,” said Rick Dumas
President, Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA). “The move to advance the Northern Hydro Program is equally important. It recognizes that Northern Ontario’s existing hydroelectric assets are not only reliable, but foundational to our long-term energy security and economic resilience.
“NOMA stands ready to continue working collaboratively with the province to ensure these investments deliver lasting benefits for Northwestern Ontario communities.”