March 31, 2025 – The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) has closed $217 million in equity financing to enable a new transmission line linking Nova Scotia and New Brunswick that will improve the reliability of interprovincial power grids and support the expansion of renewable energy production.

CIB’s financing will help Nova Scotia construct the 160-kilometre, 345-kV line parallel to the existing connection from Onslow, N.S., to Salisbury, N.B.

Additionally, CIB is working with Wskijinu’k Mtmo’taqnuow Agency Ltd. (WMA)—the economic development partnership owned by the 13 Mi’kmaw First Nations in Nova Scotia—to complete a complimentary equity loan, allowing WMA to acquire an ownership stake in the project.

The project is named “Wasoqonatl” (meaning “illuminate” or “keep light on” in Mi’kmawi’simk).

The intertie will be owned by a limited partnership between Nova Scotia Power Inc. and CIB through a regulated utility corporation, which will be responsible for building, owning, and operating the Nova Scotia section of the transmission line, and for funding the section located in New Brunswick.

NB Power will build, own, and operate the New Brunswick section of the project.

Through its Electricity Predevelopment Program, Natural Resources Canada is providing $3.1 million to NS Power to support predevelopment activities related to the Wasoqonatl Reliability Intertie. (This funding is in addition to $9.5 million provided to NB Power from the Strategic Interties Predevelopment Program.)

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