Northwind Business Development and Forbes Bros. Form Joint Venture to Construct Hydro One’s St. Clair Transmission Line

Windsor, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – August 19, 2024) – Northwind Business Development Ltd. (NBD), a wholly owned division of Caldwell First Nation, and Forbes Bros. Ltd. have formed a joint venture to build Hydro One’s new dual-circuit 230 kilovolt St. Clair Transmission Line in Southwestern Ontario. This project will support local food supply and security, economic development and employment for the Southwestern Ontario region and Caldwell First Nation.

The St. Clair Transmission Line will run between the County of Lambton and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, and construction is expected to begin in the coming months. This project represents a significant investment in the region’s energy infrastructure and will contribute to the reliability and resilience of the electrical grid.

The joint venture of Northwind and Forbes Bros. Ltd. has been awarded the contract by Hydro One to build the new line. This partnership is a significant step forward in Caldwell First Nation’s commitment to partner and participate in energy sector projects. It also aligns with the nation’s goal of building prosperity and creating economic opportunity for its members.

Chief Mary Duckworth, Chief of Caldwell First Nation, stated, “Caldwell First Nation (CFN) and Northwind Business Development (NBD) have entered into a joint venture with Forbes Bros. to complete the Hydro One St. Clair Transmission Line project in southwestern Ontario. We, the Chief and Board of CFN, envision several investment opportunities in the energy sector as a path to economic prosperity for the nation. Partnering with Forbes marks an important advancement in our commitment to partner and participate in energy sector projects and build prosperity for CFN.”

“Forbes Bros. was recently awarded the EPC contract for the Hydro One St. Clair Transmission Line project in southwestern Ontario. We are pleased to announce that Caldwell First Nation and Northwind Business Development have entered into a joint venture with Forbes to successfully complete this critical project. We are excited about the continued development of this partnership and the significant employment opportunities and economic benefits it will bring to the region” – Matthew Forbes, Chief Executive Officer.