On January 18, 2024, Osisko Mining Inc. announced that the 85 km long 69 kV hydro-electric power line built, owned and operated by the Waswanipi Cree First Nation and its related business entities had been completed on schedule, and grid power had successfully been connected to the Windfall Project.


The power line provides much-needed grid power to a major gold mine project owned by the Windfall Mining Group (a partnership between Osisko Mining Inc. and Gold Fields Windfall Holdings Inc.), allowing the mine to move away from costly and CO2-emitting diesel generated electricity.

This transmission line is one of the first large energy infrastructure projects to be wholly-owned by an Indigenous community in Canada and the first such project in the province of Québec.

Gowling WLG advised the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi and its related business entities on the corporate structuring, development and financing aspects of the project. The firm also advised on the full suite of project contracts, as well all legal aspects relating to the $63-million senior debt facility provided by Investissement Québec, the Fonds de solidarité des travailleurs du Québec and the Société de développement de la Baie-James to fund the development and construction of the transmission line.

The Gowling WLG team was led by Alex O'Reilly (Indigenous law) and included Daniel Lacelle (tax), Mathieu Santos-Bouffard (corporate), Camille Beaudry (corporate), Anne-Marie Brien (construction), David Kierans (financing), Laura Gheorghiu (tax), Pouyan Zabihian (tax), Nicolas Dubé (energy), and paralegals Mélanie Bergeron and Carine Bayouk.