A major Indigenous-led carbon removal project in Saskatchewan has secured a long-term agreement with Microsoft, marking a significant step forward for Canada’s carbon capture and clean energy sector.
Svante and the Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) announced that North Star Carbon Solutions will deliver 626,000 tonnes of durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits over 15 years through its bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) project in Meadow Lake.
The project will be built at the MLTC Bioenergy Centre, a renewable power facility fueled by waste biomass from local sawmills. A new carbon capture plant will be added to the site, with captured CO2 permanently stored in a geologic formation, creating a fully integrated carbon removal system.
At full capacity, the facility is expected to generate up to 90,000 tonnes of CDR credits annually. The credits will be independently verified under rigorous monitoring, reporting, and verification standards.
The initiative highlights the growing role of Indigenous leadership in advancing climate solutions. MLTC emphasized that the project reflects its long-standing commitment to sustainable forest management while creating economic opportunities for its member Nations.
The project is expected to generate approximately 50 jobs during construction and up to 10 permanent roles once operational. Svante will fund development through to a construction decision, with commercial operations targeted for early 2029.
Microsoft’s commitment underscores increasing global demand for high-quality, durable carbon removal as organizations work toward net-zero goals.