Muskrat Falls construction Nalcor

Muskrat Falls

The Muskrat Falls hydroelectric dam — located on Labrador’s lower Churchill River about 25 kilometres west of Happy Valley-Goose Bay — is nearing completion almost three years behind schedule and more than $6 billion over budget. In a best-case scenario, Newfoundland hydro rates are poised to jump by 50 per cent to pay for the $12.7 billion dam, called “the biggest economic mistake in Newfoundland and Labrador’s history” by Premier Dwight Ball. It is now the subject of a two-year $33.7 million public inquiry.

In March 2019, The Narwhal’s readers pitched in to send reporter Sarah Cox to the public inquiry in St. John’s, N.L.

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Another year of keeping a close watch
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In Alberta, our reporting revealed Premier Danielle Smith made false statements about the controversial renewables pause. In Manitoba, we proved that officials failed to formally inspect a leaky pipeline for years. And our investigations on a leaked recording of TC Energy executives were called “the most important Canadian political story of the year.”

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Another year of keeping a close watch
Here at The Narwhal, we don’t use profit, awards or pageviews to measure success. The thing that matters most is real-world impact — evidence that our reporting influenced citizens to hold power to account and pushed policymakers to do better.

And in 2024, our stories were raised in parliaments across the country and cited by citizens in their petitions and letters to politicians.

In Alberta, our reporting revealed Premier Danielle Smith made false statements about the controversial renewables pause. In Manitoba, we proved that officials failed to formally inspect a leaky pipeline for years. And our investigations on a leaked recording of TC Energy executives were called “the most important Canadian political story of the year.”

We’d like to thank you for paying attention. And if you’re able to donate anything at all to help us keep doing this work in 2025 — which will bring a whole lot we can’t predict — thank you so very much.

Will you help us hold the powerful accountable in the year to come by giving what you can today?
I’ll support independent journalism

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