Svante Technologies Inc. and the Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) have announced a landmark agreement with Microsoft to deliver 626,000 tonnes of durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits. The credits will be sourced from the North Star bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) project, situated in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan.
The project, managed by North Star Carbon Solutions LP—a partnership between MLTC and Svante’s subsidiary Carbon Alpha Corp—will see a new carbon capture plant co-located at the MLTC Bioenergy Centre. This renewable power facility utilises sustainable waste biomass from MLTC’s sawmill and other local forest product mills. Once operational, the plant is expected to generate up to 90,000 tonnes of CDR credits annually, with the captured CO2 transported and permanently stored in a dedicated geologic site.
“Meadow Lake Tribal Council welcomes Microsoft’s significant offtake commitment for the North Star project,” said Jeremy Norman, Tribal Chief of the MLTC. “As a Canadian Indigenous-owned BECCS project that is believed to be among the first of its kind, North Star reflects MLTC Nations’ long-standing commitment to land stewardship and sustainable forest management.”
The agreement serves as a major signal for the Canadian carbon market, highlighting the readiness of large-scale infrastructure projects to meet corporate climate goals. Scott Gardner, President of Svante Development Inc., noted that Microsoft’s “anchor offtake commitment” validates the quality of the project’s carbon removal capabilities.
Microsoft’s Director of Carbon Removal Portfolio, Phillip Goodman, emphasised the importance of high-quality, durable solutions. “This agreement supports an Indigenous-led collaboration that enables the infrastructure needed to bring durable carbon removal online in Canada,” Goodman stated.
The North Star project is scheduled to begin commercial operations in early 2029. Beyond environmental benefits, the initiative is poised to boost the local economy, creating approximately 50 jobs during construction and 10 permanent roles once the facility is live.
