The Nisg̱a’a and Tahltan Nations, together with Arrow Transportation Systems, on Sept. 9 celebrated the official opening of the Portland Canal Marine Terminal, in Stewart, British Columbia, just up the road from Hyder, Alaska, targeting ore shipments from Canadian mines.

It is the first majority Indigenous-owned port in British Columbia, “marking an important milestone in Indigenous-led infrastructure ownership, transportation and economic development,” according to an announcement by the owners.

The terminal is owned through Portland Canal Holdings, a partnership between the Nisg̱a’a Nation, Tahltan Nation Development Corp. (the business arm of the Tahltan Nation) and Arrow Transportation Systems.

The partnership was supported by a C$5 million grant from the province.

“The fully permitted, deep-sea shipping terminal” is accessible by road from current mining operations and additional proposed mines in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia’s mineral region, the owners said.

Though the port has operated for years, the partnership is new, as is the expansion into an “integrated port-to-road logistics network.”

The terminal could serve shippers of copper concentrate and other minerals to global markets, including from the Brucejack and Red Chris mines in the territories of the Nisg̱a’a and Tahltan nations. The owners of the Red Chris copper and gold mine, located in the Stikine River watershed, are looking to expand their operations and production.

Stewart is about 80 air miles northeast of Ketchikan and about 100 miles from open water at the entrance to Portland Canal that separates British Columbia from Alaska.

The six-acre marine terminal at the northern end of Portland Canal, an ice-free port, “is to facilitate the transportation of critical minerals, such as copper concentrate, from the region to market,” according to the announcement.

Highway access from mining operations and its Pacific Coast location give the port a competitive edge in reaching Asian markets, the owners said.

Currently, the terminal handles about 300,000 tonnes of copper and gold concentrate a year.

“The Portland Canal Marine Terminal is an economic engine for the future of our region, linking the projects, infrastructure and opportunities across Tahltan Territory and Northwest B.C. to global markets,” Kerry Carlick, president of the Tahltan Central Government, said in a prepared statement.

“Through our ownership via Tahltan Nation Development Corp., we are turning that growth into lasting benefits at home: More opportunities for our people and businesses, better infrastructure and stronger communities, and more resources to support the health and well-being of Tahltan people for generations to come.”

The development corporation, which is owned by its Tahltan shareholders, was established in 1985 to ensure the First Nation benefits from economic activities and development in the region.

“Since acquiring the terminal in fall 2025, the partners have focused on modernization and expansion planning for the port,” to serve as a gateway to Northwest B.C. and the Yukon Territory, according to the Sept. 9 announcement.

In addition to funding from the British Columbia government, Portland Canal Terminal received C$672,134 in funding from the government of Canada for modernization and expansion.