The James Bay Project, launched in the 1970s in Quebec, was one of Canada’s largest and most controversial energy developments. This massive hydroelectric initiative involved redirecting rivers and flooding vast areas of northern wilderness, affecting ecosystems and Indigenous communities. It became a focal point for environmentalists, who criticized its ecological impact, and for Indigenous groups, who opposed its infringement on traditional lands. While the project proceeded, it sparked broader awareness of the environmental and social consequences of large-scale energy projects and set a precedent for public scrutiny and activism in Canadian environmental policy.