Elon Musk’s quiet visit to Bella Bella, B.C., sparks local buzz

Residents of Bella Bella, B.C., were left talking after an unexpected guest touched down in their small coastal community: Elon Musk.

The billionaire Tesla and X CEO arrived Saturday in a private jet before transferring to a helicopter. He returned to the local airstrip Monday to depart, though no official details of his visit were released. Locals believe he may have been heading to an offshore property owned by James Murdoch, a Tesla board member and son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

For a fishing town of about 1,500 people in the Great Bear Rainforest, visits from high-profile figures aren’t unusual — even members of the Royal Family have passed through — but residents say Musk’s arrival was on another level. “It’s not every day the richest man comes through,” said local resident Seán Carter.

Online jet-tracking services confirmed Musk’s plane landed in Vancouver late Friday before flying north, matching photos of his Bella Bella arrival. Musk, who holds Canadian citizenship through his mother, has longstanding ties to the country, but his politics and business dealings have often divided public opinion.

The visit also reignited political commentary. B.C. Green Party leadership candidate Emily Lowan criticized billionaires using private jets while climate impacts mount, calling Musk’s stopover “yet another reason to tax billionaires out of existence.”

Despite the debate, many in Bella Bella were simply intrigued by the spectacle. “No matter what your opinions are of the guy, it was something to follow,” said Carter, noting Musk even had to walk across the busy airstrip without special treatment.

“He probably hoped to come and go quietly, but there are no secrets here.”