Elon Musk, the CEO of X and Tesla, made an unexpected visit to Bella Bella, a small fishing community on British Columbia's Central Coast, this past weekend. Musk arrived in a private aircraft on Saturday and was later transported by helicopter. He returned to the airstrip on Monday to depart.

The town, which has a population of about 1,500, is located 470 kilometers northwest of Vancouver and is known for attracting wealthy visitors, including members of the Royal Family. Local resident Seán Carter noted, "It's not every day the richest man comes through. That's gonna be a tough one to top."

Carter speculated that Musk's visit was likely a stopover on his way to a property owned by James Murdoch, the son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch. Reports from 2017 indicated that Murdoch purchased a recreational property off the B.C. coast, reflecting his fondness for the area. Murdoch is also a board member of Tesla.

An online tracking service indicated that Musk's private jet landed in Vancouver late Friday night and departed Monday afternoon, aligning with his visit to Bella Bella. Musk, who was born in South Africa, holds Canadian citizenship through his mother, Maye Musk, who was born in Regina. He spent part of his youth in Canada, living in Saskatchewan and Vancouver before attending Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.

Musk's relationship with Canada has been complex. Earlier this year, a petition was launched to revoke his Canadian citizenship due to his involvement in the Trump administration. In response to U.S. tariffs, B.C. Premier David Eby excluded Tesla products from an electric vehicle charger rebate program, stating, "It's just for Tesla and it's because of Elon Musk."

Despite the political controversies surrounding Musk, his brief visit has sparked conversations in Bella Bella. Carter mentioned that the visit was a hot topic among locals, saying, "No matter what your opinions are of the guy, it was something to follow."

He also noted that Musk did not receive any special treatment at the small-town airport. "It was quite busy, so the plane had to land on one side and the helicopter on the other, so he had to get out and walk a long way," Carter explained. "I'm sure he was hoping to kind of come in and out kind of secretly, but there's definitely no secrets here."

Musk's visit has drawn attention not only for his celebrity status but also for the implications of billionaire lifestyles in rural communities. Emily Lowan, a candidate for the leadership of the B.C. Green Party, shared images of Musk's arrival on social media, criticizing the environmental impact of private jets and calling for action against wealth inequality.