PM Mark Carney unveils first batch of nation-building projects

Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled the first five major projects his government has green-lit under its fast-tracking major projects bill.

This is part of Carney’s campaign promise to build up the Canadian economy in the face of the U.S. trade war, but Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says Carney isn’t moving fast enough.

The prime minister made the announcement in Alberta Thursday under his Liberal government’s new strategy to reduce Canada’s economic reliance on the United States.

The PM says he wants to “turbocharge” the economy through nation-building projects that connect Canada’s regions, diversify products and build new markets — from trades to technology.

“We used to build big things in this country, and we used to build them quickly. It’s time to get back at it,” said Carney.

Carney’s projects include: an expansion to the Port of Montreal; work to double liquified natural gas production in British Columbia; a first-of-its-kind small modular reactor in Ontario; a new copper and zinc mine in Saskatchewan; and an expansion of the Red Chris Mine copper operation in northwestern B.C.

All of them are already well under development, including consultations with indigenous groups and other levels of government.

“Much of the other work has been done,” said Carney. “There’s a few things to be done to shepherd them across the line.”

The prime minister says his new Calgary-based major projects office will help all five finish, and that final regulatory approvals and securing the rest of the financing will be a focus.

Carney said he blames previous approval processes for preventing quick development in decades past, calling the system “arduous and inefficient” and promises his government will “get out of the way” going forward.

“From now on Canada’s new government starts by asking ourselves for major projects ‘how’?” said Carney. “How can we make it bigger? How can we do it faster?”

Poilievre was underwhelmed by the announcement, saying Carney is taking too long getting major projects built and the new major projects office is unnecessary.

“Mark Carney, after six months, has not approved a single national project,” said Poilievre. “This is pathetic.”

He says liberal legislation and taxation is preventing development projects.

“We don’t need a new bureaucracy in Ottawa, or a new dream list, we need the federal government to get out of the way,” said Poilievre.

Carney also says the “transformative” ventures will align with the interests of Indigenous people, and with Canada’s climate goals.

The prime minister’s government moved its Bill C-5 with conservative support in the spring, to speed up approvals for large infrastructure projects, as part of Ottawa’s plan to combat the impact of U.S. tariffs.

The project’s office is headed by Dawn Farrell, former Trans Mountain board chair.

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