Canadian leaders outline plans to become energy 'superpower'
Prime Minister Mark Carney has set out the intentions of Canada's First Ministers to work together to establish the nation as a global energy superpower, streamlining the project approval and permitting process for "projects of national interest".
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At a meeting held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on 2 June, the premiers of Canada's provinces and territories discussed the federal government's plan to remove trade barriers and advance major projects of national interest, and agreed to work together to accelerate major projects that meet the criteria of strengthening Canada's autonomy, resilience, and security, supporting economic growth, have a high likelihood of successful execution, are a high priority for Indigenous leaders, and have clean growth potential, such as the use of clean technologies and sustainable practices.
"This is a first step in implementing a broader set of reforms to overhaul the project assessment process. A significantly improved, streamlined project assessment process is necessary for Canada to grow its economy to become the strongest in the G7 and a global energy superpower," the ministers said in a joint statement.
The First Ministers "welcomed the Prime Minister's commitment to ensuring all federal assessment decisions are rendered within two years, beginning with projects of national interest" and agreed to work towards implementing 'one project, one review' with the goal of a single assessment for all projects - in a manner that respects federal, provincial, and territorial jurisdiction - to "help kickstart economic growth and ensure that projects get built in a timely manner." They also pledged to consult with Indigenous Peoples and discussed ways to strengthen Indigenous ownership and partnerships to provide Indigenous communities with "generational economic opportunities".
"Nation-building" infrastructure projects discussed by the premiers included critical minerals projects, "the next stage of nuclear, from uranium, to SMRs, to large-scale nuclear", and infrastructure investments including ports, and roads, Carney told a news conference at the conclusion of the meeting.
"The point is to build the certainty, the stability and the ambition that builders need to catalyse enormous investment: investment to make Canada into an energy superpower and to build the strongest economy in the G7," he said.
"This meeting demonstrated how we can give ourselves far more than any foreign government can ever take away. So we're in a position where we can build big, build bold, build one Canadian economy, and build now," he added.
