Canada identifies 5 major projects for fast-tracking

Prime Minister Mark Carney said the MPO would help accelerate “nation-building projects” by streamlining regulatory assessments, co-ordinating with provinces and territories, and structuring financing in partnership with Indigenous groups and private investors.

The five projects announced represent more than C$60bn (US$44bn) of investment:

• LNG Canada Phase 2 (Kitimat, British Columbia): doubling LNG output at what would become the world’s second-largest facility of its kind, with emissions projected 35% below the best global standard.
• Darlington New Nuclear Project (Ontario): the world’s first grid-connected small modular reactor (SMR) in a G7 country, delivering power to 300,000 homes and sustaining 3,700 jobs annually.
• Contrecœur Terminal Container Project (Québec): a 60% capacity expansion at the Port of Montréal, projected to generate C$140m annually in economic benefits.
• McIlvenna Bay Copper Mine (Saskatchewan): Canada’s first net-zero copper project, supplying copper and zinc in collaboration with the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation.
• Red Chris Mine expansion (British Columbia): extending mine life by over a decade, increasing national copper output by 15%, and cutting emissions by more than 70%.

Alongside the five initial projects, the government outlined a pipeline of longer-term opportunities, including a high-speed rail link between Toronto and Québec City, major critical minerals schemes, and large-scale Atlantic wind developments.

The MPO will also be advised by a newly formed Indigenous Advisory Council, with ministers stressing the importance of equity participation and long-term benefits for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.

Carney said, “With the first in a series of new projects, we will build big, build now, and build Canada strong.”

The Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) welcomed the announcement, describing it as an important signal of federal commitment to infrastructure development. Brian McGuire, AED president and chief executive, said, “These projects will attract billions in investments, generate thousands of jobs, and help make the Canadian economy more prosperous and competitive by expanding Canada’s trade, energy, and mineral extraction capacities. While reducing project timelines is excellent, AED will continue to advocate for investments that ensure projects not only start but reach completion.”