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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Here's a look at some major projects Canada's leaders hope to fast-track
Out of the first ministers' meeting in Saskatoon, expectations were high that Prime Minister Mark Carney would release a list of nation-building projects that his government would prioritize. He didn't. However, Carney and Canada's premiers gave examples that could qualify for federal support and potentially be expedited for completion. The Carney government intends to introduce legislation aimed to help identify and fast-track projects deemed in the national interest. The Liberals campaigned on making final decisions on projects within a two-year timeline, rather than the five years previously used. Here's a look at some projects that could be sped up. Wind West and Atlantic interties You've likely heard of Energy East, the planned but never built bitumen pipeline from Alberta to New Brunswick. Nova Scotia's Wind West aims to send renewable electricity from the East Coast westward. With the help of offshore wind turbines, Premier Tim Houston is pitching a project that he says could generate enough electricity to power 27 per cent of the country's needs. "I support the prime minister's vision in making Canada an energy superpower," Houston said in a video posted to social media. "Wind West could fuel battery plants, AI data centres, industries of the future. And it would transform our economy." Houston told CBC's Power and Politics that he's looking to the federal government to support "an investment in transmission" to connect Atlantic Canada's grids to the rest of the country. "We'd be looking for the federal government to support us on a pathway. [That] could be a national energy corridor with those transmission lines," Houston told host David Cochrane. "And these are mostly cables for our wind energy." New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt said her province could become a hub that connects electricity from Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia to the rest of Canada and the United States. Through new transmission connections known as interties, Holt said Atlantic provinces could sell their power across North America. Grays Bay port and road This project has been described as a "subway line" that could offer Nunavut easier access to its resource-rich areas and offer western provinces a direct link to the Northwest Passage. A subsidiary of the region's Kitikmeot Inuit Association is proposing to build a deepwater port on Nunavut's mainland in the Coronation Gulf. To access that port, a 230-kilometre all-weather road would need to be constructed across tundra, muskeg and waterways without interfering with the sensitive permafrost. The thick layer of frozen soil is prone to melt when disturbed through road construction. A potential road would connect to Jericho Station, home to a defunct diamond mine, before continuing to a 600-kilometre winter road to Yellowknife. An all-season road could also eventually replace that ice road, which is closed most of the year. The Grays Bay port could handle large cargo ships capable of loading and transporting materials from future critical mineral mines, both in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Local hunters and others, though, have raised concerns about the massive project's impact on the endangered Dolphin and Union caribou herd. Port of Churchill Another potential hub for critical minerals and fossil fuel exports could be through the expansion of the Port of Churchill. The existing port, via the Arctic Gateway railway system, promotes itself as the shortest link from the Prairies to the Atlantic Ocean. It offers access to the Arctic, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South America. In August 2024, the port announced it had shipped its first critical mineral shipment — zinc concentrate — to Belgium. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew stated in a letter to Carney that the province is seeking investments in icebreakers to expand the shipping season through Hudson Bay and for new "energy generation and transmission to power the project." Northwest coast bitumen pipeline At the closing news conference in Saskatoon, Carney said he was open to the idea of a second pipeline from the oilsands to Canada's West Coast, something that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith wants. "There is an ability to build that energy infrastructure, that oil pipeline," Carney said. "I agree with [Smith]. And so the opportunity is there, the market is there in Asia." Canada has only one pipeline to tidewater that doesn't go to or through the U.S. — through B.C.'s Lower Mainland to Burnaby. It's unclear what route a northwest coast pipeline would take, as no company is pitching one yet. But Enbridge's planned, but never built, Northern Gateway would have gone through northern B.C., destined for the Port of Kitimat. The Trans Mountain Expansion to Burnaby was completed in 2024, and from conception to delivery, the government-owned pipeline faced fierce opposition due to its $34-billion cost and concerns over its environmental impact. Canada purchased the project from American pipeline firm Kinder Morgan in 2018 when it was unclear it would be completed otherwise. A new northern pipeline is already meeting resistance from B.C.'s premier, who said he doesn't support lifting the tanker ban along the north coast. The province's deputy premier Niki Sharma said Monday that B.C. has "differences of opinion" on a pipeline through the north of the province. Giant carbon capture pipeline Canada's largest oilsands companies are proposing to build what could be one of the world's largest carbon capture and storage networks. The 400-kilometre Pathways Alliance pipeline project would transport captured carbon dioxide from the oilsands in the Fort McMurray region and other sites to Cold Lake, Alta., for storage. "The project proceeding is contingent upon obtaining sufficient fiscal and policy support and regulatory approval," according to its website. The pipeline project is expected to cost $16.5 billion and is supposed to be operational by 2030. Six companies are collaborating on the project: Suncor Energy Inc., Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., Cenovus Energy Inc., Imperial Oil Ltd., MEG Energy Corp. and ConocoPhillips Canada. Pathways has stated that the project could help its member companies achieve a 32 per cent reduction from 2019 emissions levels by 2030 and is the centrepiece of the industry's pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Ring of Fire The Ring of Fire in northwestern Ontario has been a topic of discussion and controversy for years. Ontario Premier Doug Ford views the crescent-shaped mineral deposit as a treasure trove for the province's electric vehicle supply chain. But Ford also sees potential for the Ring of Fire to meet global demand for materials used in computer chips and high-tech military weapons. There are no all-season roads, railways or energy infrastructure connecting the isolated area that is mostly muskeg, swamps and rivers. The province and mining developers also face pushback from some First Nations and environmentalists. Members of Ojibway and Cree communities in the area worry its development represents a threat to their traditional way of life. The Ring of Fire's location in the James Bay Lowlands places it in the Hudson Bay Lowlands. Together they form one of the world's largest wetlands. It's a massive carbon store and habitat for migratory birds.
CBC
6 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Here's a look at some major projects Canada's leaders hope to fast-track
Out of the first ministers' meeting in Saskatoon, expectations were high that Prime Minister Mark Carney would release a list of nation-building projects that his government would prioritize. He didn't. However, Carney and Canada's premiers gave examples that could qualify for federal support and potentially be expedited for completion. The Carney government intends to introduce legislation aimed to help identify and fast-track projects deemed in the national interest. The Liberals campaigned on making final decisions on projects within a two-year timeline, rather than the five years previously used. Here's a look at some projects that could be sped up. Wind West and Atlantic interties You've likely heard of Energy East, the planned but never built bitumen pipeline from Alberta to New Brunswick. Nova Scotia's Wind West aims to send renewable electricity from the East Coast westward. With the help of offshore wind turbines, Premier Tim Houston is pitching a project that he says could generate enough electricity to power 27 per cent of the country's needs. "I support the prime minister's vision in making Canada an energy superpower," Houston said in a video posted to social media. "Wind West could fuel battery plants, AI data centres, industries of the future. And it would transform our economy." Houston told CBC's Power and Politics that he's looking to the federal government to support "an investment in transmission" to connect Atlantic Canada's grids to the rest of the country. "We'd be looking for the federal government to support us on a pathway. [That] could be a national energy corridor with those transmission lines," Houston told host David Cochrane. "And these are mostly cables for our wind energy." New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt said her province could become a hub that connects electricity from Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia to the rest of Canada and the United States. Through new transmission connections known as interties, Holt said Atlantic provinces could sell their power across North America. Grays Bay port and road This project has been described as a "subway line" that could offer Nunavut easier access to its resource-rich areas and offer western provinces a direct link to the Northwest Passage. A subsidiary of the region's Kitikmeot Inuit Association is proposing to build a deepwater port on Nunavut's mainland in the Coronation Gulf. To access that port, a 230-kilometre all-weather road would need to be constructed across tundra, muskeg and waterways without interfering with the sensitive permafrost. The thick layer of frozen soil is prone to melt when disturbed through road construction. A potential road would connect to Jericho Station, home to a defunct diamond mine, before continuing to a 600-kilometre winter road to Yellowknife. An all-season road could also eventually replace that ice road, which is closed most of the year. The Grays Bay port could handle large cargo ships capable of loading and transporting materials from future critical mineral mines, both in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Local hunters and others, though, have raised concerns about the massive project's impact on the endangered Dolphin and Union caribou herd. Port of Churchill Another potential hub for critical minerals and fossil fuel exports could be through the expansion of the Port of Churchill. The existing port, via the Arctic Gateway railway system, promotes itself as the shortest link from the Prairies to the Atlantic Ocean. It offers access to the Arctic, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South America. In August 2024, the port announced it had shipped its first critical mineral shipment — zinc concentrate — to Belgium. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew stated in a letter to Carney that the province is seeking investments in icebreakers to expand the shipping season through Hudson Bay and for new "energy generation and transmission to power the project." Northwest coast bitumen pipeline At the closing news conference in Saskatoon, Carney said he was open to the idea of a second pipeline from the oilsands to Canada's West Coast, something that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith wants. "There is an ability to build that energy infrastructure, that oil pipeline," Carney said. "I agree with [Smith]. And so the opportunity is there, the market is there in Asia." Canada has only one pipeline to tidewater that doesn't go to or through the U.S. — through B.C.'s Lower Mainland to Burnaby. It's unclear what route a northwest coast pipeline would take, as no company is pitching one yet. But Enbridge's planned, but never built, Northern Gateway would have gone through northern B.C., destined for the Port of Kitimat. The Trans Mountain Expansion to Burnaby was completed in 2024, and from conception to delivery, the government-owned pipeline faced fierce opposition due to its $34-billion cost and concerns over its environmental impact. Canada purchased the project from American pipeline firm Kinder Morgan in 2018 when it was unclear it would be completed otherwise. A new northern pipeline is already meeting resistance from B.C.'s premier, who said he doesn't support lifting the tanker ban along the north coast. The province's deputy premier Niki Sharma said Monday that B.C. has "differences of opinion" on a pipeline through the north of the province. Giant carbon capture pipeline Canada's largest oilsands companies are proposing to build what could be one of the world's largest carbon capture and storage networks. The 400-kilometre Pathways Alliance pipeline project would transport captured carbon dioxide from the oilsands in the Fort McMurray region and other sites to Cold Lake, Alta., for storage. "The project proceeding is contingent upon obtaining sufficient fiscal and policy support and regulatory approval," according to its website. The pipeline project is expected to cost $16.5 billion and is supposed to be operational by 2030. Six companies are collaborating on the project: Suncor Energy Inc., Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., Cenovus Energy Inc., Imperial Oil Ltd., MEG Energy Corp. and ConocoPhillips Canada. Pathways has stated that the project could help its member companies achieve a 32 per cent reduction from 2019 emissions levels by 2030 and is the centrepiece of the industry's pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Ring of Fire The Ring of Fire in northwestern Ontario has been a topic of discussion and controversy for years. Ontario Premier Doug Ford views the crescent-shaped mineral deposit as a treasure trove for the province's electric vehicle supply chain. But Ford also sees potential for the Ring of Fire to meet global demand for materials used in computer chips and high-tech military weapons. There are no all-season roads, railways or energy infrastructure connecting the isolated area that is mostly muskeg, swamps and rivers. The province and mining developers also face pushback from some First Nations and environmentalists. Members of Ojibway and Cree communities in the area worry its development represents a threat to their traditional way of life. The Ring of Fire's location in the James Bay Lowlands places it in the Hudson Bay Lowlands. Together they form one of the world's largest wetlands. It's a massive carbon store and habitat for migratory birds.
Global News
22-05-2025
- Business
- Global News
New report casts doubt on potential revival of Quebec LNG project
Reviving a liquefied natural gas export project in Quebec's Saguenay region would be costly and likely unprofitable, a shareholder advocacy group says, as economic threats from the U.S. rekindle interest across the country in new pipelines. Demand for LNG in Europe dropped by 18 per cent between 2022 and 2024, and Canadian exports would have a hard time competing in Asian markets, says advocacy group Investors for Paris Compliance. 'Investing in infrastructure that will be very expensive and likely won't be profitable will weaken our economy rather than strengthen it,' Renaud Gignac, an economist and senior adviser for the group, said in an interview. In a report published Thursday, Gignac notes LNG production is expected to grow by 40 per cent from 2024 to 2028, driven by projects in the United States and Qatar, and demand is not expected to keep pace. Story continues below advertisement 'This is significant,' Gignac said …. What this means is that the profitability of any new project is compromised because we risk seeing downward pressure on prices.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy A project to transport natural gas from Western Canada to an export terminal in Quebec's Saguenay region was cancelled in 2021 due to environmental risks and public opposition. But Quebec Premier François Legault has recently opened the door to pipeline development in the province, saying Quebecers recognize the importance of reducing the country's dependence on energy exports to the U.S. The advocacy group says inflation could balloon the project's price tag to more than $33 billion, and public money would likely be required. 'These are considerable investments that mobilize public capital and labour as well,' said Gignac, a climate policy analyst. 'When you direct resources to this type of project, you make choices, and we believe there are options that could be more profitable in the long term, for both public and private investors.' U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to impose punishing tariffs on Canadian exports have ignited public debate on the utility of a trans-Canadian pipeline to ship oil or gas overseas. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Quebec's Legault are among those who've chimed in on re-evaluating pipeline projects. 'As initial panic subsides following the Trump administration's tariff threats, a calmer analysis of the East Coast LNG projects show that they carry significant risks for potential investors and taxpayers,' says the report. Story continues below advertisement The analysis did not address the potential revival of an west-east oil pipeline project like Energy East, abandoned by TransCanada in 2017, which would have crossed through Quebec to New Brunswick. But Gignac says the conclusions of such an analysis would be similar. 'There is an imminent forecast of peak demand,' he said. Gignac considers reviving pipeline projects to be 'a false solution' to making the Canadian economy more resilient. The group said there are better ways to stimulate the Canadian economy, including integrating provincial electricity grids and mining critical minerals, which are key for the electrification of transportation and will be needed elsewhere in energy transition. His group's support for mining, however, puts the association at odds with some environmentalists. 'Mining is certainly not without environmental impact,' Gignac said. 'So we will also have to look at the most responsible ways to extract these minerals and bring them to market.' The report also identifies the federal government's plans to build a high-speed train linking Quebec City, Montreal, and Toronto as a promising project.
National Post
22-05-2025
- Politics
- National Post
André Pratte: Energy East is still a pipe dream. Quebec support won't last
Article content There are several reasons why Energy East was opposed by a majority of Quebecers. From the very start, environment activists fought the project and TC Energy was left alone in countering them. Few politicians — federal, provincial or municipal — were willing to defend it. Article content Furthermore, TC Energy made crucial mistakes in the early planning of the endeavour, mistakes that made Quebecers distrustful. Indeed, TC Energy did not sufficiently consider the fact that Quebecers are not familiar with the oil industry's infrastructure. Article content Although they consume their share of gas for transportation, they have been told for decades that most of Quebec's energy is clean, which has become a matter of national pride. Selling the construction of a giant oil pipeline in the province was always going to be a challenge. Article content Trump's election may have changed a lot of things, but I suspect that if one were to dig into Quebecers' minds deeper than a poll can, one would find a fair level of skepticism about the oil industry. It would not take much to have that view resurface. This would probably happen the moment a concrete proposal is put on the table, when people realize that the future pipeline would pass through their neighbourhoods. Article content I wish I could say that Quebecers are ready to accept a new Energy East-style project as a show of solidarity with western-Canadians. But this is simply not the case. Many Quebecers are convinced that fighting climate change requires ending the production of oil, especially from the oilsands. Article content They also fear the risk of leaks, a concern that arguments based on mathematical probabilities usually fail to overcome. It is true that Ottawa has jurisdiction over inter-provincial pipelines and therefore could choose to simply ignore Quebecers' objections. However, forcing a pipeline down peoples' throats is not a wise approach, and the political cost for Mark Carney's government would be extremely high. Article content Article content
Montreal Gazette
15-05-2025
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
‘Unthinkable before Trump,' Quebecers are more open now to a pipeline crossing province, Legault says
Quebec Politics By QUEBEC — Premier François Legault has opened the door further to a pipeline possibly crossing the province in the north to allow Alberta oil and gas to be sold on European markets. And Legault says he is seeking a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump to explain certain economic realities. In a sweeping 90-minute interview on Stephan Bureau's Contact podcast, Legault said that while a pipeline across northern Quebec in the past was unthinkable because of a lack of social acceptance, the trade-and-tariff war with Trump is changing people's attitudes. 'Is it possible to have a pipeline crossing northern Quebec which could have its outlet, for example, in the port of Sept-Îles,' Legault asked. 'There are projects like this which were unthinkable before Trump, but Quebecers now say 'It's not true that Trump will control the oil being produced in Alberta.' 'So can we export to Europe by passing through Quebec instead of being stuck with Trump? There's an opening here. I am sensing things are starting to shift.' In 2021, the Legault government had closed the door to the GNL Québec project, which would have crossed into the Saguenay region and carried liquefied gas to Europe. It also slammed the door on the Energy East pipeline project, which would have transported 1.1 million barrels of Alberta oil through Ontario to refineries in Quebec and New Brunswick. At the time in 2018, Legault said Quebecers are not in favour of 'dirty energy' and Quebec is able to produce clean energy at competitive prices. The government also said there was no social acceptability of the projects and they contributed nothing to the fight against climate change. During the federal election campaign, Mark Carney said he wanted to create an energy corridor in Canada to ease the movement of oil and gas, agricultural products, electricity and critical minerals. Later Thursday, speaking to reporters on a stop in Alma, Legault clarified that there are no projects actually on the table. 'We are far from a concrete project,' Legault said. 'But I think there is an openness.' He insisted his comments should not be interpreted as meaning the government wants to fast-track projects or cut corners on things like environmental-impact assessment. 'We have to look at the impacts and we have to look at the spinoffs and what is positive in each project, if a project is presented,' Legault said. But in his interview with Bureau, Legault said it's clear Quebecers will continue to consume oil products for a while even if at the same time the transition away from such products has to happen eventually. As things are, the arrival of Trump has delayed that transition process by four years, he said. Taking advantage of other markets to sell such products at a time where Trump is turning up his nose at them makes sense, he said. 'Alberta is in the same situation with its oil as we are with our electricity,' he said. 'The United States needs our energy and the United States needs Alberta's oil but does not want to admit it, slapping on taxes and threatening to not buy our products. We have to be able to sell out products elsewhere.' Legault, nevertheless, would like to meet Trump personally and has asked Quebec's staff in Washington to look into it. 'I would like to explain (to Trump) that it's not true he can get by without Quebec's electricity, aluminum and forests, that he needs us for energy, that he can do things with our critical minerals,' Legault said. 'I would like to explain to him that it would be a win for Quebec and a win for the United States that we do a deal together.' Legault and Trump had a brief encounter in December 2024 when they were attending the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. More recently, Quebec International Affairs Minister Martine Biron had a conversation with Trump when both were attending the funeral of Pope Francis in April. 'Quebec. Canada! We will make a deal with you,' Biron told reporters, quoting remarks Trump made to her. Legault's interview with Bureau ventured into other areas, including the recent decision by Standard & Poor's (S&P) to lower Quebec's credit rating. Legault said the government was aware of the risk of massively increasing spending on infrastructure — a fact that did not go unnoticed by S&P — but it was a choice that was important to Quebec. And there were more questions about Legault's personal future as premier and leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec. Legault repeated his desire to seek a third mandate as premier. 'I want to stay because it's too exciting,' Legault told Bureau, who referred to the premier using his first name. Legault said he's looking forward to working on Hydro-Québec plans to double its production, saying the plan will usher in a 'golden age for the Quebec economy.' Asked if all 85 MNAs in the CAQ caucus want him to stay given recent polling showing the CAQ has slipped into third place in voter standings, Legault said he recently tested his level of support by asking the caucus if they were still with him. 'I didn't hear one person say they are not behind me,' Legault said. 'I told them it won't be easy. It will be a big battle.' Asked if the CAQ can continue to exist without him, Legault said the CAQ is overflowing with talented politicians who could step up. 'It's like a dream team,' Legault said. Legault said if there was one thing he learned over his seven years in office, it is to be 'more humble.' 'We can make mistakes,' Legault said. 'We get better with age.' Legault will turn 68 on May 26. The next general election is in October 2026. No party has managed to obtain a third majority government in Quebec since the Union Nationale of Maurice Duplessis, who actually managed to win four in a row between 1944 and 1959.
