Carney has ‘nation-building projects’ on his mind as he meets with premiers in Saskatoon

Prime Minister Mark Carney is gearing up for a crucial meeting with provincial and territorial premiers this week, with a sharp focus on project development. The first ministers are set to convene in Saskatoon on Monday for the first time since the federal election on April 28.

In an exclusive interview with CBC’s Power & Politics, Carney emphasized that “major projects” will top the agenda for Monday’s meeting. He stressed the importance of nation-building projects that unite Canada, diversify the economy, and open up new export markets to propel the country’s economic growth.

“We need to move on these nation-building projects. So projects that bring Canada together, projects that diversify our economy, projects that help us export to new markets and really move this economy forward,” Carney told host David Cochrane.

Last week’s throne speech delivered by King Charles also highlighted the significance of project approval. The speech outlined plans to create a federal project review office and streamline regulatory reviews to accelerate the approval process from five years to two.

The Liberal government is set to introduce legislation this month that will introduce “up-front regulatory approvals” for major projects deemed to be in the national interest. Several provinces have already put forth proposals for significant economic projects they hope to see come to fruition.

Western premiers recently met to discuss a range of issues, including energy, Arctic security, and economic corridors. They called for Carney’s full support for the development of an economic corridor connecting ports on the northwest coast and Hudson’s Bay.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has expressed support for a similar economic corridor involving Manitoba’s Port of Churchill. He believes such a corridor could facilitate the transportation of resources from western provinces to international markets.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe have also shared their project ideas with Carney, including the development of critical mineral deposits in Ontario’s Ring of Fire and the expansion of pipeline projects, respectively.

Carney envisions a competitive process for project approval, where the best ideas will prevail. He emphasized the importance of selecting projects that are not only viable but also ready for implementation.

This upcoming meeting follows Carney’s commitment in March to eliminate internal trade barriers by July 1. As the prime minister focuses on driving economic growth through strategic project development, the collaboration between federal and provincial leaders will be pivotal in shaping the future of Canada’s infrastructure and economy.