Strategic infrastructure, energy top of mind for prime ministers at closing day meetings

Canada’s 13 provincial and territorial prime ministers pledged a joint commitment to strategic infrastructure, energy security, sustainable development and climate action on Wednesday as they wrapped up their two-day summer meeting in Winnipeg.

The Prime Ministers called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to convene a prime ministerial meeting dedicated to the linked priorities of competitiveness and strategic infrastructure.

Chairwoman Heather Stefanson, Manitoba’s progressive conservative prime minister, said at the Federation Council’s closing press conference that the prime ministers discussed a wide range of issues that are shared from coast to coast to coast.

“Those issues pertain to services provided by counties and territories, resource development and economic growth, jobs and opportunities led by counties and territories,” Stefanson said.

“Today’s discussion focused on economic growth and opportunity, which are key foundations for trade, economic development, jobs and prosperity for Canadians across the country.”

She said prime ministers are in strong agreement on fostering vital relationships and fundamentals, on competitiveness and strategic infrastructure, and on economic trade corridors, “the transport networks and hubs needed to bring our products to market and to support our critical supply chains .”

Stefanson’s description could have pointed specifically to the highway and rail infrastructure along the Isthmus of Chignecto connecting mainland Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Nova Scotia Prime Minister Tim Houston sent a letter in June to Dominic LeBlanc, the federal minister of intergovernmental affairs and infrastructure, about the Isthmus, a 14-mile (23-kilometer) strip of land threatened by flooding from the Bay of Fundy that an aging dike system.

The corridor hosts $35 billion worth of trade each year.

In March 2022, a $700,000 engineering study emerged with the three best options to protect the highway and rail infrastructure along the isthmus, including bridges, each of which consisted of strengthening the levee system and cost an estimated $200 each. million to more than $300 in costs. million at the time of the report.

New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have agreed on a two-option hybrid as the best solution, but msy is filing in mid-July to acquire money from the federal disaster relief fund.

The problem Houston raised in his letter is that the federal government is only taking on half of the disaster fund bill, and the two counties would have to pay the rest.

“This is an important national trade corridor. It’s a very important project. It’s a big problem for our county,” Houston said. “We recognize all those things, but we just want the federal government to step up and acknowledge its responsibility here. The letter outlines that to Mr. LeBlanc.

Houston argues that the infrastructure is a federal responsibility, like dozens of other infrastructure projects of national importance, and that the counties should pay nothing for the upgrades.

The Prime Ministers discussed policies the Federal Government plans to impose, including the Clean Fuel Regulations, the proposed Clean Electricity Regulations and a cap on oil and gas emissions, and affirmed that electricity and energy regulation is the exclusive jurisdiction of provinces and territories, and that they are. take measures to reduce emissions.

The prime ministers insisted that federal policy should not encroach on provincial authority and recognize each province’s unique needs and situation.

At the end of the meeting, Houston became chairman of the board.

“I look forward to bringing forward the issues that matter most to Nova Scotians in the coming year,” he said. “I also look forward to welcoming my fellow prime ministers to the province this fall for a health summit and next year as we work together to create opportunity for all Canadians.”

Nova Scotia will host the Summer Meeting of Canadian Prime Ministers from July 15 to 17, 2024.