Prime Minister Mark Carney is in northern British Columbia on Thursday to announce the next group of major infrastructure projects he will recommend to the newly established Major Projects Office (MPO), part of his government’s strategy to speed up approvals for developments considered vital to Canada’s national interest.
Sources told the media earlier this week that the list will include at least three critical mineral projects, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) initiative, and a significant transmission line. In total, at least six projects are expected to move forward for MPO review: Sisson Mine (critical minerals), New Brunswick, Crawford Nickel Project, Ontario, Ksi Lisims LNG Project, British Columbia, Iqaluit Hydro Project, Nunavut, Nouveau Monde Graphite Phase 2, Quebec.
Additionally, a source confirmed that the North Coast Transmission Line will also appear on the list.
The MPO, launched in August, was created after the Liberal government committed to accelerating approvals for infrastructure deemed essential to economic growth and national security. The office manages and oversees the streamlined process.
This will be the second batch of projects recommended by Carney. In September, he endorsed five major developments, including LNG expansion in B.C., Port of Montreal upgrades, a small modular reactor in Ontario, and new copper mines in Western Canada.
Carney’s latest federal budget allocated approximately $214 million over five years to support the MPO’s work, plus an additional $10 million for Indigenous consultation. The government views rapid development of energy and resource projects as key to boosting economic growth and reducing reliance on the increasingly protectionist U.S. market.
