Thursday September 11, 2025 | NATIONAL NEWS [Reporting from VICTORIA, BC] [Posted at 11:30 am PT | Updated 2:45 pm]
socioeconomic political analysis by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The first five big major projects for fast-tracking Canada’s economic development were formally announced this morning by Prime Minister Mark Carney in Edmonton.
The projects are in the national interest and are feasible, Carney stated today. Between the first five and the secondary list, it’s clear that Carney wants to see Canada reshaped as an energy superpower.
Clearly there was a lot of preliminary work to prepare that list, including visits to the various project sites (by politicians and sector professionals) over this past summer. More projects are on the way.
The prime minister’s remarks included that Canada has been “too reliant on a single trading partner” (the United States), saying that the new plan has “strong foundations on our industries and new diverse trading partners”.
“Canada has a long strong history of building,” said Carney, adding that it’s time Canada got back to it.
“That starts with getting out of the way,” he said in his prepared remarks today.
He noted that the Major Projects Office becoming operational in Calgary is a “single point of contact to get projects going faster”. That office will be headed up by oil sector career professional Dawn Farrell.
The five big projects:
The five big projects are a start. There will be more.
The first five major projects are a key component of delivering on the election promise that got Carney elected with a near-majority in the Spring 2025 federal election, i.e. to rebuild, strengthen and diversify the Canadian economy. His leadership and his government will be evaluated by political opponents and voters in the next federal election.
While the list was leaked to the CBC yesterday (and posted by Island Social Trends last night), the list was officially announced today:
- Phase two of LNG Canada in Kitimat, B.C., doubling its production of liquefied natural gas. [BC Premier David Eby held a hasty press conference at the LNG facility in Kitimat in July]
- The Darlington New Nuclear Project in Clarington, Ont., which will make small modular reactors. [For months, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been promoting small nuclear as a prime example of key energy projects as a way to help with Canadian energy resilience]
- Contrecœur Terminal Container Project to expand the Port of Montreal. [Carney highlighted this project and other ports several weeks ago.]
- The McIlvenna Bay Foran Copper Mine Project in Saskatchewan. [Copper has been highlighted as a key mineral resource for months in federal economic discourse.]
- The expansion of the Red Chris Mine in northwestern B.C. [In July there was a mine rescue incident of some trapped inspectors at Red Chris Mine.]
The secondary list of major projects (that aren’t quite ready for forward action) include:
- Wind West Atlantic Energy, supporting wind power in Atlantic Canada.
- The Alberta-based Pathways Plus carbon capture project.
- An Arctic economic and security corridor.
- Upgrades to the Port of Churchill.
- All-weather road infrastructure in Northern Canada.
- The Alto high-speed rail corridor between Toronto and Quebec City.
One Canadian Economy:
After Carney’s announcement in Edmonton, Dominic LeBlanc — Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy — took media questions about the project list during a press session at the Port of Montreal as a way to feature that project.
Currently the way projects have been considered or approved has been an “arduous process that leaves enormous capital on the table”, said Minister LeBlanc today. The projects will “proceed as quickly as possible without slippage”, said LeBlanc.
The mix of private and public investment will make a big improvement to this country’s GDP, LeBlanc said.
LeBlanc said that climate objectives of the projects have been or will be evaluated as to how they help meet Canada’s climate objectives. He points out that it’s one of the five criteria in the legislation. The projects will get “climate results for Canadians”.
Conservative leader’s comments:
Conservative Leader and leader of the Official Opposition, Pierre Poilievre, said today in a press conference that the projects aren’t far enough along.
Poilievre says government’s focus has been on setting up an office, though clearly a well-organized administrative system is needed to process the big economic shift that will involve a lot of detail and regulatory processing.
Clean energy sector:
Clean Energy Canada (CEC) has weighed in, as will likely many other energy and economic sectors, saying “Canada needs to build the nation pointed to the future, not the past”, but commended the focus on copper mining as a component of EV battery production. [See more on Clean Energy Canada remarks]
===== RELATED:
- Five big projects to lead Canada’s economic shift (September 10, 2025)
- Carney today: big projects tomorrow, new housing strategy next week (September 10, 2025)
- Major Projects Office in Calgary to fast-track nation-building projects (September 2, 2025)
- Ports as key nation-building projects: Montreal, Churchill, east coast (August 26, 2025)
- First LNG Canada shipments to Asia highlighted by Premier Eby’s visit to Kitimat (July 31, 2025)
- Three drilling consultants have been rescued from Red Chris mine (July 25, 2025)
- Rescue of trapped miners in northern BC is underway says Premier (July 23, 2025)
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