The federal government on Thursday announced the latest batch of major building projects to be considered for fast-tracking under legislation passed in June.
They include a nickel mine in northern Ontario, a hydroelectric project in Iqaluit, a transmission line and an LNG project that are both in northwest British Columbia, a graphite mine in Quebec and a tungsten mine in New Brunswick.
Speaking in Terrace, B.C., on Thursday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said these latest projects represent another $56 billion in new investment.
The Canada Infrastructure Bank announced Thursday afternoon the project was receiving a $139.5 million loan to support engineering and planning work.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday he was pleased to hear the Crawford nickel mine in northern Ontario was among those selected, but lamented the lack of progress on other projects.
“Let’s get out of our way when it comes to the Ring of Fire,” Ford said, referring to another group of mining projects in northern Ontario, north of Thunder Bay.
“We need to be talking about large-scale nuclear, and I don’t know if we’re going to hear about that but that’s a key area we need investment on.”
The hydroelectric project in Iqaluit, which already has received millions in federal funding for engineering and design, is being promoted as a means to help Nunavut’s capital wean itself off its reliance on its diesel power plant.
Other projects announced include the Sisson Mine in New Brunswick, the Nouveau Monde Graphite Phase 2 project in Quebec, and the Ksi Lisims liquefied natural gas project, near where Carney is making his announcement.
The Ksi Lisims project is expected to produce 12 million tonnes of LNG per year destined for markets in Asia, where demand for LNG continues to grow.
In September, the government announced the first group of project referrals to the Major Projects Office. They included a port expansion in Montreal, a small modular nuclear plant in Ontario, a liquefied natural gas facility expansion in British Columbia and two mining projects in Saskatchewan and B.C.
So far, no project has received the national interest designation, which would give it special treatment — such as exemptions from certain environmental laws — to help it move forward; those include the Fisheries Act, the Species At Risk Act and the Impact Assessment Act.
Once a project is referred to the Major Projects Office, it is reviewed and returned with recommendations to the government, which has the final say on whether to give it the national interest designation.
Establishing the Major Projects Office was one of Carney’s first moves after winning the general election earlier this year.
The federal budget tabled last week proposes to spend $213.8 million over five years for the office. The government also plans legislation to make the office a separate entity — like a Crown corporation — rather than leaving it under the authority of the Privy Council Office.
— With files from Liam Casey in Toronto and Nono Shen in Vancouver