McIlvenna Bay Foran Copper Mine Project in Saskatchewan is one of the five major projects announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney Thursday. He said Foran will strengthen Canada as a global supplier of critical minerals. Also, on the list the expansion of a copper operation in northwest B.C., expansion of container capacity by 60 per cent at the Port of Montreal and LNG Canada is expected to double production of liquefied natural gas in Kitimat, B.C. As well there is construction of a small modular reactor in Ontario.

Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre describes the major projects announcement as Mark Carney’s dream list and says its pathetic. Poilievre says the federal government is blocking 39 projects that are in the regulatory system.

“Scott Moe says there is another 100 projects in Saskatchewan alone that are waiting on federal decisions. The message to Mark Carney and the Liberals is that they need to do one thing – get out of the way.”

Poilievre says all the projects need to proceed is the removal of antidevelopment laws and taxes that makes it impossible to build. Interestingly his words were echoed in a separate news conference by the Prime Minister. Mark Carney said, “We used to build big things in this country, and we used them build it quickly. It’s time to get back at it and its time to get on with it. And that starts with getting out of the way.”

Carney says for too long the construction of major infrastructure in Canada has been stalled by inefficient and arduous approval processes. He says the Major Projects office will work to fast-track projects in the nation’s best interest by streamlining regulatory assessment and approvals and helping to structure financing.

Following the federal government’s major projects announcement, the Saskatchewan NDP is “deeply disappointed” that the list of initiatives did not include new pipelines, power generation or rail capacity. In a news release, Party Leader Carla Beck questioned Premier Scott Moe’s efforts to secure these types of infrastructure investment. She adds that “Moe continues to hide the list of projects he did – or did not- provide to the federal government for consideration.” The NDP calls on the province to release the infrastructure list, providing transparency to all Saskatchewan residents.