The federal government’s new major projects office will launch this week, a key element in Ottawa’s push to spur construction of large-scale infrastructure, Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson said.
The Liberal government rushed its major projects bill through Parliament in June to speed up approval times for industrial projects aimed at growing the economy.
But the government says it needs the new office in place before it can begin approving corporate blueprints.
“This is the most important reform to how Canada builds major projects in decades,” Hodgson said in a speech at the Canadian Embassy in Berlin, where he promoted the new law to Canadian and German business people.
“It creates decision timelines and accountability through a new major projects office, launching later this week.”
Hodgson declined to provide further details when asked about the office on a call with reporters, saying he did not want to take the spotlight from the prime minister.
At a news conference in Charlottetown, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized Prime Minister Mark Carney for failing to launch new projects since taking office earlier this year.
“What I think you’re going to see from Mr. Carney is more big promises without any action. It’s more Liberal show business rather than getting it done,” Poilievre said.
The swift passage of the projects bill has also stirred opposition, frustrating some Indigenous groups.
Resolutions are expected at the Assembly of First Nations General Assembly next week calling for amendments to strengthen language and protections around consultation with First Nations.
First investments
Carney said in Berlin on Tuesday the government will begin announcing new investments in port infrastructure in the next two weeks.
In his speech, Hodgson said Canada is emphasizing speed in building new infrastructure to ramp up energy exports.
The minister urged German businesses to buy Canadian exports such as liquefied natural gas and hydrogen.
“Unlike the previous Canadian government, which closed the door to LNG exports, Prime Minister Carney’s government has opened it. If the demand is here, and the infrastructure is built, Canada will deliver,” Hodgson said.
“Potential projects are in the earliest of stages, and no route is mapped out for sure. But any proponent who comes forward with a project that features good economics and buy-in from their province and Indigenous people, we will take a good look at.”
While Hodgson appeared to criticize the previous Liberal government under Justin Trudeau for its position on LNG exports, he told reporters afterward he would not “speak ill of the past government.”
When pressed about the hurdles to shipping Canadian LNG across the Atlantic — including high capital costs, logistics and uncertain demand — Hodgson said many buyers are ready to purchase Canadian LNG now.
He said businesses he spoke with overseas are eager to purchase West Coast LNG and trade it internationally amid strong energy demand.
“Many of the buyers have trading operations in North America, in Asia and in Europe, and they will swap cargoes,” he said. “They can buy cargoes on the West Coast and swap those cargoes for cargoes in Europe, and so German companies today are looking at buying West Coast LNG and swapping it for deliveries into Europe.”
Hodgson and Carney also announced Tuesday in Berlin that Canada had signed an agreement with Germany to co-operate on advancing critical minerals projects.
Poilievre said Wednesday the agreement is not evidence of real progress.
“Don’t confuse activity with achievement. Mr. Carney has been frantically jetting around the world doing photo ops and signing phoney declarations that are unenforceable and have no money attached to them,” Poilievre said.
After Poilievre criticized the agreement on social media, calling it “nothing” because it is not legally binding, Germany’s ambassador to Canada, Matthias Lüttenberg, pushed back, saying the declaration is important.
“Far from nothing, but exactly what it says: a joint declaration of intent to co-operate in this crucial area of mutual interest,” Lüttenberg wrote. “Needs implementation. But this is an important step forward and we will work hard to build on that with all stakeholders in Canada.”