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“From now on, Canada’s new government starts by asking ourselves, for major projects, how. How can we do it bigger? How can we do it faster?” he said at a union training facility in Edmonton.��

Carney said what the U.S. is doing is “not a transition, it is a rupture,” and Canada has to pivot.

“They are closing markets, disrupting supply chains, halting investments and pushing up unemployment. Canadians are over the shock, but we must always remember the lessons. We have to look out for ourselves and we have to take care of each other.”

The Darlington proposal would add four small modular reactors to the existing Ontario Power Generation (OPG) nuclear power plant in Clarington, east of ɫɫ��. The new reactors, which would be smaller than existing ones at the plant, would still provide enough electricity to power 1.2 million homes.

These first “nation-building” projects have already done most of the required regulatory work. OPG spent six years getting approval to build the reactors at the site and another four years to get a license for the specific reactor type. Carney said this is about clearing any remaining hurdles.

“The government is referring them to the major projects office to be shepherded across the finish line,” he said.��

In a statement, OPG said it looks forward to working with the government on financing for the project. In his news conference, Carney said Ottawa would put taxpayer dollars into some of these projects, but the public money would be added to bring in private dollars.

OPG has approval for one reactor and still needs a licence for the other three, but all four will share the same design and manufacturer. Once constructed, the new reactors would be the first small modular reactors operating in a G7 country. Ontario also has a memorandum of understanding to work with Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Alberta on advancing small modular reactors.��

The other “nation-building” projects the government will propose include the second phase of the LNG Canada facility in Kitimat B.C., which would double the amount of liquified natural gas it can export. The Contrecoeur Terminal expansion of the Port of Montreal will also be included, as will a copper mine in Saskatchewan and the expansion of the Red Chris copper and gold mine in northwestern B.C.

Carney said the major projects office will also help advance a series of proposals that are not yet far enough developed. Those include: a critical minerals strategy that gets potential projects to final investment decision within two years; the Wind West Atlantic Energy Project to create 60 gigawatts of electricity, roughly equivalent to a quarter of the country’s power needs; the Pathways carbon capture project in Alberta; an Arctic economic and security corridor to create an all-weather road network to the Arctic; an expansion of the Port of Churchill; and the proposed Alto high-speed rail project between ɫɫ�� and Quebec City.

Environmental and some Indigenous groups denounced the announcement, but business leaders welcomed the projects as vital to the country’s economic success.��

“Spanning Canada’s vast geography, these projects seek to connect us. Important projects like Contrecœur and LNG Canada Phase 2 have long been in the queue and now are set to expand our energy and transportation infrastructure network at a critical time,” said��Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

But Laing cautioned a system that fast-tracks some projects and slows others won’t work in the long run.

“Canada needs a system where every project — whether in energy, infrastructure, or clean technology — faces a process that is reasonable, transparent and predictable. Only then can we fully unlock private capital and deliver the next generation of nation-building projects.”��

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was quick to dismiss Carney’s new list and said it would only add to the bureaucracy.��

“What he’s done today is announce that he’s going to send an email to an office that isn’t even fully staffed up yet, which will one day consider possibly approving five projects,” he said.

The Ontario government’s ask of the Carney government on nuclear energy was broader, as it also plans large-scale nuclear plants in the province. It had also asked Carney to designate a road to the resource-rich Ring of Fire, a new James Bay seaport, the Highway 401 tunnel project and GO train expansion as nation-building projects, but none of those made the list.

Energy Minister Stephen Lecce, said Ontario also wants a Canadian economy that can withstand American attacks, and said the Ontario projects are essential to that.��

“That path to achieve that vision starts with the Ring of Fire, starts with large scale nuclear. It starts with pipelines and ports and major infrastructure projects and highway projects that could help us become a more productive and competitive economy,” he said in an interview with the Star.��

Lecce said as a start, the federal government could drop a duplicate environmental assessment process for the Ring of Fire roads and instead help the province build them.��

“In this country, it takes too long to do big things and so we’ve urged the feds to end the duplication and to invest in the roads to help us actually unlock this potential,” he said, adding the minerals in the Ring of Fire could support 70,000 jobs and add $22 billion to the economy.��

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who has been a fierce critic of the Liberals, welcomed the news. After a meeting with Carney, she said she believed her province would benefit.��

“I am more optimistic than ever that the concerns of Albertans are finally being heard and I look forward to reaching an agreement that will profoundly benefit the Canadian and Alberta economies,” she said on social media.��