LNG project, mines, hydro dam, power lines among latest major project referrals

TERRACE, B.C. — The federal government on Thursday announced the latest batch of major building projects to be considered for fast-tracking under legislation passed in June, focused entirely on critical minerals and energy.

The new list includes a hydroelectric project in Nunavut, the Crawford nickel mine in northern Ontario, the Nouveau Monde graphite mine in Quebec, and the Sisson tungsten mine in New Brunswick.

Prime Minister Mark Carney made the announcement in Terrace, B.C., one community that will be connected to the North Coast Transmissions Line, which was one of the projects put forward for possible fast-tracking.

It is intended to power local communities in the region, as well as projects like the Ksi Lisims LNG facility, which was also on the list.

That project has faced opposition from some First Nations groups who have launched court challenges to overturn the federal environmental approval it received in September.

Carney faced several questions on how the government plans to proceed with the project if First Nations aren’t on board.

“We’re encouraged with respect to Ksi Lisims in terms of the scale of Indigenous support across various groups,” Carney said, referring to the Nisga’a Nation which is backing the project.

“We work in concert with all parties and we make things possible. We don’t dictate where projects are going to go in the end. Parties decide.”

The first list of projects referred to the Major Projects Office was announced in September, which also mainly included energy and mine projects, however an expansion project for the Port of Montreal was also on that original list.

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.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who hoped to have a deal in place with Ottawa by this weekend on a new pipeline project, said she was “supportive” of the latest list.

“Currently, we are working on an agreement with the federal government that includes the removal, carve out or overhaul of several damaging laws chasing away private investment in our energy sector, and an agreement to work towards ultimate approval of a bitumen pipeline to Asian markets,” Smith said in a statement.

The latest list faced criticism from some environmental groups over the government’s push toward more gas development.

“National building projects should benefit everyday Canadians, but LNG primarily benefits foreign-owned industry players,” said Alex Walker, the climate finance program manager with Environmental Defence.

“Ottawa is focused on giving subsidies to industries that are incompatible with a net-zero world and cannot compete with lower-cost alternatives, like renewables and cheaper LNG from existing producers. Saying that building LNG infrastructure is in the national interest is oxymoronic.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2025.

— With files from Nick Murray in Ottawa