Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he would establish certain zones that would have pre-approved permits for major construction and energy projects, in a bid to accelerate the development of key infrastructure and industries.
“After years of uncertainty where businesses spent billions of dollars and many years getting to a ‘maybe,’ they will know that they have a ‘yes’ up front,” Poilievre said during a March 20 stop in Jonquière, in Quebec’s Saguenay region.
The Tory leader said this would create more certainty for investors and lead to a construction and economic boom.
Dubbed “Canada Shovel Ready Zones,” the areas would be identified as suitable locations for mines, pipelines, liquified natural gas (LNG) plants, power stations, or hydro dams. Assessments on impacts to the environment and the local population will be conducted beforehand and the required consultations with First Nations will be done “up front,” Poilievre said. Permits would then be published online.
Poilievre said one of the pre-approved zones would include the LNG project in the Saguenay region, which was scrapped a few years ago after being blocked by provincial and federal governments, with both citing environmental and other concerns.
“The result will be that companies will be able to ship our energy to go around the Americans, break European dependence on [Russian President] Putin, ship our energy to Asia so that the Asians can break their dependence on coal, and use clean Canadian natural gas instead,” he said.
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A recent report from the Montreal Economic Institute said that if built, the gas pipeline project GNL Québec in Saguenay would have offered Canada diversification potential away from the United States of 19.4 percent, with an annual diversification value of $1.73 billion.
The Quebec government recently signalled it could reconsider its stance on the project, amid tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
The province’s environmental body, which rejected the project in 2021, said the risks were higher than the benefits and it had not been able to determine whether there was “social acceptability.”
In response to reporters’ questions on his confidence in public support for the project, Poilievre said there is no social acceptability for the “status quo.”
“The status quo of selling 100 percent of Canadian gas to the United States to benefit Donald Trump doesn’t have social acceptability,” he said. “The status quo of Vladimir Putin monopolizing the European market to finance his war machine has no social acceptability.”
The Tory leader noted that polls now show Quebecers are in favour of building oil and gas pipelines across the province. A SOM-La Presse survey released in February suggested 61 percent of respondents support resuscitating GNL Québec and 59 percent support building the Energy East pipeline to move Alberta oil to New Brunswick.
Poilievre’s announcement in Quebec followed another in Ontario the previous day about speeding up the development of resources and infrastructure. Poilievre pledged to issue permits within six months to develop mines in the critical minerals-rich “Ring of Fire” region in Northern Ontario.
Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Minister of Indigenous Services Patty Hajdu criticized the announcement, citing concerns about First Nations rights and the potential “huge environmental complications.”
Conservatives are trying to position themselves as best suited to boost the Canadian economy during a time when the United States is recalibrating its trade relationships.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has also pledged to boost productivity and seek new export markets.
Carney is widely expected to ask the Governor General to dissolve Parliament in the coming days to trigger a general election.
