SASKATOON — Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck expressed disappointment that the province was not part of the second batch of major projects that Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government will be funding for nation-building, and challenged Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe to release the list he submitted during the First Ministers’ Meeting in the city in June.
Carney joined the premiers of the 10 provinces and three territories for a series of meetings to discuss nation-building projects the federal government will help fund. He announced the first batch in September, including the McIlvenna Bay Foran Copper Mine Project in east-central Saskatchewan, in collaboration with the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation.
The mine is home to one of the richest mineral belts in Canada, and the project positions Saskatchewan and Canada as major suppliers of copper and zinc in the global market, crucial for the development of cleaner energy sources, advanced manufacturing and modern infrastructure. This endeavour will create 400 jobs for the provincial economy.
However, Saskatchewan was left out when Carney announced the second batch of projects on Thursday, Nov. 13, with Beck wondering why the province was left out this time, even though federal support for important projects here would benefit the entire nation, especially in mining rare earth minerals used in wind turbines and electric vehicles.
“This is a critical time for Canada, this country that we all love, today. I was glad to see that there's federal support for several important projects that will benefit the nation as a whole. But the obvious question I have today is: where was Saskatchewan on this list? Where is our game changer?,” said Beck during a media availability on Thursday, Nov. 13, a few minutes after Carney made his announcement.
“This province is sitting on a pile of opportunity, and we can’t, and we should not play an outside role in driving the future prosperity, not only in this province but of the entire country. Where are the projects that we need to support the creation of good-paying jobs and drive investments here in this province? Where’s the investment in power generation?”
She added that transmission lines would have modernized Saskatchewan’s power grid, making the province a power-generation powerhouse in the Prairies due to its strategic location and proximity to major critical mineral mining projects, including what is considered to be the world’s largest and safest uranium deposits.
The provincial government, however, remains positive, with Minister of Trade and Development Warren Kaeding stating that Saskatchewan has been supportive of Canada becoming an energy superpower, which they have been focused on for many years under the leadership of Premier Moe.
“The projects announced today are all critical to growing our export development, which benefits all of Canada. We also recognize that many projects here in Saskatchewan are ongoing and receiving continued investment every day, and our government remains committed to advancing them,” said Kaeding.
“Since 2020, approximately $40 billion in private capital investment has flowed into the province, and Saskatchewan continues to lead the country on this front. Bill C-5 is a stopgap measure until proper regulatory reform can take place, which our government will continue to work on with the federal government.”
Bill C-5, enacted in June this year, is the One Canadian Economic Act, which removes interprovincial trade and labour barriers and speeds up public-interest national infrastructure projects by allowing them to bypass certain regulations.
