
Varcoe: Carney government needs 'quick wins' from energy projects and to address internal challenges on Bill C-5, says new report
'This is an existential moment for Canada where we have both an opportunity and an obligation to become both more prosperous and more sovereign.'
Article content
Article content
Prime Minister Mark Carney told the Calgary Herald recently it is 'highly likely' an oil pipeline to the Pacific Coast will be included on the federal list, although he said it will be up to private sector proponents to drive any proposal.
Article content
The report calls Bill C-5 a 'welcome transformative step' as it will allow Ottawa to streamline the authorization of major projects and approve them within two years, co-ordinated by a single federal office. It will also help meet the growing need for energy in the world.
Article content
'There is low-hanging fruit. Some things are ready to go . . . Time is ticking,' report co-author Heather Exner-Pirot said in an interview.
Article content
'Let's start seeing some action. Let's start seeing some projects.'
Article content
Article content
If the changes under Bill C-5 had been in place for three energy projects that were completed earlier this decade — the Trans Mountain expansion, LNG Canada and the Coastal GasLink pipeline — it would have been valuable, but led to a 'relatively modest' average time savings of 1.5 years, the study notes.
Article content
These findings highlight the need to address challenges early in the development of a major project, it states.
Article content
Projects that should be on the list and can move quickly include the Ksi Lisims LNG project on the northwest B.C. coast, a second phase of LNG Canada, and steps to boost the capacity of Trans Mountain, said Exner-Pirot, who is also director of natural resources, energy and environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.
Article content
However, the bill has sparked some criticism about the impact of speeding up the approval process, and Carney met with First Nations leaders last week and heard some of their concerns with Bill C-5.
Article content
Article content
'Free, prior and informed consent on First Nations Lands is non-negotiable. An advisory role is inadequate for real partnership,' Grand Chief Greg Desjarlais of the Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nation said Friday in a news release.
Article content
'I will trust actions over words as we look to move forward.'
Article content
To mitigate risks and concerns about an expedited approval process, Ottawa needs to 'deepen Indigenous engagement . . . to ensure genuine, equitable partnerships and meaningful participation,' states the report from the Expert Group on Canada-U.S. Relations, which includes academics, energy experts and business leaders.
Article content
'Consultation should begin as early as possible and continue throughout the project lifecycle.'
Article content
The report says Ottawa should launch a formal process surrounding co-developing benefit-sharing and equity ownership agreements with Indigenous communities for major projects. It recommends transparent standards for consultation, such as timelines and public disclosure of the outcomes.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Cision Canada
24 minutes ago
- Cision Canada
CIB commits $24M to renewable energy project in remote First Nation community in Northern Quebec Français
Biomass cogeneration facility to replace diesel energy source and create jobs Disponible en français 4.8-megawatt biomass plant will ensure long-term energy security and foster economic development for the Atikamekw of Opitciwan community Facility will cut use of 4.6 million litres of diesel annually and prevent frequent power outages Will support 40 jobs during construction and 15 direct and indirect full-time jobs during operations OPITCIWAN, QC, July 24, 2025 /CNW/ - The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) has closed a $24-million loan to support the Atikamekw of Opitciwan, a remote First Nation community in Northern Quebec, in its energy transition aimed at significantly reducing diesel as its primary energy source. Onimiskiw Opitciwan Limited Partnership will construct and operate the 4.8-megawatt Centrale de cogénération d'Opitciwan. The facility will generate electricity by burning bark, sawdust and woodchips produced by an adjacent sawmill. Additionally, steam from the new energy plant will power a new wood kiln at the sawmill. The project will bring significant health and environmental benefits for the community of 2,500 members by reducing nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide emissions from the current diesel-based energy generation. The sustainable energy initiative will cut more than 11,000 tonnes of emissions and reduce the use of diesel by 4.6 million litres annually. The project, along with the CIB's investment, could serve as a model to support other Indigenous communities in Quebec and across Canada by reducing their reliance on diesel as their primary energy source, through the integration of renewable sources. The new power plant will support 40 jobs during construction and 15 direct and indirect full-time jobs during operations. The facility is designed to accommodate community growth, including the capacity to support future housing development. The Centrale de cogénération d'Opitciwan, along with a new substation and battery energy storage system built by Hydro-Quebec, will significantly improve the stability of community's independent electrical network, which currently experiences frequent power outages. Endorsements The CIB is pleased to support the Atikamekw of Opitciwan First Nation in the development of this cogeneration plant which will supply the community with a reliable, secure energy source, along with additional economic opportunities. Financing from the CIB's Indigenous Community Infrastructure Initiative will eliminate diesel as the community's primary energy source. Cleaner energy options are needed in many remote Indigenous communities and the CIB is proud of the work we are doing to support these projects across Canada. Ehre n Cory, CEO, Canada Infrastructure Bank Investments like these—that support our communities, build energy independence, and create good-paying jobs—are driving Indigenous-led infrastructure projects across the country. The Canada Infrastructure Bank's $24 million investment in the Atikamekw of Opitciwan's biomass cogeneration facility is good news for our riding and a testament to the country we're building together with all our partners. Hon. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, on behalf of the Hon. Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada Remote Indigenous communities face unique barriers that require tailored solutions. The Atikamekw of Opitciwan project is a vital step forward, providing support not only to the Opitciwan community but also serving as a model to empower Indigenous communities across the country. I want to congratulate Chief Jean-Claude Mequish for this project and thank him for his leadership. Hon. Mandy Gull-Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services The biomass cogeneration plant is an innovative project for Opitciwan. By using local and renewable resources, we can not only produce clean energy, but also stimulate our local economy and ensure energy security for our members. This project is an example of what we can achieve when we work together for a greener, more prosperous future. Mikwetc to the CIB for their support. Chief Jean-Claude Mequish, Council of the Atikamekw First Nation The biomass cogeneration project represents a major step forward for our community. Not only will it enable us to reduce our dependence on diesel, it will also create jobs and improve our quality of life. We are grateful to the CIB for its support and commitment to the development of our energy infrastructure. , President, Onimiskiw Opitciwan Limited Partnership


National Observer
an hour ago
- National Observer
Canada needs an Arctic data strategy to achieve its northern ambitions
Mark Carney's Liberal government campaigned on an ambitious agenda for Canada's Arctic future. While Canada contains the second-largest swath of the Arctic in the world (40 per cent of our land mass, and 70 per cent of our coastline), our nation lags far behind others on almost every measure of built infrastructure, research investment, health outcomes and military readiness. The prime minister is hoping to change this, and has already announced billions in spending on everything from housing to new and upgraded ports, roads and runways, as well as support for mineral extraction and climate change research. However, when it comes to the data strategy needed to tie all these investments together, Ottawa's silence has been deafening. Critical knowledge about the Arctic continues to be siloed, disrupting what should be a functional and collaborative ecosystem model for sharing data and research. Despite decades of research on everything from ice conditions to wildlife genomics and archaeological sites, vital data remains scattered across hundreds of disconnected repositories. The need to unify this information and make it accessible is key to fully understanding and responding to the rapid pace of change in the Arctic. On July 8, the Arctic Research Foundation (ARF), the Canadian Polar Data Consortium (CPDC), Red River College and Digital Governance Council released a Technical Report on Arctic Data Interoperability. It outlines simple steps, using a real-world case study, to increase the effectiveness of research data by making disparate databases interoperable. And while this is a significant step toward unifying this data, the road to full implementation is a long one that will require strategic and ongoing support from the federal government. The data held in each individual database is useful, but none hosts enough cross-disciplinary information to provide a clear, holistic picture of the Arctic. Even narrowly targeted research, such as Beluga migration in the Husky Lakes or algae blooms in the Chukchi Sea, benefits from researchers having access to related information from different sources across both time and geographic regions. But the current approach of keeping information in silos makes it difficult for researchers to make the crucial connections. What we need is a fulsome and dynamic data and research ecosystem. Our report presents a method for directly addressing this problem and building a more holistic picture of the Arctic by using a central repository to search multiple databases simultaneously. The method is called Federated Metadata Search and unifies metadata — data that describes other data, providing information such as precise sample location or type of water analysis conducted — into a central platform. More data is key to fully understanding and responding to the rapid pace of change in the Arctic, write Tom Henheffer, Keith Jansa and Shannon McAllister The central resource utilized in the case study is the Polar Data Search (PDS) platform developed by the World Data System-International Technology Office and based on the Dutch 'polder model,' which emphasizes collaboration and consensus-building. The report details how students at Red River College and researchers at CPDC adapted ARF's Arctic Research Database — a free, pan-Arctic repository for primary research data — into PDS's new, more connected ecosystem. The purpose of the report is to illustrate a real-world example of adaptation, providing a roadmap for other organizations to achieve metadata interoperability, with the goal of facilitating large-scale, cross-disciplinary research. While this may come across as incredibly technical to some, it represents an opportunity for Canada to become a global leader in a critical facet of Arctic research. If Canada wants plans for large investments in Arctic infrastructure and research to be effective, it must do the work to ensure the data generated by these ventures is accessible and interoperable. The release of this report is only one small step. Much more work is required to properly invest in Arctic science, to standardize and implement those standards in Arctic data, and to facilitate broad adoption of federated metadata practices. This process is difficult, made more so by the same lack of investment in other fields of Arctic study. For example, the technical report was written on a volunteer basis in the spare time of the researchers and non-profit staff who authored it. Even the Arctic Research Database used in the case study was built on a shoestring budget with private funds from ARF, a small grant from Mitacs, and the creativity of innovative and dedicated students at Red River College The technological innovation detailed in the paper and the publication of the paper itself are a testament to what creativity and elbow grease can accomplish when a consortium of motivated researchers works toward a common purpose. The pieces are in place. Now, for the initiative to achieve widespread adoption and for interoperability to grow sufficiently for Canada to truly harness the power of big data, the federal government will need to develop and fund a robust Arctic research data strategy.


Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
Carney, Inuit leaders to talk major projects law amid concerns
Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet with Inuit leaders Thursday to discuss his government's controversial major projects legislation. The meeting of the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee will be co-hosted by Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, in Inuvik, N.W.T. Obed says Inuit have many questions about Bill C-5 and are hoping the meetings provide clarity on the role they play in a single Canadian economy. The recently passed One Canadian Economy Act gives Ottawa the power to fast-track projects it deems to be in the national interest by sidestepping environmental protections and other legislation. 0:43 Indigenous rights are 'fundamental' to Bill C-5: Carney Indigenous leaders have accused the federal government of failing to consult with them adequately when the legislation was being drafted and amended, and Carney has promised to hold talks with First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders to get input on how projects can proceed. Story continues below advertisement After Carney met with First Nations leaders in Ottawa last week, some chiefs said they were left with more questions than answers and no clear idea of how the government plans to implement its agenda. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In a video posted to social media Wednesday, Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty said the meeting is a forum for discussing how to move projects forward in a mutually beneficial manner while respecting Inuit sovereignty rights. — With files from Alessia Passafiume in Ottawa