Ontario Construction News staff writer
As Canada enters high-stakes trade negotiations with the U.S. ahead of an Aug. 1 deadline, provincial premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney are shifting focus to domestic priorities — namely, clearing the path for major construction and infrastructure projects.
While Carney and premiers say they’re not overly concerned about the looming U.S. deadline, they’re united in pressing forward with long-awaited project approvals, particularly in sectors like mining, energy, and heavy industry that could be vulnerable to tariffs or benefit from a stable trade framework.
“These are complex negotiations and we’ll take the time needed to get a deal that preserves and strengthens our trade relationship, without tying our hands on what we can build here at home,” Carney told reporters Tuesday at the Council of the Federation meeting in Huntsville.
Carney said the federal government is working to bring softwood lumber — a major concern for the construction and forestry sectors — into the broader trade talks, if possible.
The renewed emphasis on domestic development follows the federal government’s move last month to pass legislation giving cabinet the authority to fast-track projects it deems in the national interest. A new major projects office is expected to be operational by Labour Day.
Premiers have submitted their wish lists, but Carney said the government has yet to finalize a list of approved projects.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who chairs the Council of the Federation, said he believes approvals are imminent and emphasized the need for aggressive support for resource and construction industries — especially with potential U.S. tariffs on the horizon.
“We need to onshore production of aluminum cans, steel beams — the core building blocks of our economy,” Ford said. “We don’t take a back seat to anyone. And we sure the heck don’t have to take one to President Trump.”
Ford said his top priority is developing the Ring of Fire region in northern Ontario — a massive mining project that could supply critical minerals essential to electric vehicle production and advanced manufacturing.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston also emphasized the need to stay flexible in the talks, while preparing to build regardless of the outcome. “We just have to be open-minded about what that deal might look like,” he said, noting that a tariff-free scenario is unlikely in the current political climate.
Houston said he hopes the new federal projects office will provide clarity by the fall so governments and industry can begin planning with certainty.
At the outset of the meeting, Carney urged premiers to work together and find consensus on national priority projects, emphasizing the importance of ongoing consultation with Indigenous communities — a key component in avoiding delays and legal challenges.
Ford was blunt in his assessment of what’s holding Canada back: bureaucracy.
“Do you know the biggest problem?” he asked. “Government. Endless decades of red tape and regulation. That’s what’s in the way of getting shovels in the ground.”
For the construction sector, the message is clear: a window is opening for long-stalled projects to get fast-tracked — but only if provinces, Ottawa and Indigenous communities can align on priorities and push past entrenched barriers.
