Three key NWT infrastructure projects on Ottawa’s fast-track draft list

A draft list obtained by The Globe and Mail of 32 major federal projects that could be candidates for fast-track approvals under the new Building Canada Act includes three long-sought NWT projects that would provide clean energy, a road connection to remote communities and an all-season road to Nunavut and ultimately, a deep-water port in the Arctic Ocean.

The NWT projects mentioned are:

• Taltson Hydro Expansion: It will expand the existing Taltson generating station and integrate the Northwest Territories’ hydro capacity into one hydro grid, states the GNWT. It would provide a clean energy solution for the mineral-rich Slave Geological Province and support the electrification of communities.
• Mackenzie Valley Highway: An approximately 321-kilometre two-lane gravel highway that will replace the Mackenzie Valley Winter Road between Wrigley and Norman Wells. It will provide critical all-season road access to several remote communities in the Mackenzie Valley and create lasting benefits for NWT’s economy, its residents, and help enhance Arctic security.
• Slave Geological Province Corridor: Construction of a deep-water port (in Nunavut) and an all-season road linking Yellowknife to the Arctic Ocean. This is a 413-kilometre all-season infrastructure corridor northeast of Yellowknife to the NWT/Nunavut border where, ultimately, it would connect with a road being proposed by the Kitikmeot Inuit Association with its Grays Bay Road and Port project.

The draft list, a government document obtained by The Globe and Mail, describes potential projects based on proposals Ottawa has received from premiers and other groups in recent months.

It includes transportation projects such as roads, bridges, various mines and a range of energy projects, including oil and gas, nuclear, hydroelectric and offshore wind power projects and major new transmission lines.

The Globe stated it’s not meant to be a final list, and it does not imply that any of the projects mentioned have been approved for inclusion, but it does provide a sense of the options on the government’s radar.

The Globe noted one of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s core campaign pledges in the recent federal election was to identify and fast-track large projects as a way of spurring the Canadian economy.

The Globe reported that a government official said that before any final decisions are made, the Major Projects Office will undertake consultations with Indigenous peoples and other relevant parties.

Bill C-5, approved by Parliament in June, brought in the Building Canada Act. It allows the government to designate specific projects as being in the national interest, meaning they can then qualify for a faster approval process.