15 Must-Read Articles on Canada’s Need for Building Major Resource Projects & Trade Infrastructure

15 Must-Read Articles on Canada’s Need for Building Major Resource Projects & Trade Infrastructure

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15 must-read articles on nation-building projects cover

Canada is navigating one of the most challenging times in our modern history; to secure our economic future, we must take bold and decisive action. That means building the pipelines, power lines, ports, railways, and roads necessary to help get our natural resources to diversified international markets.

As competing countries race ahead in developing their resources and building critical infrastructure, Canada’s ability to secure lasting economic prosperity depends on breaking down regulatory barriers and accelerating major nation-building projects.

The following must-read articles explore the urgent reforms, big ideas, and bold initiatives required to ensure Canada remains a global leader in energy, critical minerals, and trade, while seizing control of our economic destiny in the process.

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The Americans are selling Canadian natural gas to Europe at a profit

“Amid growing criticisms that Canada dropped the ball on exporting its natural gas to Europe, the Polish ambassador to Canada said in a recent interview that plenty of Canadian gas is indeed finding its way to Europe — but via the United States at a markup.

“Remember; some of the LNG that’s coming from the United States to Europe, to Poland, is also Canadian … but it’s being sold for a much higher price,” Witold Dzielski told CBC after being asked whether there was Polish demand for Canadian LNG.”

National Post | August 2025

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A nation-building project list alone won’t build a nation

“Canada can no longer afford to let opportunity slip away. Rival countries are moving at breakneck speed. If we want to compete for investment and market share, we need some short-term wins; we must move, too, on all fronts.

Fast-tracking nation-building projects is a long-overdue signal that Canada is serious about breaking the gridlock that has slowed progress on energy, critical minerals and infrastructure development, but true nation building will also require a national transportation infrastructure strategy and an unprecedented commitment to policy coherence to create investments that drive long-term economic growth.”

The Globe and Mail | August 2025

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Canada can, and should, be the world’s elder statesman in critical minerals

“There are emerging potential shortages of various critical minerals that portend problems for the energy transition and other high-tech developments. The supply of copper – which is vital for the electricity industry – and some other non-ferrous minerals may not meet future demand.

The growing concern over critical minerals presents an opportunity for Canada. We can, and should, become an international leader in this field. We need to direct more of our efforts outward.”

The Globe and Mail | August 2025

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Varcoe: Billion-dollar benefits of TMX help make case for pipelines on Ottawa’s major projects list

“The payoff from new energy infrastructure in Canada comes with some big numbers — along with big costs — and it starts in the billions of dollars.

A new report released Wednesday shows the Trans Mountain expansion (TMX) helped narrow the price discount on Western Canadian Select (WCS) heavy crude during its first year of operations, raising oil revenues in the country by an estimated $13 billion.

The study by Alberta Central chief economist Charles St-Arnaud shows a big bump to government coffers, with provincial revenues increasing by $4.4 billion — and $2 billion of corporate income taxes expected to be paid to Ottawa this year.”

Calgary Herald | August 2025

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Canada has a rare chance to become an energy superpower. Let’s not squander it

“Capturing more value from our natural resources and going beyond exporting commodities is key to our prosperity and improving productivity. Efforts to deliver nation-building projects must favour reforms that strengthen our economy and persistently attract investment – not one-off, time-limited interventions that sound good but miss the mark on permanent economic expansion.

Expediting “major projects” is needed, but competing at our best requires culture change that leads to all projects receiving timely consideration by default, reflecting the urgency and certainty that capital craves. The durability of these changes will be critical, especially as we support newer technologies with higher deployment risk, such as nuclear and hydrogen power, or projects massive in scale, such as East-West electricity transmission or the Pathways Alliance carbon capture project.”

The Globe and Mail | July 2025

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Canada’s natural resources could be our greatest strength – only if we’d retake the initiative

“The federal government’s One Canadian Economy Act, Bill C-5, is a step in the right direction, but major improvements are still needed in how we approve and permit major projects.

For one, proponents and investors need clarity on which projects fall under federal or provincial jurisdiction. The Impact Assessment Act, Bill C-69, should be amended to expedite approvals for projects on existing industrial sites, rights-of-way, or previously approved zones. Regulatory clarity and predictability are nation-building tools.

We also need to recognize that the timely delivery of our products to global markets is Canada’s Achilles’ heel. A national trade infrastructure strategy and a public commitment to permanently resolving the start-stop nature of our supply chains are urgently needed to unlock a new cycle of investment and reframe Canada’s reputation as a reliable trading partner. Canada experienced 62 work stoppages in the transportation sector alone in 2023 and 2024, involving close to 20,000 workers. We can and must do better.”

Business Council of Canada | August 2025

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From Barriers to Breakthroughs: Early Steps to Unlock Canada’s Investment Potential

“Economic growth in Canada has stalled over the last decade—and with it, our standard of living has begun to slip. A major reason behind this worrying trend is that business investment—a critical driver of growth—has been weak, suffering under a federal policy environment that has ranged from unhelpful to counterproductive. 

Canada’s future prosperity depends on reversing this trend.”

Business Council of Alberta | July 2025

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Yes, absolutely – Canada needs more oil and gas pipelines to our coasts

“How can Canada – the world’s fourth-largest oil producer, behind only the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Russia and the fifth-largest producer of natural gas – not be already recognized as an energy superpower? The reason is simple: We fail to export enough of our oil and gas to global markets. As a result, we forfeit both influence and autonomy – and we undermine our own economy…

To be an energy superpower, a country needs to export energy to many nations. Canada isn’t there yet. To unlock more value, boost security and build real influence, we need to get more oil and gas to tidewater. All Canadians stand to gain.”

The Globe and Mail | July 2025

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Selling to our strengths: A roadmap for leveraging Canada’s energy, agri-food and critical minerals in a time of global uncertainty

“Canada has a unique and time-bound opportunity to increase its energy, agriculture and critical mineral exports. Selling to our strengths reflects the views of business leaders who are prepared to work with the government to seize this generational opportunity. With global operations and a network of professionals throughout the world, Canada’s private sector is committed to help expand the country’s global reach.   

Despite successive Canadian governments having signed trade agreements granting preferential access to more than 60 per cent of the global economy, Canadians are no better off today than they were a decade ago. The problem is clear. Canada lacks the export infrastructure – both physical and regulatory – to fully leverage its natural assets and deliver to allies and trading partners the commodities they need and want.”

Business Council of Canada | June 2025

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If Canada wants to be the world’s energy partner, we need to act like it

“As authoritarian regimes rattle sabres and weaponize supply chains, the global appetite for energy from stable, democratic… producers has never been greater.

Canada checks every box: vast reserves, rigorous standards, rule of law and a commitment to Indigenous partnership. We should be leading the race, but instead we’ve effectively tied our own shoelaces together.

Bill C-48, the so-called tanker ban, prohibits tankers carrying over 12,500 tons of crude oil from stopping or unloading crude at ports or marine installations along B.C.’s northern coast. That includes Kitimat and Prince Rupert, two ports with strategic access to Indo-Pacific markets. Yes, we must do all we can to mitigate risks to Canada’s coastlines, but this should be balanced against a need to reduce our reliance on trade with the U.S. and increase our access to global markets.”

Financial Post | June 2025

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Canada’s Energy Vision: A Blueprint for Security, Prosperity and National Unity

“Canada’s burdensome permitting system is holding back the country’s potential. Barriers like the Impact Assessment Act (IAA) are stalling vital energy projects. Reforming the IAA is essential to attracting investment, opening new export markets and allowing Canada to think bigger.

Canada’s regulatory systems should protect from risk, not from progress. Regulatory reform is critical to creating jobs, attracting private investment and boosting economic activity. A growing political consensus recognizes the importance of these reforms to securing Canada’s energy future and expanding exports to global partners.”

Canadian Chamber of Commerce | June 2025

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Build Big Things: A playbook to turbocharge investment in major energy, critical minerals and infrastructure projects

“Canada’s long-term prosperity depends not only on unlocking its vast natural resource potential, but also on building the infrastructure that connects our regions and gets our products to market efficiently. Prioritizing nation-building projects such as ports, rail and roads is essential to strengthening internal economic linkages, enhancing export competitiveness and ensuring supply chains remain resilient and globally competitive.

Without modern and reliable trade infrastructure, even the most promising energy and resource projects will struggle to deliver their full economic value. These connective assets are just as vital as the projects themselves — they are the arteries of a productive, growing economy.”

Public Policy Forum | May 2025

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Jack Mintz: Four big bangs that will get Canada growing again

“Over the past decade, as per capita incomes in Ireland, Australia, Europe and the U.S. have grown, ours has flatlined. Our recent growth has been near the bottom of the heap of OECD countries. As a result, our per capita income, now just 70 per cent that in the U.S., is for the first time in half a century, close to the OECD average.

All this happened before the Trump tariffs exposed our economic weaknesses, particularly our failure to diversify our largest exports — energy and autos — beyond the United States. If we are to recover, we need a fundamental change in policy direction, smart policies that will tilt the playing field toward us. Four Big Bangs would go a long way toward making that happen.”

Financial Post | April 2025

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Time to move on from talk to action on regulatory reform

“Canada’s growth and productivity challenges were already shifting the public and political appetite towards regulatory reform. The tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have only accelerated the call.

Regulatory reform for major projects is one of the most effective ways to pull more private capital into the economy and boost employment and incomes for Canadian workers. We’re now seeing a political consensus emerge around the need for such reforms and the projects required to secure Canada’s energy supply and improve its ability to export more energy and resources with its allies and trading partners.”

Business Council of Canada | March 2025

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Canada’s big banks push for reforms in Ottawa to confront tariff risks

“Canada's big bank CEOs are urging the federal government to remove internal trade barriers, evaluate tax policies and other regulation as the country's top lenders cautioned that tariff and trade risks are clouding the economic outlook.

"The current situation is also a clear signal that Canadian governments and businesses must pull together to remove the obstacles that hold back national productivity and strengthen our competitiveness," TD Bank CEO Raymond Chun told analysts.

Chun and other executives said the government must tackle barriers that hold back trade between the 10 provinces while accelerating mineral, energy and resource projects.

"This is the chance for Canada to make structural improvements to the country's economic productivity and competitiveness," Royal Bank of Canada CEO Dave McKay said.

"This can drive future growth opportunities with significant benefits to Canadians amidst this uncertainty."

National Bank of Canada CEO Laurent Ferreira urged Ottawa to appoint a "head of deregulation" to remove "unproductive red tape" and reduce regulatory burdens for businesses to preserve Canadian ownership of businesses.”

Reuters | February 2025

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Canada needs a stronger economy - banner

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Let’s Build Canada Up

The path to securing Canada’s economic future is clear: modernize our regulatory frameworks, enable investment, and unleash the full potential of our natural resources. By learning from these expert insights above and taking action, we can develop the trade infrastructure and policy environments necessary to secure our economic longevity.

Let’s move from talk to action—Canada’s economic future depends on it!