Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba sign agreement to spur …
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"This is a great example today of three provinces working together and looking to add more provinces as well to that effort"
Devin Dreeshen, Alberta's Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister, said at an announcement with his provincial counterparts the move aims to spur the development of economic corridors - including roads, utilities, pipelines and railways. Shaughn Butts
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Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have signed an agreement to collaborate on joint infrastructure networks meant to boost trade and economic growth across the prairies.
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Devin Dreeshen, Alberta's Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister, said at a Tuesday announcement with his provincial counterparts the move aims to spur the development of economic corridors - including roads, utilities, pipelines and railways.
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While Tuesday's announcement didn't include any specific funding, the memorandum of understanding (MOU) will see the three provinces try to cut back on regulatory hurdles, attract private sector investment and work with Indigenous communities on major infrastructure projects.
"(It's) about changing that narrative of 'Canada's closed for business' to 'Canada's open for business' and we actually have levels of government working together to make sure that we can actually advance nation building projects," said Dreeshen.
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Energy executives say feds must make good on pledge to speed up project approvals
[2]
Province unveils £160M Highway 566 interchange upgrade near CrossIron Mills
[3]
Alberta has long fought against the federal government's Bill C-69, the Impact Assessment Act, and on Tuesday Dreeshen said the legislation has impacted Alberta's ability to get major projects across the finish line.
He said regulatory delays have led to "billions" in foregone investment, but didn't discuss specific projects. "That's the problem, ultimately, that we're trying to solve," he said.
In its most recent budget, the federal government has promised to unveil a plan to speed up the time it takes to approve and build major infrastructure projects before the end of the year[4].
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"It's encouraging language to hear, I guess we'll see - the devil is always in the details," said Dreeshen, adding that a full repeal of Bill C-69 would not only speed up approvals but improve investor confidence.
Exports 'essential to our way of life'
Jeremy Cockrill, Saskatchewan's Highways Minister, said 70 per cent of the province's GDP relies on exports, including food, fuel and fertilizer.
"A safe, reliable, sustainable transportation system isn't just nice to have in our province. It's essential to our way of life," he said. Cockrill also said the three provinces have more work to do to harmonize regulations, especially in the trucking industry.
"This is a great example today of three provinces working together and looking to add more provinces as well to that effort," he said.
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Doyle Piwniuk, Manitoba's Transportation and Infrastructure Minister, emphasized the need to work with First Nations. "This as part of reconciliation.
This is about doing action, and this could be an opportunity to work with our First Nations in all three provinces and throughout Canada," he said.
While Premier Danielle Smith has mused about shipping[5] oil through the Port of Churchill in Manitoba, Piwniuk didn't make any firm commitments Tuesday when asked about the proposal by a reporter. "That's something that has to be discussed in the future, but right now, the town of Churchill, it's a tourist destination," he said, adding there are other opportunities for economic corridors in the north. According to Statistics Canada, Alberta exported more than £138 billion in goods in 2021, including those shipped by pipeline, road, rail, air or water.
Non-pipeline exports of goods totalled more than £48 billion.
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References
- ^ Politics (edmontonjournal.com)
- ^ Energy executives say feds must make good on pledge to speed up project approvals (financialpost.com)
- ^ Province unveils £160M Highway 566 interchange upgrade near CrossIron Mills (calgaryherald.com)
- ^ before the end of the year (financialpost.com)
- ^ has mused about shipping (www.cbc.ca)
- ^ [email protected] (edmontonjournal.com)
- ^ twitter.com/reportrix (twitter.com)
- ^ Community Guidelines (edmontonjournal.com)
- ^ email settings (edmontonjournal.com)