Prime Minster Mark Carney announced on Nov. 13 six new nation-building projects he is recommending for fast-track approval by the country’s new Major Projects Office. Here’s what you need to know about the six new projects, including how much each will cost, what the economic benefits will be and when they might be completed. North Coast Transmission Line The North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL) expansion project proposed by the British Columbia provincial government would double the amount of electricity flowing from Prince George to Terrace, B.C. The project would twin existing transmission lines, which will enable new industrial projects, including the Ksi Lisims LNG facility and critical minerals developments in the Golden Triangle. Electricity demand for these projects exceeds the current capacity of the existing line. The project also promises to connect Yukon’s electrical grid to the Canadian grid through B.C. Carney on Thursday said the Canada Infrastructure Bank will provide $140 million to BC Hydro for the project. Phase 1 will run from Prince George to Fraser Lake (about 164 kilometres); Phase 2 will run from Fraser Lake to Terrace (about 275 kilometres); and Phase 3 includes new transmission infrastructure north of Terrace to Aiyanish and Bob Quinn Lake (about 350 kilometres). The need for the NCTL was first established in 2023 and the provincial government in October introduced legislation to fast-track the project. Since 2023, BC Hydro and the provincial government have been in discussions with First Nations for potential co-ownership agreements, and six First Nations in July signed term-sheet agreements for Phase 2 of the line. Negotiations for similar agreements continue with First Nations along Phase 1 of the proposed route. Estimated cost : $6 billion. Economic benefit : Carney said the project has the potential to unlock $10 billion in new economic activity and create thousands of direct full-time jobs. Completion : 2034. — Jordan Gowling, Financial Post Ksi Lisims LNG Ksi Lisims is a $17-billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility proposed on B.C.’s northwest coast near the Alaska border. It would be built on a site owned by the Nisga’a Nation — a proponent of the project — and be led by Western LNG and Rockies LNG Partners, a group of mostly Canadian independent gas producers. In contrast, the existing LNG project, LNG Canada, is owned by global or state-owned Asian energy companies, including Shell PLC, Petroliam Nasional Berhad (commonly known as Petronas), Petrochina Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Corp. and Korea Gas Corp. While the Canadian oilpatch has loudly championed LNG Canada, most of the benefits will flow first to its equity partners, all of which are based outside the country. Ksi Lisims, on the other hand, is backed by Canadian producers that potentially could fetch premium prices for their gas in Asia. Pending regulatory approvals and a final investment decision, Ksi Lisims could be operational by 2029, with a 40-year lifespan and the capacity to carry up to 12 million tonnes of LNG per year. The project also sits on well-established shipping lanes, including North America’s shortest marine route to energy-hungry Asian markets. However, some First Nations oppose the project, including the Gitanyow Nation, whose territory the pipeline would cross for part of its route, and a consortium of environmental groups. The Gitanyow, Gitxsan and Wet’suwet’en nations also oppose the project. Estimated cost : $17 billion. Economic benefit : The project could produce 12 million tonnes of LNG annually that it could sell to energy-hungry Asian markets. Completion : As early as 2029, pending regulatory approvals and final investment decisions. — Steven Wilhelm, Calgary Herald Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project Toronto-based Canada Nickel Co. Inc.’s Crawford project will represent one of the world’s largest nickel sulphide mines once completed and help feed the emerging demand for battery metals, including nickel, cobalt and iron. Located north of Timmins, Ont., Canada Nickel has spent the past few years exploring for nickel in an old mining camp, ultimately telling investors it has proven out the world’s second-largest nickel reserve. Now, it is making the case that it can build and profitably operate a low-grade, bulk-tonnage, open-pit nickel mine that could operate for 41 years. Global nickel demand is increasing, and Indonesia and the Philippines together control 72 per cent of global supply. That’s more than the 54 per cent of global oil supply that the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) controlled at its peak in 1973, according to Canada Nickel, which has said the situation creates geopolitical risks. Its plan is to continue exploration around Timmins and “unlock” a new nickel district. Eventually, the company said one of its subsidiaries could open North America’s largest nickel and steel alloy processing facility in the region to handle ore from its mine. The company has drawn investments from some of the largest mining and tech companies in the world, including Toronto-based Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. , London-based Anglo-American PLC and South Korea’s Samsung SDI Co. Ltd. The Taykwa Tagamou Nation, a Cree First Nation near the mine, also reached an agreement that could make it a major investor in the company. Estimated cost : The two planned phases have initial costs of $1.9 billion and $1.6 billion. Economic benefit : The mine is expected to create 1,000 jobs over its 41 years of operation, and contribute more than $70 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product in total. Completion : Construction is planned to begin in 2026 with first production targeted for the end of 2027. — Gabriel Friedman, Financial Post Iqaluit Nukkiksautiit Hydro Project Located about 60 kilometres northeast of Nunavut’s capital city, the Nukkiksautiit hydro project has the potential to become the territory’s main electricity source, usurping its reliance on diesel-generated power. Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corp., an Inuit-owned clean energy developer, would build and operate the hydro facility, which could produce 15 megawatts (MW) to 30 MW of electricity. The project remains in the consultation phase, so the exact cost has not been determined, but it is estimated to cost more than $500 million. Last year, the federal government dedicated $6 million towards engineering and design work, building on the $7 million it provided in 2021. Estimated cost : Up to $500 million. Economic benefit : The project could produce 15 MW to 30 MW of electricity for Nunavut, potentially replacing diesel-generated power. Completion date : To be determined. — Steven Wilhelm, Calgary Herald Matawinie Mine Project Once in production, Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc.’s Phase 2-Matawinie mining project, located in Saint-Michel-des-Saints, Que., nearly 120 kilometres north of Montreal, is expected to annually produce 106,000 tonnes of graphite concentrate, making it the largest graphite mine in North America. Graphite is a key input for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles . Nouveau Monde is also planning to construct a modular refinery in Bécancour, Que., which will process the graphite mined in Matawinie. In development since 2013, the project was approved by the Quebec government in 2021 following an environmental assessment. Upon further consultation, Nouveau Monde signed an impact benefit agreement with the local Atikamekw First Nation, receiving consent for the project in December 2024. That same month, the Canada Growth Fund and the Quebec government, through Investissement Québec, took an equity stake in the project worth US$50 million. The Pallinghurst Group, a British private-equity firm, is also an investor in the project. The mine has not reached the final investment decision stage yet, but is expected to have a 25-year lifespan once construction is completed. In October, during the G7 Energy and Environment Ministers meeting in Toronto, Nouveau Monde received further financial guarantees from the federal government as Canada tries to counter China’s dominance in the critical minerals sector. Ottawa will pay a minimum price of around US$1,500 per tonne for thousands of tonnes per year of graphite from Nouveau Monde over seven years, according to the agreement. Nouveau Monde has also signed agreements to annually supply thousands of tonnes of graphite to General Motors Co. and Panasonic Corp. Estimated cost : US$421 million. Economic benefit : Proponents of the mine said it will add $1.85 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product and provide a peak of 450 construction jobs and 150 full-time jobs over the mine’s lifetime. Completion : 2.5 years from when construction commences. — Jordan Gowling, Financial Post Sisson Project The Sisson Project proposes to construct and operate a major open-pit tungsten and molybdenum mine near Sisson Brook, N.B., about 60 kilometres northwest of Fredericton. The project is owned by the Sisson Partnership, a joint venture between Northcliff Resources Ltd., which holds an 88.5 per cent interest, and New Zealand-based Todd Corp. Ltd., which owns the remaining 11.5 per cent. The plan calls for the mine to process an average of 30,000 tonnes of ore per day, producing concentrates of tungsten and molybdenum for global markets. The area contains one of the largest undeveloped tungsten deposits in North America. The operation would include extensive infrastructure — roads, power lines, a processing facility and a way to handle and dispose of mine tailings. The project has been on hold for a number of reasons, including fluctuating metal prices, financing and local opposition. The New Brunswick government granted environmental approval in 2015 and federal government approval followed two years later. Tungsten and molybdenum were added to Canada’s list of critical minerals in this month’s federal budget. Because tungsten and molybdenum are essential to the defence, aerospace, electronics and clean-technology sectors, the project aligns with Canada’s goal of reducing its reliance on foreign supply chains. Both minerals are recognized domestically and internationally as strategic minerals, vital for advanced manufacturing and energy transition technologies. Oil pipeline not on Ottawa's nation-building project listMajor LNG terminal headlines Ottawa's nation-building projects list In August 2024, the federal government announced $8.2 million in funding through the Global Partnerships Initiative (GPI) to advance the Sisson Project. The money is helping to pay for an updated feasibility study and detailed engineering work to be done before deciding to begin construction. Northcliff Resources has hired Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC to lead the feasibility study update. Estimated cost : The project cost was pegged at approximately $579 million in the original 2013 feasibility study. This will be updated to account for inflation and design changes. Economic benefit : The mine and processing plant are expected to operate for 27 years, employing 200 to 300 people in long-term operations. There will be more jobs in the initial construction phase. Completion : The company in 2023 said construction would start in December 2025, but a timeline was not given. — Andrew Rankin, Financial Post