The process to designate two long-standing Arctic infrastructure projects , the Mackenzie Valley Highway and the Grays Bay Road and Port, as being of national interest has been launched under the Building Canada Act . The announcement made by Natural Resources and Energy Minister Tim Hodgson in Yellowknife, N.W.T. , on Wednesday starts a public consultation period, after which the projects can be listed under the Building Canada Act, which in turn places them into a streamlined federal permitting track. He also said the federal government intends to list the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s Deep Geological Repository, an underground vault to store nuclear waste located in Ontario, under the same act. These are the first projects listed as being of national importance under the act, which was passed as part of Bill C-5 in June 2025. Hodgson said the moves are evidence of the federal government transforming the regulatory landscape to make it easier to build in Canada. “Unlocking Canada’s economic potential requires bold action that clearly demonstrates we are ready to build big in this country again,” he said during a press conference. “The initiation of this process marks a major shift in how we accelerate nation-building infrastructure.” The government aims to launch consultations in the coming weeks, with the goal of officially designating the projects by the fall. Hodgson said the announcements “probably sound like a lot of jargon,” but the underlying message is that Canada is ready to build “big things again” and that “the North is important.” The two Arctic projects had already been referred to the Major Project’s Office (MPO) in March. That referral means MPO acts as a concierge to manage the federal review process. But listing the projects under the Building Canada Act brings them into a unique legislative framework, even though impact assessment processes connected to modern treaties still apply. The Mackenzie Valley Highway and Grays Bay Road and Port must pass through a treaty-based impact assessment and regulatory process before the streamlined federal permit process takes effect, the government said. But if the Deep Geological Repository is listed as being of national interest, it would provide “immediate, upfront confidence that certain key federal regulatory authorizations and permits will be granted,” the government said. To be listed, a project must meet five criteria, including strengthening Canada’s autonomy, resilience and security; creating economic benefits for the country; a high likelihood of successful execution; advancing Indigenous people’s interests; and contributing to clean growth. The federal government has already invested more than $100 million in the MacKenzie Valley Highway and tens of millions of dollars in the Grays Bay Road and Port project, according to Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon. “These are nation-building projects,” he told reporters, adding that construction is already underway on the MacKenzie Valley project. Hodgson said the projects have been talked about for decades. “Today, we make good on a promise: less talking, more building,” he said. Prime Minister Mark Carney has spoken about the Mackenzie Valley Highway , which would run from Wrigley to Dempster in the Northwest Territories. It would reduce the travel time between Yellowknife and Inuvik by about 15 hours and connect several isolated communities to the rest of the territory. The government has said Grays Bay Road and Port , a 230-kilometre all-season road through the Arctic ending in a new deepwater port, would open up new trade routes, unlock critical mineral development and enhance Arctic security . It is being advanced by the West Kitikmeot Resources Corp., of which the Kitkmeot Inuit Association, a group representing Inuit people in the westernmost part of Nunavut, is a key shareholder. Calgary-based Atco Ltd. also owns 40 per cent of the company. Tim Hodgson: A divided Canada cannot build what the world needsOpinion: We’re mayors. Faster project approvals are critical for our cities The port could have dual use for the military and civilians, while the federal government has touted critical mineral projects, such as copper and zinc, along the road. In Ontario, the third project, the NMWO’s Deep Geological Repository, is located in the northwestern part of the province near the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and Ignace. It would consist of a network of tunnels and rooms, 650 metres to 800 metres below ground, designed to contain all nuclear fuel from Canadian operations and is expected to operate for 175 years, after which it becomes a permanent waste disposal site with little maintenance needed. Hodgson had previously announced a new nuclear strategy that aims to increase the number of nuclear reactors in Canada. He said building a repository is the best way to manage the radioactive waste from those reactors. “It is essential to Canada’s future,” he said. • Email: gfriedman@postmedia.com