Majority prioritize passage of energy projects

Most Canadians prioritize national infrastructure projects, even if they face opposition from provinces, Indigenous groups, or environmental concerns.

Source: Canadian Affairs

Most Canadians prioritize national infrastructure projects, even if they face opposition from provinces, Indigenous groups, or environmental concerns.

A Nanos poll, conducted by CTV News, found that 71 per cent of Canadians either support or somewhat support national projects despite potential pushback from Indigenous communities.

Fifty-nine per cent of respondents oppose or somewhat oppose Indigenous nations having the authority to block projects.

“This speaks to a situation where there is political licence, but that does not mean it is the best path forward,” Nik Nanos told CTV News. “There is a whole new appetite to move forward that never really existed to this level because of Donald Trump.”

Additionally, the survey found 60 per cent support or somewhat support developing Arctic land as an oil and gas route, regardless of potential environmental concerns.

That anti-pushback sentiment was strongest regarding provincial opposition, with 77 per cent of those surveyed supporting or somewhat supporting national infrastructure projects, even if provinces don’t.

The Carney government introduced Bill C-5 to accelerate the approval process for major infrastructure projects deemed in the ‘national interest’ and to remove interprovincial trade barriers.

The legislation received Royal Assent in June.

Meanwhile, Ontario’s Bill 5 allows its cabinet to suspend provincial and municipal laws in areas once deemed “special economic zones.”

However, nine Indigenous communities in Ontario launched a legal challenge with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against Bill C-5 and Ontario’s Bill 5 last month, claiming that they present a “clear and present danger” to their way of life.

“While the laws allow for some First Nation consultation at the initial stage, involvement in that decision alone is a ‘smoke and mirrors trick,’ deflecting attention from how the laws diminish First Nations’ ability to engage on the regimes’ broader consequences,” reads their legal challenge.

If granted, the injunction would prohibit the federal government from naming national interest projects and prevent Ontario from creating special economic zones.

Both levels of government have argued their laws are necessary and were implemented in response to the Trump administration’s tariffs, citing the need to expedite natural resource development.

However, Indigenous communities say “making changes now in some effort to ‘streamline’ (or ram through) projects cannot be at the cost of First Nations, their rights, the Constitution, and reconciliation.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Ontario government have been consulting with First Nations ahead of declaring any special economic zones.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives have vowed to introduce a motion called the Canada Sovereignty Act when Parliament returns next month.

The motion calls for immediate on-site work on several major infrastructure projects, including two pipelines with a March 14 deadline, marking one year since Carney took office.