Ontario construction News staff writer
Ottawa has launched a new Major Projects Office (MPO), headquartered in Calgary, to accelerate approvals and financing for large-scale infrastructure projects.
Created under the Building Canada Act, which came into force in June, the MPO has authority to shorten federal regulatory timelines for developments considered in the national interest, including ports, railways, energy corridors, critical mineral operations, and clean energy projects.
Officials say the office will act as a single point of contact for proponents and collaborate with provinces and territories on a “one project, one review” model for environmental assessments. Federal targets call for approvals on priority projects to be completed within two years.
Former Trans Mountain CEO to lead Canada’s new major projects office
Financing support will also fall under the MPO’s mandate. The office is expected to coordinate investment from private sources, provincial and territorial partners, and federal entities such as the Canada Infrastructure Bank, the Canada Growth Fund, and the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program.
Dawn Farrell, former president and CEO of TransAlta Corporation and former board chair of Trans Mountain Corporation, has been appointed the office’s first chief executive officer.
An Indigenous Advisory Council will provide ongoing input. Membership, to be announced next month, will include representatives from First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and Modern Treaty and Self-Governing partners. To support engagement, Ottawa has committed $40 million over two years and expanded the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program from $5 billion to $10 billion.
“Establishing the Major Projects Office is critical to ensuring the interests of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis are at the centre of building Canada strong,” said Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty. “It’s another important step toward creating an economy where jobs, opportunities, and prosperity flow into Indigenous communities – not past them.”
Northern and Arctic Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand added that the office must reflect northern realities: “Through the Major Projects Office, we will deliver faster on projects that strengthen resiliency, prosperity, and security in the North and benefit all of Canada. The MPO will help us do things more effectively, in accordance with modern treaty-based impact assessment and regulatory processes, and in close partnership with Indigenous Peoples and Northerners.”
The government says it will release the first list of projects designated under the Building Canada Act in the coming weeks. Statistics Canada data show regulatory requirements increased 37 per cent between 2006 and 2021, a trend associated with a nine per cent decline in business investment growth.