The next edition of the Ottawa Report is scheduled to be sent at the end of August.
Latest News
Federal, Provincial and Territorial Environment Ministers Meet in Calgary
Federal, provincial and territorial environment ministers met in Calgary for the annual meeting of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME), discussing ways to ensure strong environmental standards while making environmental permitting more efficient and reducing regulatory burden. Ministers also discussed best practices in extended producer responsibility and the circular economy, and heard from Dawn Farrell, Chief Executive Officer of the Major Projects Office, on federal efforts to help major projects move forward faster while meeting environmental standards and upholding Indigenous rights. Ministers also met separately with Indigenous business representatives and heard a panel on reclamation, remediation and water. At the conclusion of the meeting, Alberta transferred the CCME presidency to Nunavut, which will host the 2027 meeting.
Minister Olszewski Approves Emergency Assistance for Manitoba Flooding Response
The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience, approved Manitoba’s Request for Federal Assistance to support flooding response and recovery across the province’s Parkland Region following days of heavy rainfall. Immediate federal support includes a small team of Canadian Armed Forces members providing planning, assessment and coordination support; the mobilization of Team Rubicon Canada, a veteran-led disaster response organization; continued support from Humanitarian Workforce Program partners including the Canadian Red Cross; and assistance to the Manitoba Emergency Coordination Centre in sourcing equipment such as pumps and recovery kits. As communities move into recovery, the federal government will also support Manitoba through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements, which provide cost-shared funding for eligible provincial response and recovery expenses.
Canada Announces Draft Agreement with Québec to Accelerate Major Projects
The Honourable Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Québec Lieutenant, and Pascale Déry, Québec’s Minister of the Environment, announced the publication of a draft agreement between Québec and Canada concerning the Environment Quality Act and the Impact Assessment Act within Québec’s territory. The agreement would introduce a “one project, one review” approach for major projects in the province, following similar agreements already concluded with British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The public and Indigenous Peoples can submit comments on the draft agreement until August 10, which will be considered in developing the final agreement.
Canada and British Columbia Sign New Cooperative Prosperity Partnership
Prime Minister Mark Carney and British Columbia Premier David Eby signed the Canada-British Columbia Cooperative Prosperity Agreement, accelerating major energy and trade corridor projects across the province, including LNG Canada Phase 2, Ksi Lisims LNG, Cedar LNG and Woodfibre LNG, a $500 million expansion of the Red Chris Mine, and $3.9 billion toward the North Coast Transmission Line. The agreement also includes up to $3 billion for the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project and infrastructure upgrades to the Port of Vancouver–Roberts Bank trade corridor. As part of the agreement, the federal government will recruit, train and certify up to 100,000 new Red Seal trades workers through the Team Canada Strong initiative.
Canada Announces $2 Billion in Funding to Expand Skilled Trades
The Government of Canada is investing an additional $2 billion over five years through new bilateral agreements with provinces and territories to expand skilled trades training capacity under Team Canada Strong, a national initiative to recruit, train and hire 80,000 to 100,000 new Red Seal trades workers over the next five years. The funding will help expand pre-apprenticeship and technical training, address barriers slowing training and certification, and improve completion rates. Agreements and funding with provinces and territories are expected to be in place in 2026–27, subject to negotiations. By 2033, Canada is expected to need more than 1.4 million new trades workers to build homes, expand transit, and develop energy infrastructure.
Government Funding
Canada Invests to Modernize Québec Infrastructure
The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Québec Regions (CED), announced an agreement with the Government of Québec for the delivery of a $98 million envelope from the Local Impact Stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund, to be matched by Québec for a total joint investment of up to $196 million. The funding will enhance support for cultural infrastructure projects selected by Québec, with the first three recipients—Montréal’s Théâtre Denise-Pelletier, Trois-Rivières’ Musée POP and Laval’s Bibliothèque Germaine-Guèvremont—each receiving a $1 million contribution. In addition to the $98 million envelope, the Local Impact Stream has a further $119 million over four years administered directly by CED for leisure, recreational, and tourism community infrastructure, of which $21 million is earmarked for Indigenous projects.
Federal Government Invests in Transportation Projects in Saskatchewan
The federal government is investing more than $19.5 million through the Active Transportation Fund to support nine active transportation projects in Saskatchewan First Nations communities. Lac La Ronge Indian Band will benefit from two active transportation and pedestrian safety plans covering the Stanley Mission, Lac La Ronge, and Kitsaki reserves, while Sturgeon Lake, Ochapowace, Red Earth Cree Nation, and Whitecap Dakota Nation will each receive funding for active transportation plans, trails, and pathways.
Federal and Provincial Government Invests in Wastewater Upgrades for Newfoundland and Labrador
The federal, provincial, and municipal governments are jointly investing more than $32.3 million to support 17 water and wastewater projects across central and eastern Newfoundland and Labrador. In Torbay, more than $4.4 million will support construction of the North Pond Water Treatment Plant, while Grand Falls-Windsor will receive more than $5 million for a new water storage tank and standpipe. The federal government is contributing $13,090,992 through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund’s Provincial and Territorial Agreement stream, with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador investing $12,923,612 and municipalities contributing a total of $6,294,421.
Canada, Ontario, and Stratford Invest in Local Transit Infrastructure
The City of Stratford will modernize its transit system following a joint investment of more than $9.7 million from the federal, provincial, and municipal governments. Funding will replace conventional buses with hybrid and hybrid-electric models, add mobility buses, expand and modernize the transit garage and bus storage facility, and upgrade 20 transit stops with shelters and enhanced GPS systems. The federal government is contributing $3,914,840 through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, with Ontario contributing $3,262,040 and the City of Stratford contributing $2,610,220.
Federal and Provincial Governments Invest in Water Infrastructure Across New Brunswick
Four New Brunswick municipalities will upgrade water, stormwater, and wastewater infrastructure following a joint investment of more than $8.84 million from the federal, provincial, and municipal governments through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund. The federal government is investing $4,363,259 through the Fund’s Provincial and Territorial Agreement stream, with the Government of New Brunswick contributing $2,908,548 and municipalities contributing $1,574,712.
Québec and Federal Government Invest in Public Infrastructure
The Government of Canada and the Government of Québec announced a combined $910,309 to modernize the Portail Pélagie-Cormier, a key tourism and economic development reception pavilion at the Port de Havre-Saint-Pierre. The project, with a total cost of over $1.6 million, will modernize the reception building and public spaces, refurbish part of the second floor to add rental offices and accessible washrooms, and improve the building’s exterior. The federal contribution of $366,236 is provided through CED’s Québec Economic Development Program, while Québec is contributing $544,046 through the Société du Plan Nord.
Canada Invests in Water and Wastewater Infrastructure in Surrey
The federal government announced an investment of up to $26 million to support water and wastewater infrastructure in Surrey, British Columbia, through the Direct Delivery stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund. The project will unlock housing development in City Centre and Grandview Heights, including an upgrade to the Quibble Creek Sanitary Sewer Pump Station and several pump station and sewer upgrades extending municipal servicing to areas currently reliant on septic systems. The City of Surrey is contributing $39 million to the project.
Governments of Canada and Québec Support Water Infrastructure
The governments of Canada and Québec announced $9,656,187 for water infrastructure projects in the Municipality of Saint-Fortunat, Québec. These investments support redesigning sanitary and storm sewer systems to reduce discharges into the Bulstrode River and replacing aging drinking water pipes. Of the total, $5,069,397 is funded by the Government of Canada and $4,586,790 by the Government of Québec, under the Canada–Québec Agreement on the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund.
Canada Invests in Wastewater Infrastructure in Green Hill
The federal government announced an investment of more than $2.3 million in the Salem wastewater extension project in Green Hill, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, through the Direct Delivery stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund. The project will extend linear wastewater services by 1,557 metres and pressurized sewer pipes by 2,069 metres, including construction of a new pumping station to support flood resilience and improved wastewater management. The Municipality of Pictou County is contributing $1,843,241 to the project.
Canada and Nunavut Partner to Build Essential Infrastructure
The governments of Canada and Nunavut finalized an agreement under the Provincial and Territorial stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund, providing Nunavut with $81.3 million over 10 years for housing and post-secondary infrastructure and $74.1 million over three years for health infrastructure. Nunavut is also slated to receive $18.7 million in 2026–27 through the Fund’s Community stream. As part of the agreement, Nunavut has committed to not increasing fees or taxes that hinder housing supply, and the agreement is expected to support construction of at least 750 new housing units, including 425 public housing units, 150 affordable housing units, and 150 supportive housing units.
Canada Invests in Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
The Government of Canada has announced $10.9 million in funding for 22 electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and education projects across the country. The investment includes nearly $9 million to install almost 400 new EV chargers and about $2 million for education and awareness initiatives that will help Canadians better understand EVs and charging options. The funding is intended to make it easier for families and businesses to adopt electric vehicles while supporting Canada’s broader goals of reducing emissions and expanding clean transportation.
Federal Government Invests in British Columbia Infrastructure
The Government of Canada is investing more than $152 million in 54 infrastructure projects across British Columbia through the Strategic Priorities Fund. The funding will support a variety of community priorities, including water and wastewater upgrades, recreational facilities, emergency services infrastructure, and projects that strengthen local governments’ capacity for long-term planning and asset management.
One of the largest investments is $7 million for the Capital Regional District to develop Canada’s first facility that converts wastewater treatment biosolids into biochar. The project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve waste management, and create a carbon-rich product with potential uses in construction, agriculture, forestry, and industry.
Canada Invests in Public Transportation in Antigonish
The federal government is investing more than $545,000 to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety and accessibility on Bay Street in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. The project includes a new multi-use pathway, upgraded sidewalks, relocated utility poles, a safer pedestrian crosswalk, and improved access to St. Martha’s Regional Hospital for patients, staff, visitors, and the broader community.
Canada Partners with Saint John to Invest in Community Infrastructure
The federal government is investing up to $29.8 million through the Build Communities Strong Fund, alongside a $20 million contribution from the City of Saint John, to build a new multipurpose recreational facility. The facility will include two ice surfaces, a library, and space for community support services, while connecting to the Irving Oil Field House. The project will improve access to recreation and community services, enhance accessibility and inclusivity, and support the city’s net-zero emissions goals through an energy-efficient heating and cooling system.
