Ottawa to announce next round of major national interest projects on Thursday, Carney says

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the federal government will unveil the next group of projects under review by the Major Projects Office later this week.

Speaking to reporters in Fredericton on Tuesday, Carney said the announcement will be made Thursday, marking the second round of projects being evaluated for potential national interest designation.

The first batch of five projects was announced two months ago, prompting criticism from the Conservative opposition, who argued that many of the selected developments were already progressing and did not require special federal attention.

None of the projects have yet received the formal national interest designation, which can include certain regulatory exemptions to expedite progress on infrastructure or resource development. The Major Projects Office conducts assessments and provides recommendations to the government, but final decisions rest with the prime minister and cabinet.

The creation of the Major Projects Office was one of Carney’s early policy initiatives following his government’s election win earlier this year. The office is intended to streamline federal review processes for large-scale developments deemed to have strategic economic or environmental significance.