Minister Caroline Wawzonek, Minister of Finance and Minister of Strategic Infrastructure, Energy and Supply Chains, issued the following statement today following meetings with the Major Projects Office in Calgary:

“Following the Prime Minister’s announcement in Yellowknife on March 12, last week’s meetings with the Major Projects Office marked an important step in advancing the Northwest Territories’ major infrastructure priorities.

“These discussions were the first of many focused on how we execute these projects. That includes governance, sequencing, and ensuring alignment between the Government of the Northwest Territories, Indigenous governments, and the Government of Canada.

“For Northerners, we are now moving past announcements to delivery. Accelerating progress will depend on strong partnerships. Indigenous governments are central to this work and are leading in many areas. We are committed to advancing these projects in true partnership, with Indigenous governments as full partners, and ensuring they deliver clear and lasting benefits for communities across the territory.

“For Northerners, this is about lowering the cost of living, improving connections between communities, delivering cleaner and more reliable energy, and creating more opportunities here at home. The Mackenzie Valley Highway, the Arctic Economic and Security Corridor, and the Taltson Hydro Expansion are transformational opportunities that will help achieve this. These projects are building on years of work and are now moving ahead with real momentum.”

“These projects also have national significance. They demonstrate Canada’s Arctic sovereignty, strengthen supply chains, and help unlock the critical minerals and energy resources that are important to both Canada and the global economy. The federal government’s decision to make these generational investments in the North and refer the NWT’s projects to the Major Projects Office is an important step toward building a stronger northern and Arctic country.

“These are national projects on a scale not seen in generations in the North. With the support of the federal government and the Major Projects Office, and through continued collaboration among governments in the Northwest Territories, the focus now is on accelerating this work in a coordinated and efficient way.

“Together, we can deliver real and lasting benefits for Northerners, while contributing to a stronger and more resilient Canada.”