Caroline Wawzonek, Minister of Strategic Infrastructure, Energy and Supply Chains, issued the following statement in response to the Government of Canada’s announcement that it is initiating the process to consider listing the Mackenzie Valley Highway as a project of national interest under the Building Canada Act:

“Today’s announcement is an important milestone for the Mackenzie Valley Highway, for the Northwest Territories, and for Canada’s Arctic future.

For years, Northerners have made the case that the Mackenzie Valley Highway is more than a road. It is nation-building infrastructure that will connect communities, improve transportation resilience, support emergency response, and create new opportunities for residents, businesses and Indigenous governments.

It has clear national significance. The Mackenzie Valley Highway will strengthen Canada’s Arctic presence, improve northern supply chains, and support access to the critical minerals and resources that are important to Canada and its partners. That is why we have been steadfast that projects like the Mackenzie Valley Highway are not just Northwest Territories priorities. They are national priorities.

I appreciate the Government of Canada and the Major Projects Office recognizing the importance of this project and for bringing greater focus and coordination to the work ahead. The Major Projects Office has already been working with the GNWT and Indigenous government partners to explore federal funding pathways, improve coordination of federal regulatory processes, and advance the governance structures needed to accelerate from planning to delivery.

And we are accelerating. The recent Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Gwich’in Tribal Council, Pehdzéh Kı First Nation and Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated is an important milestone that reflects Indigenous leadership and a shared interest in advancing the project in a way that delivers meaningful benefits for communities along the corridor.

Today’s announcement is the start of a process to consider the Mackenzie Valley Highway for listing under the Building Canada Act. The Northwest Territories’ treaty-based impact assessment and regulatory processes will continue, including the roles of the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board and the Land and Water Boards. Those processes respect Indigenous rights, modern treaties, environmental protection and the role of co-management partners.

That is how major projects need to move forward in the North. Moving faster must mean better coordination, clearer timelines, meaningful Indigenous participation, and federal partners who are prepared to work with us at the scale these projects require. As the federal consultation process begins, the GNWT will work with the Major Projects Office to align engagement wherever possible so that communities and Indigenous governments can participate meaningfully without unnecessary duplication.

The North is ready. We will keep doing the work required to turn this long-standing vision into a project that strengthens communities, supports economic reconciliation, and contributes to a stronger, more secure and more resilient Canada.”