CP NewsAlert: Ottawa to peg first national interest projects in territories

  • Canadian Press

The federal government is expected to announce Wednesday that it will begin the process to designate two key Arctic projects as projects of national interest. Residents walk down the hill to their home in the town of Gjoa Haven, Nunavut, on Friday Sept. 1, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

OTTAWA -- Government sources say Ottawa is expected to announce Wednesday that it will begin the process of designating two key Arctic infrastructure projects as being in the national interest.

They are the first Ottawa has signalled it will elevate to become projects of national interest under the Building Canada Act.

Three federal and territorial government sources, who were not authorized to speak about the announcement before it's public, provided details to The Canadian Press.

They say the Grays Bay road and port project in Nunavut and the Mackenzie Valley highway project in the N.W.T. will be announced at a news conference in Yellowknife.

So far none of the 15 projects the federal government sent to the major projects office have been given the national interest designation or even begun the process to get it.

To receive the designation, projects need to go through a consultation period with provinces, territories and Indigenous groups.

More coming.