Federal government: 1) FEDERAL GOVERNMENT finally uses its fast-track powers. Here’s what’s on the list; 2)A design competition and a donation cap: how Carney plans to bring 24 Sussex back to life; 3)Carney Calls for unity, local action in Canada Day message

1) FEDERAL GOVERNMENT finally uses its fast-track powers. Here’s what’s on the list

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Logan Miller, June 25, 2026

An Ontario nuclear waste repository is one of three major infrastructure projects Ottawa has identified as the first to be designated under new federal powers meant to speed up project approvals across the country.

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s geological repository, planned for the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and Ignace area in northwestern Ontario, was referred to the federal major projects office this week alongside two Arctic road projects in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Federal ministers made the announcement in Yellowknife on Wednesday. None of the three projects are officially designated yet. They must still go through a consultation process Ottawa hopes to complete by fall.

A 2030 target date was initially floated for when construction on the nuclear waste repository could begin, but federal officials later clarified that date refers to completing a conditions document for the project to proceed. No timeline was provided for when the facility would actually break ground.

What the Building Canada Act allows

Prime Minister Mark Carney pushed C-5 through Parliament in just three weeks in June 2025. The legislation established a major projects office and gave the federal government authority to expedite projects deemed to be in the national interest.

Designating a project under the act allows the federal government to handle all permitting while a project is still under review. It can also allow Ottawa to bypass some of its own environmental laws to get a project built, though a conditions document would still be issued through the approvals process.

Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon told The Canadian Press the government wanted C-5 passed quickly to get the major projects office up and running, allowing CEO Dawn Farrell to inventory major projects and find ways to move them forward.

“Ultimately, projects that will end up being listed for the full processes envisaged under Bill C-5 will be those that have already run a very high-level, high-powered gauntlet of close scrutiny to see what’s required to get them over the goal line,” MacKinnon said, adding more projects are to come.

The Arctic road projects

The two Arctic projects announced Wednesday are the Grays Bay road and port project and the Mackenzie Valley highway, both of which were referred to the major projects office in March.

The Grays Bay project would build a 230-kilometre all-season road through the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, opening up access to critical mineral deposits in the region. Construction is not expected to start until 2029.

The Mackenzie Valley highway would connect Yellowknife to Inuvik, cutting travel times for communities currently only reachable by air, winter road, or barge. Construction on the final leg could begin in 2028.

“We all know that the North is central to Canada’s economic future,” MacKinnon said at the news conference. “The Grays Bay road and port project and the Mackenzie Valley highway project are nation-building initiatives. They are about strengthening Arctic sovereignty, creating economic opportunity and supporting the communities that call the North home.”

Conservative pushback

The Conservatives helped pass C-5 despite some opposition members criticizing the speed of its passage. Since then, the party has taken aim at the Liberals for not using the new powers quickly enough.

Shannon Stubbs, the party’s energy critic, said Wednesday’s announcement doesn’t amount to a guarantee.

“Mark Carney promised projects at ‘speeds once thought unimaginable.’ Instead, Canadians got the same Liberal delay, bureaucracy and spin that block jobs, resources, investment and infrastructure,” Stubbs wrote on X.

Other projects referred to the major projects office

With the addition of the nuclear waste site, the government has now referred 16 projects and seven “transformative strategies” to the major projects office. Others include a hydroelectric power plant in Iqaluit, a nuclear facility in Darlington, Ont., the Nouveau Monde graphite mine in Quebec, and the North Coast Transmission Line from British Columbia to the Northwest Territories.

The only other project Ottawa has indicated it intends to designate as a project of national interest is a proposed oil pipeline to the West Coast, part of an energy deal with Alberta. A memorandum of understanding signed in November set a July 1 deadline for an application to be submitted to the major projects office. As of Wednesday, no such application has been filed.

*With files from CP

2)A design competition and a donation cap: how Carney plans to bring 24 Sussex back to life

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Logan Miller, June 26, 2026

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Friday that 24 Sussex Drive will be restored through a national design competition, with the winning proposal funded largely by private donations rather than taxpayers.

The announcement was made at a news conference outside the property itself, a heritage mansion that has sat vacant for more than a decade.

“It has not been cared for with the respect it deserves,” Carney said. “After decades of deferred maintenance and neglect, this house sits empty. It has been uninhabitable for more than a decade.”

What Carney is proposing for 24 Sussex Drive

The plan calls for a publicly announced design competition, overseen by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and adjudicated by an independent jury chaired by acclaimed architect Moshe Safdie. The jury also includes Carol Bélanger, Nicolas Demers-Stoddart, Omar Gandhi, Mamie Griffith, Patricia Kell, and Brigitte Shim.

A winning design is expected to be announced by Canada Day 2027.

The fundraising campaign will be managed by the Rideau Hall Foundation. Carney declined to put a price tag on the project, saying the budget will be part of the competitive process. Donations will be capped, the list of donors will be made public, and no single donor will be permitted to cover more than 10 per cent of the final cost. The Rideau Hall Foundation will have the final say on fundraising rules.

The federal government will cover security costs in the meantime.

A building with a long history of neglect

The 35-room mansion was originally built in 1867 and 1868 as a private residence. The federal government expropriated it in 1949 to serve as the official home of the prime minister. It was effectively abandoned for that purpose in 2015 due to structural problems.

Since then, the National Capital Commission has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on basic upkeep. The building was closed outright in 2022 due to what the NCC called health and safety concerns, including a rat infestation.

Carney called the building a “symbol of the nation” and said it must be preserved as a home and workspace for future prime ministers, even though he will never live there himself.

He credited both former prime ministers Stephen Harper and Jean Chrétien for pushing for the building’s restoration over the years.

Poilievre pushes back on plan

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been vocal in his opposition to prioritizing the project.

“When I see the homelessness in our streets and I see the young people who are desperate to start families but can’t get a house to do it, I just think the last thing on our minds should be 24 Sussex Drive,” Poilievre said at a news conference on Parliament Hill on Thursday.

Poilievre currently lives at Stornoway, the eight-bedroom official residence designated for the leader of the Opposition.

*With files from David Baxter, Kyle Duggan and Catherine Morrison / The Canadian Press

3) Carney Calls for unity, local action in Canada Day message

Courtesy Barrie360.com and News Release
By Staff, July 1, 2026

Prime Minister Mark Carney is urging Canadians to embrace unity and support one another in his Canada Day message, pointing to the country’s history of building big – together.“Today we celebrate an incredible country that spans three oceans, six time zones, and ten million square kilometres of breathtaking landscapes,” Carney said.

In his address, Carney reflected on key moments that shaped the country, including Confederation in 1867, the completion of the national railway in 1885, and the opening of the Trans-Canada Highway in 1962.
“Canadians have never just imagined a stronger, more united country. We have picked up our tools and built one,” he said.

Focus on supporting Canadian workers and communities
Carney also emphasized the importance of supporting local industries and communities, encouraging Canadians to choose domestic products and rediscover the country’s landscapes.
“Choosing to build big with Canadian workers, Canadian materials, Canadian values, choosing Canadian produce,” he said, describing what he called a renewed sense of national solidarity.
He added that “small acts of solidarity repeated millions of times” can strengthen the country in meaningful ways.

Unity in diversity
The Prime Minister acknowledged ongoing challenges, noting that division remains a concern – but stressing that Canada’s strength comes from its diversity.
“Unity is not uniformity,” Carney said. “Our differences are strengths to be nurtured, not risks to be managed.”

He pointed to inclusivity, sustainability, and solidarity as the core values that continue to shape the country.

A message of growth and shared purpose
Carney closed his message with a call for Canadians to continue building a stronger future together.
“When we show kindness, kindness grows. When we seek unity, unity grows. When we are Canadian, Canada grows,” he said.

“That’s our conviction, and it has never been stronger.”