Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre unveiled a new plan on Thursday that he says will bring home Canadian jobs, boost energy production, and restore Canada’s sovereignty.
Called Canada Shovel Ready Zones, the proposal aims to pre-approve permits in specific areas so companies can start major projects such as mines, pipelines, or liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals without government red tape delays.
Poilievre says the strategy would end what he calls a “lost Liberal decade,” during which he argues government gatekeepers have blocked development.
“It takes more than 17 years, on average, to get a mine approved in Canada,” said Poilievre.
“We have the second-slowest approvals in the OECD. Under the Liberals, over $176 billion in resource and energy projects were cancelled.”
Under the plan, governments would identify locations suitable for large-scale ventures, verify safety and environmental standards, and finalize zoning and permitting ahead of time.
Those permits would then be published online, complete with a checklist for businesses to ensure protection of both people and nature
“Think of an area that is perfect for liquifying and exporting gas,” said Poilievre.
“We would publish a permit online, with normal safety and environment requirements. Then, companies can come in immediately and begin building and hiring local First Nations and other Canadians to generate paycheques. This would also allow us to ship Canadian energy off to Europe, breaking European dependence on Russian gas, while turning dollars for dictators into paycheques for our people.”
According to Poilievre, this would also allow Canada to export energy to Europe, helping reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian gas.
He claims it would turn “dollars for dictators” into paycheques for Canadians.
Poilievre pointed to examples such as the cancelled Northern Gateway pipeline, which would have sent Alberta oil to Asia.
He blames former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s government for cancelling the project, and he criticized Prime Minister
Mark Carney for endorsing the decision while Carney’s company invested in foreign pipelines.
Poilievre said Canada should not be forced to sell 97% of its oil exports to the United States at lower prices.
“A Common Sense Conservative Government will unleash $100s of billions of dollars in power plants, nuclear energy, mines, pipelines, data centres, and much more,” said Poilievre.
“You will see hard-working and talented Canadian workers going around, earning big paycheques. Welders, boilermakers, pipefitters, miners, and factory workers will be able to spend those paycheques at local businesses. The economy will boom and we will be less reliant on the Americans.”
