Carney, premiers set to meet to pitch major projects to prioritize

Canada’s premiers are meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney in person for the first time since the federal election to pitch which major projects they think should get quickly tracked.

The recent campaign saw Carney vow to slash federal approval times on major infrastructure projects considered to be in the national interest to help make the country an “energy superpower.”

The full list of big industrial projects they’re discussing is being kept secret, since they don’t want to send a bad signal about anything that doesn’t make the short list.

But Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his pick is the Ring of Fire mining project in northern Ontario, while Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she wants to see the Port of Prince Rupert become a major trade corridor.

The prime ministers are also expected to discuss breaking down interprovincial trade barriers, which would make it easier to purchase Canadian-made goods from other provinces and territories.

Many provinces, including Quebec and Ontario, are coming to the table with legislation already put forward that would eliminate some of these longstanding blocks to internal trade.

— With files from Rob Drinkwater in Edmonton