Fresh off signing new Memoranda of Understanding to expand free trade with British Columbia and Canada's three Territories, Premier Doug Ford has signed another agreement, this one committing to building energy infrastructure with Saskatchewan and Alberta.
The new MOU calls for new pipelines to be built, utilizing Ontario steel, along a route connecting western oil and gas to new and existing refineries in southern Ontario, and to create a new deep-sea port off of James Bay. It also calls for new rail lines to bring critical minerals in the Ontario Ring of Fire to ports in western Canada.
Since the U.S. President imposed tariffs on Canadian products and threatened to annex Canada, Ottawa and the provinces have been working to reduce Canada's reliance on the U.S. Prime Minister Mark Carney has said his goal is to make the Canadian economy the strongest in the G7 group of nations and turn the country into an energy superpower.
The only thing holding the three provinces back, say their premiers, is the federal government.
"Bill C69, the oil and gas emissions cap, the tanker ban, the net-zero vehicle mandate, and net-zero electricity mandates," listed off Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. "Removing these anti-resource, anti-development laws will allow Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario to attract the investment and project partners that we need to get shovels in the ground."
Premier Doug Ford echoed his colleague's comments about flawed federal laws and regulations.
"We need the federal government to fix its broken regulator environment and streamline approvals," said Ford. "If we don't get rid of these regulations, things won't fly."
The federal government recently passed Bill C-5, which is supposed to cut red tape, speed up approvals, and identify projects deemed in the nation's interest.
Smith said the changes to federal regulations should have been done decades ago.
Since April, Ontario has signed ten MOUs with other provinces and territories to reduce internal trade barriers. Premier Doug Ford expects to sign similar agreements with Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador soon.