Global Courant
Article content
WHISTLER, BC – Western provinces and territories will consider working together to coordinate planning and permitting for new infrastructure projects such as pipelines and telecommunications links in an effort to gain efficiencies.
Article content
British Columbia Prime Minister David Eby says today’s Western prime ministers’ conference centers address several important topics, including the need for more cohesive land use planning to accommodate infrastructure networks that cut across provinces.
Eby, who is hosting the meeting in Whistler, BC, says the current process involves each province working on their own project approval processes, leading to a patchwork of routes and structures that are “misaligned” throughout Western Canada.
He says Western prime ministers agree there is room for improvement in the federal government’s work with the provinces and territories to support such initiatives, which would benefit both the movement of people and goods essential to the Canadian economy.
Article content
Premiers from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories have joined Eby for the conference, which will end later today.
He says the prime ministers are also looking into topics such as the rising cost of living, an issue shared by all jurisdictions, although each province is looking at different programs to reduce costs.
Prime Ministers are also expected to discuss public safety issues and the climate challenges facing all provinces and territories.
Premiers at the event include Danielle Smith of Alberta, Scott Moe of Saskatchewan, Heather Stefanson of Manitoba, Ranj Pillai of Yukon, PJ Akeeagok of Nunavut and Caroline Cochrane of the Northwest Territories.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on June 27, 2023.
