Let’s hope ‘build, baby, build’ doesn’t overshadow environmental protection

We’re starting to see what it means to be “masters of our destiny,” to “build Canada strong” and to “build, baby, build.”

Those are expressions associated with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s bullish approach to strengthening Canada’s economy in the face of uncertainty by building big infrastructure projects — and building them fast.

Two recent Nunavut-related steps signal a willingness to ease off conventional safeguards in the interest of stimulating the economy. Carney’s Liberal government is considering lifting the moratorium on oil and gas exploration in the Western Arctic. And its adviser on the impact of proposed developments in Nunavut says the proposed Iqaluit Nukkiksautiit Hydro Project does not require a public review.

In 2016, a Liberal government under then-prime minister Justin Trudeau imposed a ban on offshore oil and gas exploration in the Western Arctic. The risk of spillage could be disastrous to a delicate ecosystem and pristine wilderness.

But when Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne unveiled the 2026-27 budget on Nov. 5, it included funding that will be used to consider lifting that ban. Since taking over as prime minister in 2025, Carney has relaxed his party’s environmental protection standards in favour of strengthening the economy by building so-called “nation-building” infrastructure projects.

Coincidentally, a day before the budget’s release, the Nunavut Impact Review Board issued its screening decision that the proposed hydroelectricity generator near Iqaluit does not require a public review.

The Iqaluit Nukkiksautiit Hydro Project is a proposal to build a $500-million hydroelectricity generator near Iqaluit. It would generate up to 30 megawatts of power and reduce Iqaluit’s reliance on burning diesel fuel to produce electricity.

The federal government referred the hydro project to its Major Projects Office, making it eligible to be fast-tracked through the regulatory process.

But the Qikiqtani Inuit Association — whose own business development arm, Qikiqtaaluk Corp., owns Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corp., the company pitching the project — said it’s concerned about not having a “full public review.”

Go figure! The proponent of a multimillion-dollar construction project wants a review, but the review board that advises the government doesn’t. It seems a little backwards.

The hydro project is still in the planning stage, and its size, location and design are being finalized, the board said. Environmental, socio-economic and technical studies are underway, and it’s undergoing other reviews, including by the Nunavut Planning Commission. Federal permits will still be needed for specific activities, the board said.

NIRB did note the project will reduce diesel use, support Inuit jobs and business opportunities.

You have to wonder if NIRB would have taken that stance if it had screened the hydro proposal before Carney started talking about “nation-building” and created the Major Projects Office.

Or is the board taking its cue from Ottawa — the government wants to move quickly on what it calls “nation-building projects” like the hydro plant — and not getting in the way?

In any case, Nunavut has recently and quickly encountered two big economic projects with the potential to generate both jobs in Nunavut and government revenue. But they also bring the risk of adverse environmental impacts.

We need to hope that the enthusiasm for building big and fast doesn’t cancel out the safeguards that have traditionally been in place to prevent environmental disasters.