SASKATOON — Canada’s premiers emerged in rare unity after a high-stakes meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday, but left without confirming any specific nation-building projects. Ontario Premier Doug Ford praised the talks as the best First Ministers’ Meeting in a decade, as provincial and territorial leaders gathered in Saskatoon to present their federal wish lists.
The meeting focused on potential large-scale infrastructure and energy initiatives considered vital to the country’s economic future. While Carney acknowledged a broad range of proposals had been discussed—including critical mineral transportation corridors, advancements in nuclear energy, and efforts to decarbonize oil and gas—no concrete list of approved projects was revealed.
Carney emphasized that future federal legislation would require meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities, both in identifying which projects get the green light and determining how they are executed. He said Indigenous consultation will be a mandatory element of the project selection and development process going forward.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who had warned ahead of the meeting that omitting new pipelines from any project list would send a negative message to her province, appeared cautiously optimistic afterward. She stated that while no pipeline commitment had been made, she was willing to give the collaborative process a chance, noting that political leadership is now needed to find the right project proponents.
Despite the lack of immediate announcements, the premiers’ unified tone and the federal government’s commitment to inclusive consultation and strategic development marked a shift toward more coordinated decision-making on Canada’s long-term infrastructure and energy goals.