These days, it appears the vast majority of Canada’s institutions – our courts, our governments, our legacy media and our government bureaucracies – are deliberately working hard to thwart Canada’s success. Despite protestations from the federal and many provincial governments that they are determined to counter the reputation Canada now has on the global stage as the country where nothing can get built, pretty much nothing is still getting built. Politicians continue to talk a good game while their actions never back up their words.
A recent example of this is the Seabridge gold, silver and copper mine in B.C. The potential of this mine is enormous. In fact, it is considered to be the largest undeveloped gold mining project in the world. The mine contains reserves of almost 50 million ounces of gold, 160 million ounces of silver and over seven billion pounds of copper. It is expected to average a million ounces of gold and 178 million pounds of copper annually over an estimated 33-year life span for the mine. Construction costs are expected to exceed $9 billion.
Seabridge has already spent $1.2 billion on the project. The company received an environmental assessment certificate as long ago as 2014, and a 2024 provincial ruling found that the company did not need another. During that 10-year period, Seabridge had done all of the substantial consultations with First Nations groups and others and was well-justified in believing it had a green light for this important project. The largest First Nations groups involved were supportive of this project going forward.
But as so many Canadian companies have learned, even after investing billions of dollars, things are rarely straightforward in Canada’s opaque and convoluted approval process and unreliable court system. After it appeared everything was in order for the mine to proceed, the Tsetsaut Skii km Lax Ha Nation decided to petition for a judicial review of the province’s decision on the basis they were not consulted. This First Nations group consists of 58 to 60 people. In a decision on June 8, 2026, the B.C. Supreme Court overturned the provincial approval and required Seabridge to conduct more extensive consultations with the tiny First Nations group.
So now there will be another delay of several months, and further uncertainty as to any future court decisions that may be made. If our courts permit a handful of people to hold up a massive project like this, with major potential benefits in terms of job and wealth creation, how can anyone be optimistic about Canada’s future growth? Is it a surprise that Canada continues to have the reputation as the country where nothing can be built? You can be sure that international investors are looking at this recent court decision and wondering why Canada continues to undermine its own economy and deprive Canadians of a promising future.
Another major project development in the past week was the Alberta pipeline to Canada’s west coast, for the export of oil to Asian markets. As the federal Liberal government refused to remove the tanker ban from northern B.C. – even though U.S. tankers follow that route on a daily basis – a less-optimal southern route through the port of Vancouver was chosen as the alternate option. This southern route is not as close to the Asian target markets as the northern option. However, it has become increasingly clear that the real problem for future Canadian oil exports will be the industrial carbon tax, the requirement for a costly carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) regime as well as some other measures the federal government plans to impose on Alberta’s energy sector to permit the construction of this pipeline. It’s worth noting that no such punitive conditions are imposed on resource projects in other provinces. Nor does any other oil-producing country impose such demands on their industries.
A number of recent studies have expressed the concern that once the industrial carbon tax, the CCUS project, methane regulations and other measures are factored in, Canadian oil will be priced out of the market because of all the extra costs. Of course, this depends on where oil prices will be in future, but profitability will surely be affected.
What is certain is that, despite the erroneous claims of the climate cult that demand for oil and gas is declining, nothing could be further from the truth. All objective forecasts are that global demand will continue to increase for fossil fuel energy sources, and being able to replace higher-emissions fuels such as coal with less emissions-intensive fuels will have a greater impact on global emissions than anything Canada could do on its own.
It’s becoming clear that what Canada needs is a clear, consistent project approval process for all projects that imposes deadlines and governments that stick to them. Governments also need the courage to insist that, once a decent, predictable process has been pursued, there will be no last-minute Hail Mary’s to hold things up. That is not what we have now, with projects contingent upon whether Carney and his ministers decide to choose certain projects over others, such that they might decide to override the legislation that puts roadblocks in the way. This erratic and unpredictable approach is the absolute opposite to what Canada needs to attract the investment that will ensure a better, more stable future for Canadians.
She has published numerous articles in journals, magazines & other media on issues such as free trade, finance, entrepreneurship & women business owners. Ms. Swift is a past President of the Empire Club of Canada, a former Director of the CD Howe Institute, the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, SOS Children’s Villages, past President of the International Small Business Congress and current Director of the Fraser Institute. She was cited in 2003 & 2012 as one of the most powerful women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network & is a recipient of the Queen’s Silver & Gold Jubilee medals.
