Canada moves to supply LNG and minerals to Europe with new ports and trade corridors
Canada will direct half a trillion dollars into energy and port infrastructure as part of a federal investment plan aimed at expanding trade and energy ties with Europe, Prime Minister Mark Carney said in Berlin.
According to BNN Bloomberg, Carney announced that the first projects will be unveiled “in the next two weeks,” including expansions at the Port of Montreal and construction of a new port in Churchill, Manitoba.
He said these projects would “open up enormous LNG, plus other opportunities, and other East Coast ports for those critical minerals.”
Carney described infrastructure expansion as the “number one focus of this government,” adding that it is central to deepening Canada’s partnership with Europe and Germany.
As reported by Bloomberg, Canada and Germany also signed a joint declaration to deepen co-operation on critical minerals and advance a transatlantic hydrogen trade corridor.
LNG supply to Germany was also discussed, with Carney’s government confirming growing demand across the European Union.
CBC News reported that Churchill, one of North America’s northernmost deepwater ports, is included in the federal list of upcoming infrastructure projects.
The facility, operated by Arctic Gateway Group, has recently been the subject of talks to establish a sustainable year-round shipping season.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson told reporters that the Port of Montreal is “a critical piece of infrastructure for expanding trade, particularly with Europe.”
He called Churchill “a tremendous opportunity” for agricultural products, critical minerals, and potentially natural gas.
Hodgson added that German customers have expressed interest in Canadian LNG, and that Indigenous groups and provincial governments are engaged in discussions.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said the project could build on Churchill’s existing role in exporting critical minerals.
He stressed the need for additional investment in capacity and icebreakers to “take it to the next level” of economic opportunity, as reported by CBC News.
In a statement carried by CBC News, Arctic Gateway Group president and CEO Chris Avery said the port “is ready to step up and play a vital role in diversifying Canada’s trade, growing our energy and critical minerals exports, and strengthening sovereignty in the North.”
Feiyue Wang, Canada Research Chair at the University of Manitoba, told CBC News that the announcement was “a long time coming,” citing the potential for longer shipping seasons as Arctic ice recedes.
Wang warned that growth in shipping activity carries environmental risks, including oil spills and disruption to marine ecosystems.
Bloomberg noted that Germany repeatedly raised demand for Canadian LNG with previous governments, but Ottawa’s position at the time only supported west coast projects.
Several proponents are now exploring LNG export routes through Churchill.
Hodgson told CTV News earlier this month that Canadians should expect “rolling” approvals of major projects, including energy developments, as of early fall.
He said some proponents are aiming to ship LNG within five years.
Canada currently has one LNG export terminal in operation—LNG Canada in Kitimat, BC—which began shipments in June.
According to BNN Bloomberg, six additional export projects are underway.
