Port says dredging of Vancouver's Burrard Inlet underway, a project touted by Carney
VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says preliminary work on a plan to dredge Burrard Inlet to accommodate fully loaded oil tankers is now underway
It says the project, which was recently floated by Prime Minister Mark Carney, will proceed through permitting processes including consultation with First Nations.
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Toronto Sun
8 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
GOLDSTEIN: Prepare for more billion-dollar boondoggles
Reports by financial watchdogs of government spending suggest there are major concerns about how public infrastructure projects will be approved Get the latest from Lorrie Goldstein straight to your inbox Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks as he attends a tour of the Fort York Armoury in Toronto on June 9, 2025 in Toronto, Canada. Photo by Cole Burston / Getty Images What happens when Prime Minister Mark Carney's promise of massive new federal spending on public infrastructure and speedy approval of 'nation building projects' runs into the fact the federal public service routinely ignores the rules for spending public money and approving such projects? This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The answer, potentially, is the waste of mega-billions of public dollars on projects that are so poorly administered, some may never be completed. The issue isn't the policies themselves. Carney's Liberals and the official opposition Conservatives agree with streamlining the process for green-lighting projects such as pipelines, mines and other forms of energy infrastructure, if they are endorsed by the province and Indigenous groups where they occur. That was evidenced by their rapid approval of Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act on Friday, before Parliament adjourned for the summer. Liberals and Conservatives passed the legislation intended to boost the Canadian economy given the damage caused by President Donald Trump's tariff war and the fact the U.S. is no longer a reliable trading partner or ally of Canada. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The legislation is now headed to the Senate, scheduled to sit until June 27, for final approval before Canada Day on July 1. Read More But recent reports by Parliament's two financial watchdogs of government spending – Auditor General Karen Hogan and Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux – suggest there are major concerns about how these projects will be approved. Hogan reviewed the Liberal government's approval of the notorious ArriveCan app that was supposed to cost $80,000 and ended up costing about $60 million, as well as 106 other professional services contracts awarded by 31 federal departments and agencies and one Crown corporation to IT staffing firm GCStrategies Inc. from 2015 to 2024. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. They totalled up to $92.7 million – of which, $64.5 million was paid out. Hogan found a widespread failure within the federal public service to follow the rules in awarding these contacts intended to ensure taxpayers get good value for money. She said the same thing happened when she examined 97 contracts awarded by 20 federal departments agencies and Crown corporations valued at $209 million, with $200 million paid out, to management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, from 2011 to 2023. 'I said it back then and I'll repeat it now – I have no reason to believe this is unique to two vendors and that's why I believe the government needs to take a step back and look at why this is happening,' Hogan warned. Hogan took the unusual step of not making any recommendations on her findings, saying the problem isn't a lack of rules but the federal bureaucracy ignoring them. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In a separate report, Hogan estimated the cost of replacing Canada's aging fleet of CF-18 fighter jets with 88 new F-35s, increased by almost 50% within two years – from $19 billion in 2022 to $27.7 billion in 2024. In addition, another $5.5 billion will be needed for infrastructure needed to make the new jet fighters fully operational, because the government relied on outdated data and failed to develop contingency plans for managing financial risks associated with the project. She also noted a long-standing shortage of trained fighter pilots. In a report released Thursday, parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux said because Carney has delayed the federal budget until fall, he can't determine whether his claim he will balance the federal operating budget by 2028-29 is credible. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Nor can he determine whether Carney will achieve his commitment to increase federal spending on defence to the NATO target of 2% of GDP this fiscal year, and whether the government's overall financial plan is fiscally sustainable. In his election platform Carney's outlined $130 billion in new spending over four years with total deficit spending of $224.8 billion. That's 71% higher than the $131.4 billion in deficit spending the Trudeau government predicted during the same period last December. The problem, Giroux said, is that Carney is claiming he can balance the operating budget, the cost of running the government, within three years, while financing new capital spending on infrastructure with more public debt. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'There is no commonly accepted definition of what is defined as 'operating' or 'non-operating capital' spending,' Giroux wrote, meaning he 'is unable to assess whether the government's recent policy initiatives presented in Parliament … are consistent with achieving its new fiscal objective … This means the government could achieve its fiscal objective and yet be fiscally unsustainable.' Unless the federal government addresses the concerns of the auditor general and parliamentary budget officer, expect for more billion-dollar boondoggles of the type we've seen so often in the past. lgoldstein@ Columnists Toronto & GTA Columnists Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls
Cision Canada
13 hours ago
- Cision Canada
Statement by Prime Minister Carney on National Indigenous Peoples Day Français
OTTAWA, ON, /CNW/ - "In my first months as Prime Minister, I have been grateful for the opportunity to meet with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, and I recognize there is much more work to do together. "The government will work in full partnership with Indigenous Peoples – advancing shared priorities such as health care, food security, housing, education, economic prosperity, conservation, climate action, and emergency management to build a better future. Indigenous partnership is a critical component of the One Canadian Economy Act, and shared leadership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis will be pivotal to the success of building major projects in Canada. "We will move forward together on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls' Calls for Justice, and the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. "Supporting Indigenous communities, advancing self-determination, implementing treaties, and creating generational wealth and prosperity are central to our commitment to advancing reconciliation. Through initiatives like the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program, we're addressing the historical, systemic, and economic barriers that have prevented Indigenous Peoples from participating in – and benefitting from – economic opportunities, particularly in the natural resource sector. "Today, on National Indigenous Peoples Day, and every day, we honour the enduring histories, cultures, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, and we reaffirm our partnership in reconciliation. Together, we can build a better future, a stronger economy, and a legacy that future generations can inherit and carry forward."
Cision Canada
15 hours ago
- Cision Canada
Statement by Minister Valdez to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day Français
OTTAWA, ON, /CNW/ - The Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), made the following statement: "Today, I join communities across the country in celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day. "This is a time to honour the rich histories, vibrant cultures and enduring contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. From coast to coast to coast, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and leadership of Indigenous communities. "Today, more than 50,000 small businesses are majority-owned by Indigenous entrepreneurs. Indigenous-led businesses are fuelling economic growth and uplifting communities across the country. "In 2023 alone, Indigenous tourism operators generated an estimated 34,700 jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity. These numbers tell a powerful story of resilience and innovation and highlight the vital role Indigenous businesses play in our tourism economy. "As Minister of Women and Gender Equality, I am committed to supporting Indigenous-led efforts to end gender-based violence. Through the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence and the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ Peoples, our government is working in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to develop policies and fund programs to end the national crisis facing Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. This work is essential to healing, justice and safety for Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, wherever they live. "Our government is deeply committed to advancing reconciliation and to building lasting partnerships with Indigenous Peoples by supporting entrepreneurs, fostering economic opportunity and building an inclusive economy that leaves no one behind. Stay connected Follow the department on . For easy access to government programs for businesses, download the Canada Business app.
