Alberta’s government has announced significant economic agreements with the Northwest Territories (NWT) and updated on projects with Saskatchewan and Manitoba also related to economic corridors.

While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is failing to work with the provinces to get big projects done, Alberta is actually building partnerships with other Canadian jurisdictions to do just that. 

Among other things, this agreement gives Alberta access to the arctic to work towards building arctic ports.

Alberta’s Minister of Transportation, Devin Dreeshen, said the agreement will “signal to the rest of the country that Western Canada is serious about competing for global market access.” 

He told The Counter Signal: “It makes their decisions a lot easier when it comes to national trade corridor funding or other federal funding for projects that can actually help build this country.”

A key focus in their agreement is on reducing regulatory red tape by streamlining regulations for commercial trucking and driver training. 

The Northwest Territories’ mining industry, rich in critical minerals, and Alberta’s energy sector will each benefit from the enhanced infrastructure, the UCP stated.

Saskatchewan and Manitoba

On Thursday, Dreeshen provided an update on another memorandum of understanding for improved economic corridors, this one with Saskatchewan and Manitoba, which was signed last year. 

The provinces have since achieved regulatory harmonization and are working on building and improving highway connections with Saskatchewan, including extending Highway 686 to connect northern communities between the two provinces. 

Plans also include new highway connections between Alberta and Saskatchewan, such as a highway from Fort McMurray to La Loche, Saskatchewan. 

Additionally, Alberta and Saskatchewan are improving safety on Highway 17 along their border, with Alberta funding up to 50% of the costs.

The MOU also includes joint advocacy for federal funding to support the projects.