Debates of June 11th, 2025

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26

[Scott Aitchison, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Chair, I wonder if the minister could tell the House why he sees fit for the federal government to create a third federal housing agency to become a land developer, when it already owns one.

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Chair, I think there is an opportunity to build affordable housing across the country, and there are many different tools needed to do that. Certainly, Canada Lands Company manages an inventory of lands and does some building activity there. CMHC does a lot of finance and mortgage work, but there remain gaps in the system to scale up the affordable housing we need to deliver.

[Scott Aitchison, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister told the House in one of the earlier questioning rounds that “it is time to build”. This is what I am wondering: If, in fact, he believes it is time to build, why not have the agency he already owns, which is already building, build more instead of creating more bureaucracy?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Chair, we are going to be focused on building in partnership with all levels of government, and with the public and private sectors and non-profit developers as well. We need a broad set of partnerships here. I am not talking about more bureaucracy; I am talking about great partnerships and more support for affordable housing.

[Scott Aitchison, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister talks about partnering with mayors. One of the challenges, of course, that the Canada Lands Company has in trying to get more homes built is dealing with municipal planning departments. It takes them years to get things approved.

What does he plan to do to solve that problem?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Chair, I think we have seen good success now with the housing accelerator fund and giving incentives to local governments, mayors and their councils to—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member.

[Scott Aitchison, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Chair, the government gave $478 million of its housing accelerator funding to the City of Toronto, which turned around and increased its development charges by 42%, making housing more expensive.

Will the minister ask for the money back?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Chair, we have housing accelerator fund agreements with over 200 communities in cities across Canada, and we are working on advancing those partnerships to deliver results.

[Claude Guay, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Chair, I rise today to speak to the main estimates at a pivotal moment in Canadian history. As a country, we have been at this crossroads before, at times that required more than political calculations, at times that called on us to build boldly together. We answered that call after the Second World War. We responded by connecting this vast country through the Trans-Canada Highway.

Today, we are being called upon again because, once again, the world has changed. We are entering an era of urgency, a global race for resources, resilience and strategic advantages. We need to redefine ourselves in a world where many certainties are now in flux, where we can no longer take for granted the systems, organizations and partners we once relied on.

At the heart of this global race are materials that do not immediately spring to mind for most Canadians. Their importance will shape the future of our economy, our climate and our sovereignty. I am talking about critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, copper, graphite, cobalt and rare earth minerals. They are essential for the electric vehicles we drive, for the solar panels on our roofs, for the semiconductors that power our devices, for the military technology that keeps us safe and for the batteries that support our energy transition.

Canada, the country that we are privileged to serve in the House, is one of the most richly endowed countries on earth. We are literally sitting on the solution that the entire world is rushing to find, secure and control. However, being rich in resources is not enough. Having mineral wealth is not the same as building and progressing.

We cannot mine what we have not mapped; we cannot deliver to our allies what we cannot move, and we cannot lead the world if we are content to stand on the sidelines while opportunity passes us. This is what the 2025-26 main estimates are about. They are not just a financial exercise. They are part of our national agenda to build, to trade and to lead.

Worldwide, China holds a dominant position in the production and refining of six core critical minerals: lithium, graphite, cobalt, nickel, copper and rare earth elements. These are the building blocks of clean technology, modern manufacturing and advanced defence systems, and right now, too much of that supply chain depends on one single country.

In fact, China controls over 75% of global production and refining for graphite, cobalt and rare earth elements. In addition, across all six core minerals, China accounts for roughly two-thirds of the world's processing and refining capacity. These are not just statistics; these are warning signs. They are strategic vulnerabilities for Canada and for allies around the world.

When Canada and its allies are forced to choose between energy security and ethical procurement, that is a problem. When Canadian manufacturers cannot access the materials they need without looking abroad, that is a problem. It is time to develop the wealth beneath our feet in a responsible, sustainable way, with the full co-operation of indigenous communities and in accordance with the ethical standards and environmental protections we are so proud of. It is time to sell our products not only to those who share our borders, but also to those who share our values.

This is why we are making real, tangible investments, starting with the critical minerals infrastructure fund. These main estimates propose $141.37 million to build the roads, power lines and transport links that would unlock our mineral wealth and connect it to the world.

In Labrador, in Sudbury, in the Athabasca Basin, in the north of Quebec and across the Northwest Territories, these investments would make the difference between resource potential and becoming an economic powerhouse.

We have already announced a fund of over $300 million for 31 projects across the country, including a number led by indigenous communities. This fund is not just for resource extraction. It seeks to connect those resources to the right partners in order to generate prosperity for Canadians through infrastructure, good jobs and sustainable community development.

However, building is not enough. We must look ahead and ask how Canada will compete and win in the decades to come. That is why these estimates invest $5.77 million in the critical minerals global partnership initiative. The world is not asking just for more minerals; it is asking for better minerals that are responsibly sourced, ethically managed and environmentally sound.

This initiative allows Canada to be a leader, rather than a follower, in the development of global environmental, social and governance, or ESG, standards. It allows us to build resilient and transparent supply chains with our allies in the Americas, Europe and the Indo-Pacific. It guarantees Canada a seat at the table, not just as a producer but also as a trusted partner in the global clean economy. That is how we build confidence in Canadian minerals. That is how we attract investment. That is how we develop markets where Canadian values and products can thrive.

The future belongs to innovators. That is why we propose to allocate $10.34 million for the critical minerals technology and innovation strategy so that Canada can lead the world not only in terms of what it mines, but how it mines. Already, Canadian researchers are making breakthroughs in cleaner processing, higher-performance battery materials, and recycling technologies that reduce waste and pollution. This funding will allow us to speed up the lab-to-mine and patent-to-product transition. That means more Canadian intellectual property, more domestic innovation and more jobs, not just in mining but also in engineering, clean technology and advanced manufacturing. That is how we will strengthen our position in the global value chain. That is how we will stop exporting raw potential and start selling finished products.

Let us not forget the foundation beneath it all, literally. These estimates include $4.8 million to support geoscience research and data initiatives. From geomapping in the north to exploration support in partnership with provinces and indigenous governments, this work would help us access the minerals we need to power our future.

In just the past few days, more than 70 projects have been supported through this work, fuelling discoveries, advancing exploration and de-risking investment. These are quiet programs, but they are critical elements of our nation-building tool box, and we are using them.

This is all part of a broader economic plan, one that includes the prospective one Canadian economy act, which was introduced last week. This new legislation will speed up the implementation of major strategic projects, simplify the automation process and remove the internal trade barriers that are hindering our businesses and workers. It will reduce the time taken to review major projects from five years to two years, while respecting our duty to consult and to protect the environment. It will help us open more mines—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Order. The time allotted to the hon. member for his speech has expired. I now invite him to ask the minister a question.

[Claude Guay, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC]

Mr. Chair, the development of critical minerals will be crucial to the Canadian economy. The entire world is searching for them, especially given the uncertainty surrounding the global supply. Considering the trade war with the United States, implementing critical mineral projects will increase our resilience and strengthen our sovereignty.

Can the minister talk about the importance of critical minerals and the work the Government of Canada is proposing to accelerate their development?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Chair, critical minerals are a key part of this global challenge we are facing right now. We did not ask for the world's trading system to be changed. We did not ask for the end of the Bretton Woods era. We did not ask for a mercantilist world, but that is what we are in.

The President of the United States seems to be very focused on critical minerals. We all watched what he did to Ukraine in the White House. Unlike a lot of countries, we have some very good cards. We have the critical minerals the world is looking for. We need to develop those critical minerals.

We have critical minerals that will help with AI. They will help with power and clean technology, and they will help with climate change. We have the ability to support new mines, new refineries and new refining processes. We intend to do this in a responsible way, in a sustainable way and in partnership with first nations. We are investing $3.8 billion in our critical minerals strategy to give us the hand that we need with the rest of the world.

[Claude Guay, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC]

Mr. Chair, throughout the debate, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources has been clear that indigenous people must be consulted when it comes to energy projects, as well as projects of national significance.

Can the minister explain how these estimates help advance reconciliation and support indigenous communities' participating in these energy projects and projects of national significance?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, there is money allocated in the main estimates to support capacity building on the part of first nations. We do that directly with particular first nations where there are critical mineral opportunities.

We also do it in supporting a group called the First Nations Major Projects Coalition. It represents over 180 first nations. There are many specific critical mineral opportunities where the First Nations Major Projects Coalition is providing the capacity to negotiate strong ownership opportunities for first nations and accelerate the development of these critical mineral opportunities.

[Claude Guay, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC]

Mr. Chair, the third question I have for the minister concerns what we can do to advance critical minerals projects. Getting new mines approved in Canada takes far too long. This inefficiency hinders critical mineral development.

We know that we are working on a new, more efficient process for issuing mining permits.

Can the minister give us more details on what the new Government of Canada plans to do to advance critical minerals projects?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, under the one Canadian economy act, we would be developing a major projects office. That major projects office would accelerate the process of getting critical mineral projects approved within a two-year time frame. We will also be negotiating bilateral agreements with each of the provinces so we can have “one project, one review” processes. These would all accelerate the development of critical mineral processes.

[Claude Guay, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC]

Mr. Chair, how will the projects be selected by the government?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, I did not hear exactly what—

[Claude Guay, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC]

Mr. Chair, how are we going to select the projects?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, we will select the projects based on the five criteria that were worked out with the Prime Minister and the premiers. The five criteria are laid out in the proposed act.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Chair, why does Bill C-5 allow for exemptions from the Conflict of Interest Act?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Chair, we are here today to talk about how the new government will get projects built—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Chair, when will the government repeal Bill C-69?