Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and Bobby Morrissey, Member of Parliament for Egmont, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Honourable Steven Myers, Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Action, Government of Prince Edward Island (PEI), announced that Canada and PEI are fully co-delivering the strengthened OHPA program.
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, with the Honourable Josie Osborne, B.C.’s Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation and the Honourable Rob Fleming, B.C.’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, announced a joint investment of $195 million to upgrade key highway infrastructure in B.C.’s northwest needed to support critical minerals development in the region, improve community access and safety, and create good mining jobs across the province.
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced two investments totaling over $9 million to Saltworks Technologies Inc. (Saltworks) and NORAM Electrolysis Systems Inc. (NESI) to support the battery supply chain in British Columbia under the Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) program. These investments will support Canada’s ability to address a gap in midstream lithium processing through the advancement of Canadian technologies.
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a new investment of $1 million from the Energy Innovation Program’s Clean Fuels and Industrial Fuel Switching initiative to Ekona Power Inc. This funding will support Ekona in advancing its methane pyrolysis solution for clean hydrogen production from natural gas. Building on the success of a prior program to develop and test Ekona’s xCaliber™ reactor, which was previously supported by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) through its Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada Program, this project will support further development of the reactor and expand Ekona’s Burnaby test facility.
It is in this context that federal, provincial and territorial ministers are meeting in Calgary, Alberta, from July 3 to July 5, 2024, at the annual Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference, to share perspectives and continue driving momentum in the energy and mining sectors.
From coast to coast to coast, Canadians are saving thousands of dollars a year on gas by rapidly making the switch to electric vehicles, with over 320,000 new electric vehicles registered in 2023 alone. The Government of Canada is taking action to make it more affordable for Canadians to purchase, charge and drive electric vehicles (EVs) across the country while driving toward a net-zero future, including by making it easier to access public EV charging through historic direct investments, research and partnerships with the private sector and other levels of government.
The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a $9.7 million investment for grid modernization in the Town of Antigonish, Nova Scotia. This major investment will unlock more efficient uses of electricity within the community and allow for increased renewable energy sources such as wind and solar while driving down emissions and supporting sustainable jobs and communities.
That is why today, Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced $353,710 through the Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities Program to evaluate the potential of hydrokinetic turbines for generating electricity in Deh Cho communities.
Today, Robert J. Morrissey, Member of Parliament, Egmont, Prince Edward Island, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Honourable Barb Ramsay, Minister of Social Development and Seniors on behalf of The Honourable Steven Myers, Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Action announced a joint investment of over $3 million over four years through the Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate Program — Equipment Fund (FMWCC). The funding will help the province procure and increase wildland fire equipment and personnel, support resource exchanges and unlock community-based capacity.
