Ottawa is counting on copper to be a nation builder – and Canada has to play catch-up

By Jenna Benchetrit – CBC

Ottawa’s list of fast-tracked “nation-building” projects includes the development of two copper mines — to source one of the world’s most important natural resources as global demand soars and supply challenges persist. 

Such projects “must strengthen Canada’s autonomy, our resilience and our security. It must have clear benefits for Canadians,” said Prime Minister Mark Carney during the Thursday announcement.

Enter copper, the world’s third-most widely used metal and a conduit for all things electrical. The federal government is recommending regulatory approval for the McIlvenna Bay Foran Copper Mine Project in Saskatchewan, and an expansion of the Red Chris Mine in northwestern B.C.