Carney seems open to a new power line between Quebec and Newfoundland

Mark Carney has expressed openness to helping finance a new electricity transmission line connecting the Churchill Falls power plant to Hydro-Québec's grid, a project estimated to cost billions of dollars.

• Also read: François Legault wants to bring “the most money to Quebec”

• Also read: First Ministers' meeting in Saskatoon: Legault will propose to Carney to finance a hydroelectric line and will in return study oil pipeline projects

This request was at the top of François Legault's list of projects, which he shared with his counterparts during the provincial-federal summit held in Saskatoon on Monday.

"Yes, I have the impression that this is a project that is considered to be of national interest," François Legault declared at a press conference after the meeting.

"I completely agree with the Prime Minister," Mark Carney added spontaneously.

The core of the project is the construction of a long transmission line that would connect Gull Island and Romaine, according to the agreement signed in December between Quebec and Newfoundland. This would add up to 7,200 megawatts to Quebec's hydroelectric grid.

A call for “projects of national interest”

Mark Carney had asked the premiers to come to Saskatchewan with ideas for projects that could be considered of "national interest."

This new classification would allow certain projects selected by Ottawa to benefit from a potential financial boost and a more flexible legal framework in order to accelerate their construction.

Ottawa hopes that these projects will "strengthen Canada's autonomy," have "undeniable" economic benefits, be feasible in practice, be "a priority for Indigenous leaders" and have "clean growth potential."

A bill is expected to be introduced in the House of Commons this week to enshrine the definition of projects of national interest in law.

Santa Claus Carney

Mark Carney's appeal did not fall on deaf ears: all the prime ministers came up with their own demands.

Despite this, they did not lack superlatives to describe the meeting, including Doug Ford, who spoke of it as "the best meeting in ten years."

The Premier of Ontario had very kind words for Mr. Carney.

"I described him today as Santa Claus: he came, his cart was full of all sorts of things, now he's going back to the North Pole, sorting it out and then calling us."