Infrastructure is one part of the hand. Who wants to invest in it is another.
Shell is acquiring ARC Resources in a $16.4-billion deal, making it the largest foreign purchase of a Canadian energy company in years. And Reuters is citing sources who say Middle East instability, including the departure of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), is a primary driver of renewed interest in Canadian investment or acquisitions.
When major global energy companies start seeking acquisition targets, it indicates serious consideration of long-term investment in a market. For Canada, that kind of sustained foreign investment means more capital, more jobs, and more capacity to develop and export the resources that underpin the country’s economic strength.
The growing interest in Canada is positive, but keeping that interest requires predictability.
To achieve that, the federal government has proposed reforms that would cap federal review timelines for major projects at one year and move toward a single approval process.
The government has opened a 30-day public consultation on these reforms, and CPW will be submitting feedback on behalf of engaged women across Canada.
One of the most consistent complaints about major energy projects in Canada is that they get caught moving through two separate review processes (one provincial and one federal) adding years of uncertainty. For investors deciding where to commit billions of dollars, that kind of delay is often the deciding factor.
Several significant developments are underway that will shape how strong that hand actually is. Click to learn more as we unpack news from this month: