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Good morning! 🐋 Do whales make good neighbours? A $20-million whale sanctuary project in Nova Scotia, the first of its kind in North America, might be dead in the water. The project is struggling to get consent from nearby landowners. The facility would help belugas and orcas retire from marine theme parks.

⏰ Today’s read: 5 minutes

MARKETS

*Stock data as of last market close; currency, oil and crypto data as of 7:30 PM ET March 24, 2025.

Economy:  Canadian business leaders are bracing for new U.S. tariffs set to take effect on April 2, with little hope for reprieve as uncertainty looms over trade relations. The unpredictability of U.S. trade policy under President Trump has created a volatile environment, making cross-border business less attractive and more costly. Retaliatory tariffs from Canada further compound the issue, raising prices on U.S. goods and destabilizing industries in both countries.

TOGETHER WITH ELLISDON

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NEED TO KNOW

The week's headlines

Making tracks: 🚃 The federal government is boosting its support for two major public transit projects in Quebec, adding over $1.1 billion in funding for the Quebec City tramway and Montréal Metro Blue line extension. The tramway will feature a 19 km electric line with 29 stations, while the Blue line extension adds five new stations and upgrades the train control system. 

AI Infrastructure: 🖥️ Telus is entering the AI data centre market, equipping its Rimouski, Que., facility with up to 500 Nvidia GPUs to offer Canadian companies access to AI computing power, a space largely dominated by U.S. tech giants. The company plans to expand based on demand, with a second facility in Kamloops, B.C., on the horizon.

Not so suite: 🏠 The B.C. government is ending its secondary suite incentive program due to economic uncertainty and the upcoming launch of a similar federal initiative. The provincial program offered forgivable loans of up to $40,000 for new suites, while the federal program will provide low-interest loans up to $80,000. Existing applicants with permits and cost estimates can still apply until March 30.

Emergency: 🚨 As Canada heads toward a federal election, energy sector CEOs are urging political leaders to declare a national energy crisis and fast-track critical infrastructure projects like pipelines and LNG terminals to boost exports and economic sovereignty. Their open letter calls for streamlined regulations, removal of emissions caps, repeal of carbon levies on large emitters, and support for Indigenous co-investment. 

THE BIG STORY

Campaign trail: Industry issues dominate election

While the devastating trade the U.S. is waging with Canada has the entire nation fearing the worst, it has thrust construction and development into the spotlight. 

What happened: It was supposed to be a surefire defeat for the liberals. But then Donald Trump and tariffs happened, tanking sentiment towards the U.S. For the Liberals it was a gamechanger. They have shot back up after trailing 29 points in the polls in late December, setting the stage for a close race.  

Election called: Prime Minister Mark Carney has called an election for April 28, and experts are saying the central issue will be how Canada’s next leader will handle the country’s trade relationship with the U.S. and the rest of the world.  

Top of mind: Major project development and approvals are top of mind for Candidates, with 41% saying U.S. relations/tariffs is one of the country's top issues. Here’s what’s being said on the campaign trail: 

• Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged to expedite major infrastructure and resource-extraction projects by streamlining project reviews and removing labor mobility restrictions. 

• Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he plans to create “Shovel Ready Zones” with pre-approved construction permits for major resource or energy projects.

• NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has vowed to unlock public land to build rent-controlled homes and to use $1B to buy more land for construction. 

Localized: The crisis has also turbo-charged discussions on breaking down interprovincial trade barriers. Carney plans to develop a national trade strategy aimed at eliminating internal trade barriers. The plan includes removing federal exemptions under the Canada Free Trade Agreement and measures to support businesses, workers, and major projects. Poilievre has promised a similar strategy, showing some alignment across parties.

Winner takes all: Carney has not spoken to Trump since taking office and believes the president is waiting for the results of the election to resume trade war negotiations. However, Trump has expressed indifference about the outcome. When it comes to the construction sector and the fate of nationbuilding efforts that could impact the construction sector for decades, it’s hard to think of an election in modern history that has had higher stakes. 

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

A walk to remember

Phase 3 of the Samuel-de Champlain Promenade aimed to give the river back to the people of Quebec by transforming a highway into an urban boulevard and relocating the railway, freeing space for a 2.5-kilometer recreational and cultural park along the river. Daoust Lestage Lizotte Stecker Architecture’s work on it garnered their team a Governer General’s Medal.

PROJECT UPDATES

Work begins on East Vancouver detox facility

Ottawa announces $200-million funding toward Cedar LNG project

Federal government pledges up to $20M for new Thunder Bay science centre

Ottawa announces funding to support housing developments in CBRM

Alberta government promises 14 new school projects in Edmonton area

Get our full breakdown of the week’s project updates in the link below

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

VIDEO: 🏗️ Meet Canada’s coolest modular builders

VIDEO: 🛖 4,000-year-old discovery shows early human settlement

READ: 🚚 Truck hauling prefabricated home hits B.C. highway overpass

VIDEO: 🛍️ What will happen to Hudson’s Bay stores?

READ: WZMH reimagines schools, libraries with AI data centres

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Here’s to a great rest of the week!

Disclaimer: SiteNews is an independently-operated news website. Views expressed are that of the editorial team and are based on publicly available information unless otherwise noted through sponsored content.