Following Prime Minister Mark Carney announcing his refreshed cabinet three weeks ago, Ford government ministers sent a flurry of letters to their federal counterparts this week — all stressing the need for "ongoing and meaningful engagement" while at the same time outlining several funding and policy asks.
The letters highlighted the Progressive Conservatives' goal of making Ontario "the most competitive economy in the G7 to invest, create jobs and do business."
"To achieve this goal, we stand ready to work with the federal government during this crucial time for Ontario and Canada to build infrastructure, cut red tape, attract investment, invest in services and keep costs down for families and businesses," they stated.
"As Canada moves forward with the United States on a renewed security and economic partnership, Ontario expects frequent, ongoing and meaningful engagement by the federal government with all provinces and territories at all stages to ensure our core interests are reflected in any outcome," several provincial ministers wrote to their federal colleagues. "I look forward to working with you on our shared objective of unlocking Canada’s incredible potential for growth. Together, we can protect Canadians and their jobs from the threat of tariffs while putting our country on the road to greater prosperity for generations to come."
In a letter to federal Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy re-upped the province's list of "nation-building" projects it wants to see the federal government prioritize and "streamline approvals" for.
Premier Doug Ford previously outlined the five projects — a tunnelled expressway under Highway 401, the Ring of Fire and infrastructure to support mining in the area, nuclear energy generation, a new James Bay deep-sea port and GO 2.0 to expand passenger rail in the Toronto area — in a letter to Carney last month.
The country's premiers took their list of projects to a meeting with Carney in Saskatoon on Monday. No decisions were made on which projects will be approved for fast-tracking, with Carney saying a “wide range” of possible projects were discussed that are at "various stages of preparation."
The federal government also outlined criteria it wants to see projects meet before refining a shortlist, including projects that will strengthen the Canadian economy, provide “undeniable benefits to Canada,” be a high priority for Indigenous leaders and “drive Canada’s clean growth potential.”
Nation-building projects are on the agenda for the Council of the Federation's summer meeting in Muskoka next month.
The premier's office announced Thursday that Ford, who is the current chair of the council, had invited his fellow premiers to Huntsville from July 21-23, and that the meeting would an opportunity to discuss how they can "move nation-building projects forward, how to continue to navigate Canada-U.S. relations and making Canadian communities safer."
The premiers will also meet with leaders of national Indigenous organizations.
“With President (Donald) Trump taking direct aim at our economy, we need to build and we need to build fast,” said Ford in a statement. “Together, premiers are seizing the momentum coming out of the recent First Ministers’ Meeting in Saskatoon to move the projects that will unleash the full potential of Canada’s economy forward. There’s never been a more important time for all of us from coast to coast to coast to work together to build the most competitive economy in the G7.”
In his letter to Champagne, Bethlenfalvy also stressed the need to support businesses and workers with revenue from Canada's retaliatory tariffs, saying relief should help sectors such as steel, automotive and agriculture that are "disproportionately impacted" by Trump's tariffs. He said provinces and territories should also get a "fair proportion of tariff revenues ... without conditions."
The provincial finance minister outlined other priority areas like housing, infrastructure and reducing red tape that his fellow cabinet colleagues expanded on in their own letters to their federal counterparts.
"Ontario is facing significant infrastructure-related challenges and is in urgent need of investments in critical and housing-enabling infrastructure, particularly in light of recent slower economic growth and increased uncertainty caused by U.S. tariffs," Bethlenfalvy wrote.
He said that with funding under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program having already been allocated, the province wants to see "a new, long-term, predictable infrastructure program with sufficient funds to support the unique needs of each jurisdiction, without complex and onerous conditions."
On housing, provincial ministers called for "simplified" parameters for the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) and for the federal government to give the province a "fair share of investments that is reflective of our population and growth to help address Ontario’s urgent municipal infrastructure needs."
Education Minister Paul Calandra and three of his colleagues from other ministries included in their letter to federal Minister of Jobs and Families Patty Hajdu a section on the $10-a-day child-care program.
"While we recognize the progress achieved to date related to the federal government’s Canada-wide Early Learning and Childcare (CWELCC) system, significant work remains to ensure the long-term sustainability of the program," they wrote.
"Delivering on the program’s goals long-term to achieve a child-care program that benefits all families equitably — in all provinces — will require a significant increase in federal funding," they said, adding that without a commitment of additional federal funding, "the long-term success of the CWELCC system is at risk."
Ontario's current $10-a-day child-care agreement with the federal government ends on March 31, 2026, and while the province has said it "would like to see an extension of the program," it hasn't yet signed a renewed agreement with Ottawa.
Former prime minister Justin Trudeau announced on March 6 that the federal government had reached extension agreements with 11 out of 13 provinces and territories. While 10 of the 11 provinces had actually signed deals, Ontario said it wanted more than the $16.77 billion Ottawa was offering.
"Discussions have begun between Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan — which have also not yet signed renewed agreements with the federal government — to share perspectives and better understand our common challenges related to the sustainability of the program," the provincial ministers wrote in their June 5 letter.
Provincial Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria wrote in his letter to federal Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland that the province is conducting engineering assessments at 29 remote airports in northern Ontario to ensure compliance with federal regulations.
"These airports, operated by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO), are critical for connecting these First Nations to larger towns and cities, providing emergency access and medical evacuation, fighting forest fires, providing social services, and creating a clear path forward to unlocking unprecedented social and economic prosperity in Far North communities," Sarkaria wrote, adding that the province will look to Ottawa for funding to support "necessary infrastructure improvements."
—With files from Katherine DeClerq and Palak Mangat
