New report charts a fast-track to energy, critical minerals and infrastructure development that could generate $1.1 trillion in GDP growth by 2035

OTTAWA, ON, May 15, 2025 /CNW/ - The Public Policy Forum (PPF) today released a landmark report that outlines urgent strategies to accelerate investment in energy, critical mineral and infrastructure projects.

Build Big Things: A Playbook to Turbocharge Investment in Major Energy, Critical Minerals and Infrastructure Projects delivers a how-to for Canada to drive economic growth and prosperity. Against the backdrop of sluggish Canadian productivity, U.S. tariffs and fierce international competition for energy and critical mineral resources, the report says the case for urgent, coordinated action to unlock more capital investment has never been more clear. It sets out how to better coordinate public and private sector financing, streamline regulations, increase Indigenous economic participation and ensure we have the people and critical infrastructure required to get projects to Final Investment Decision (FID).

Backed by new economic modeling from Navius Research Inc., the report says that advancing more than 500 current and proposed major resource projects — spanning clean electricity, oil and gas, mining and clean technologies — to FID could generate up to $1.1 trillion in cumulative GDP growth, representing a roughly 4.5 percent increase in Canada's GDP by 2035.

"A new economic order is emerging where Canada's resource strengths are more valuable than ever. This is the moment for Canada to embrace big ambitions and a comprehensive vision of its place in this changing landscape," the report says. "This approach can build a stronger economic future for Canada by maximizing its resource potential, decarbonizing its energy systems, diversifying its export base and positioning it to capture global markets for its resource products."

PPF believes the Build Big Things report is the most comprehensive review yet of the policies needed to accelerate projects to FID. The report was developed through a months-long consultation process that engaged more than 150 leaders from across the country, including officials representing more than 95 percent of all energy producers and mining activities in Canada, as well as Indigenous leaders, industry associations and representatives from financial services, civil society, and federal, provincial, and territorial governments.

"Canada has vast potential to rapidly accelerate its growth by tackling the identified barriers and implementing the proposed playbook — the opportunities are enormous. It is imperative that we unleash our natural advantage," said Jay Khosla, Executive Director of Economic and Energy Policy at PPF and lead on the Build Big Things report. "We now have agreement on the importance of accelerating new investment and project approvals to launch a wave of energy, critical minerals and infrastructure growth without precedent, but we're going to need urgent and co-ordinated public and private sector support to get it done."  

The report injects fresh, entrepreneurial policy thinking on how to get economy kickstarted, suggesting '10 essential plays' that include:

Implement a national game plan with a shared vision, aligning public and private sector action to deliver energy, critical minerals and infrastructure projects;

Declare a list of 'no-regrets' nation-building projects that drive economic growth and prosperity, strengthen security, uphold environmental responsibility and advance reconciliation;

Speed up and streamline regulatory and permitting approvals to a two-year timeline, with new legislation if necessary;

Launch a Strategic Investment Office to serve as a one-stop shop for financing, regulatory and permitting approvals, enabling critical infrastructure and Indigenous consultation; 

Rationalize and integrate the federal 'alphabet soup' of programs and agencies to provide coherence and reduce duplication; and

Advance meaningful Indigenous economic participation by enabling access to capital, equity ownership opportunities and capacity building that fosters lasting trust.

"Canada is an energy country and we cannot achieve our growth ambitions without unlocking investment in this sector," said Inez Jabalpurwala, PPF President and CEO. "We'll be doing more work in this area under the rubric of our new 'Mission Canada' initiative to find actionable policies that build Canadian prosperity."

SOURCE Public Policy Forum

For more information, contact: Alison Uncles, Vice-President, PPF Media + Communications, Public Policy Forum, [email protected]