Updated: April 30, 2025

On April 28, 2025, the Rt. Hon. Mark Carney and the Liberal Party won the 45th Canadian federal election. Preliminary results (April 29th) show the Liberal Party winning 168 seats, the Conservative Party with 144 seats, the Bloc Quebecois with 23 seats, the New Democratic Party with 7 seats, and one seat for the Green Party. This means the Liberal Party will form a minority government with 4 fewer seats than the 172 needed to form a majority government. 

As a non-partisan organization, the Atlantica Centre for Energy observes government regulations and policies and provides unbiased feedback on how such decisions could impact Atlantic Canada’s energy sector. The Centre gathered information about energy-related commitments and policies by leading parties and party leaders during the Election period.   

The following list includes recent commitments made by Prime Minister Carney and the Liberal Party relating to the energy sector.  

Liberal Party of Canada – Mark Carney:

  • Liberal Party of Canada 2025 Platform
  • Project and infrastructure development:
    • Prime Minister Carney has promised to establish a $5 billion Trade Diversification Corridor Fund, to build the infrastructure that will help diversify our trade partners, create good jobs and drive economic growth. This fund will accelerate nation-building projects at ports, railroads, inland terminals, airports, and highways. This will build one Canadian economy and diversify our trade away from the United States. (source)
    • Work with provinces and territories to build out an East-West electricity grid. (source)
    • Create a federal “One Window” approval process for large infrastructure and natural resource projects, and a “one project, one approval” principle to help “create clear, predictable, and efficient review processes.” Most projects would also recognize provincial environmental and impact review processes and decisions. (source)
      • Fast-track Projects of National Interest, which would be jointly identified with provinces and territories and Indigenous peoples. Federal regulatory authorities would complete reviews for these projects on a two-year timeline. Large investments will be prioritized with even quicker approval timelines to accelerate critical economic developments. (source)
      • A Major Federal Project Office would be established to move forward with One Project, One Review. (source)
      • Sign Cooperation and Substitution Agreements with all willing provinces, territories, and Indigenous Governing Bodies within six months, to help projects only go through one review. (source)
      • Work with project proponents. provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners proactively to do proactive remediation and rehabilitation work at project sites so projects move faster. (source)
    • Establish a First Mile Fund to build transportation networks to connect energy extraction sites to rail lines and roads. (source)
    • Immediately direct federal departments (including Natural Resources Canada) to take meaningful action on reducing red tape and strengthening our internal trade and supply chains. (source)
    • Double the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program from $5 billion to $10 billion and expand it to support more Indigenous-led infrastructure projects. It is unclear when these changes are effective. (source) (source)
    • Authorize Canadian ports to cooperate instead of compete, in order to maximize efficiencies by leveraging comparative advantages. (source)
    • Increase capacity funding for Indigenous communities to engage on projects early and consistently. (source)
    • Keep in place changes made by Bill C-69: An Act to enact the Impact Assessment Act and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, to amend the Navigation Protection Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts. (source)
  • Carbon pricing:
    • Prime Minister Carney committed to improve and tighten the Output-Based Pricing System (OBPS) for large, industrial emitters, and extend the OBPS framework to 2035. (source)
    • Develop and integrate a new consumer carbon credit market with the industrial pricing system (OBPS). (source)
    • Support Carbon Contracts for Difference to de-risk climate investments.
    • It is important to note that Prime Minister Carney already repealed consumer carbon pricing effective April 1, 2025. (source)
    • Instead of consumer carbon pricing, a system of incentives to reward Canadians for making greener choices would be created, such as purchasing an energy efficient appliance, electric vehicle, or improved home insulation. (source) Examples include commitments to:
      • Enhance and recapitalize the Greener Homes Grant and improve the efficiency of the application process, targeting support for lower income households. (source)
      • Strengthen the current oil-to-heat pump affordability program. (source)
      • Explore offering discounts on mortgage insurance premiums through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation for low- or middle-income households that make energy efficient renovations or purchase energy efficient homes. (source)
      • Recapitalize the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) subsidy program to reinstate subsidies of $5,000 to low- and middle-income households. (source)
      • Expand Canada’s electric vehicle charging station infrastructure through green bonds and public-private financing. (source)
    • Develop a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to prevent carbon leakage and better economically integrate Canada with allies on emission reduction efforts. (source)
  • Oil and gas sector:
    • Prime Minister Carney’s stance on the federal government’s proposed Oil and Gas Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap remains unclear.
    • Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Minister stated there are no plans to remove the proposed Emissions Cap. However, Prime Minister Carney stated a willingness to work with industry to reduce emissions: “We will work with the oil and gas sector to reduce their emissions in a cost effective and efficient manner.” (source) (source)
    • Explore strengthening existing commitments, such as the oil and gas methane regulations. (source)
    • Implement an efficiency mandate for low-temperature industrial heat (not exclusive to the oil and gas sector). (source)
    • Examine measures to reduce Canada’s reliance on imported clean fuels as part of our plan to support Canadian farmers and businesses. (source)
  • Training and labour:
    • Prime Minister Carney committed to provide an Apprenticeship Grant of up to $8,000 for registered apprentices to help remove a financial barrier to skills training. This will remove a key financial barrier to skills training. (source)
    • Increase labour mobility for skilled trades people between provinces and territories by removing some internal trade barriers. (source)
    • Increase the Union Training and Innovation Program from $25 million to $50 million annually. (source)
    • Establish a new $20 million capital funding stream for colleges to support new training spaces for apprenticeships. (source)
    • Expand the Labour Mobility Tax Deduction to help travelling workers (more than 120km from home to a job site). (source)
    • Continue the Apprenticeship Service program to support employers in hiring new apprentices in Red Seal trades, with up to $10,000 for eligible employers for each new apprentice hired. (source)
    • Launch a new training and upskilling benefit worth up to $15,000 for workers in the middle of their careers. It is unclear if this benefit would be available for careers in the energy sector. (source)
  • Energy investment tax credits (ITCs):
    • Prime Minister Carney committed to keep the federal government’s current suite of investment tax credits for clean energy, and finalize the tax credits under development. (source)
  • Other:
    • Prime Minsiter Carney committed to move quickly to finalize and implement the Made-in-Canada Sustainable Investment Guidelines—also known as the transition taxonomy, and implement a taxonomy for every priority sector by fall 2026. (source)
    • Mandate broad coverage of climate risk disclosure for companies across Canada. (source)
    • Phase out the use of fossil fuels in federal government buildings by 2030. (source)
    • Establish Canadian-made standards for federal infrastructure funding. (source)
    • Open a $25 billion export credit facility to support Canadian businesses as they expand into new markets. It is unclear if this credit facility would support energy products, services or equipment. (source)
    • Invest an additional $250 million in the Rural Transit Solutions Fund to improve transportation options in rural and small communities. (source)
    • Provide disaster mitigation and recovery funding where infrastructure that connects Canada is under threat. It is unclear how much support will be available and for what types of infrastructure. (source)
    • Issue Canada’s first-ever transition bonds by 2027, to finance projects that help industrial and agricultural sectors get cleaner and more competitive. The federal government will issue at least $10 billion per year through new bonds. (source)
    • Extend the Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Investment Tax Credit to 2035 and establish a separate carbon removal target for Canada for 2035 and 2040. (source)