20 of Canada’s Biggest Major Projects for 2026
For years, one of the easiest criticisms of Canada was that we had forgotten how to build big things. We could study them, consult about them, commission a report about the consultation, and then commission another report explaining why the first report required further study.
Something, however, appears to be changing. At the Canada Investment Summit in Toronto, the federal government is putting a remarkable collection of Canadian investment opportunities in front of some of the world’s largest pools of capital.
The summit is part of a broader strategy to catalyse $1 trillion in total Canadian investment over the next five years. That does not mean Ottawa plans to spend $1 trillion, but rather that it wants public investment and policy to help unlock much larger amounts of private capital. (Canada Investment Summit)
We previously went through the entire 66-page investment prospectus and built a searchable database of its 167 projects. They range from mines and ports to LNG terminals, satellite constellations, AI data centres, high-speed trains and enormous renewable-energy developments.
This time we’re doing something slightly different. We’re looking at 20 of the largest projects in the entire prospectus, and “large” may be something of an understatement.
The biggest carries a stated capital scale of US$57 billion. The second is US$44 billion, the third is US$36 billion, and even project number 20 comes in at roughly US$ 4 billion-plus.
These aren’t twenty government-funded projects, nor are they twenty approved construction sites waiting for excavators. Some are advanced, some are seeking investors, some are moving through environmental reviews, and others remain extremely ambitious ideas.
Taken together, however, they provide a fascinating glimpse of the country Canada could become. And after spending considerable time buried in the details, I came away thinking that the country is considerably more ambitious than most Canadians probably realise.
How We Chose the 20 Biggest Projects
Before we start throwing around billions like we’re ordering appetisers, one important qualification is necessary. The prospectus mixes U.S. dollars, Canadian dollars and figures where the currency isn’t specified, so ranking them with mathematical precision would be misleading.
We’ve therefore preserved the capital figures as presented rather than quietly converting everything. We’re also using the largest stated project or phase scale where a development is presented in stages.
This is best understood as 20 of the largest projects presented at the Canada Investment Summit, not a forensic accounting exercise determining whether project number 13 is precisely $27.42 more expensive than project number 14.
Where newer government, regulatory or proponent information is available, I’ve also used it to determine where these projects stand today. With that housekeeping out of the way, let’s go shopping for megaprojects.
The 20 Biggest Projects in Canada’s Investment Pipeline
1. Port of Churchill Plus — Manitoba
Stated scale: US$57 billion
The biggest proposal in The 167 is really an entire northern economic corridor: an expanded Port of Churchill, modernised rail, an all-season road, marine icebreaking and potentially an energy corridor.
The existing port and railway are owned by the Indigenous-led Arctic Gateway Group, representing 41 First Nations and northern community shareholders. Ottawa says expansion could diversify Prairie trade toward Europe while strengthening Canada’s Arctic presence and sovereignty. Apparently, Churchill has decided that being famous for polar bears was not ambitious enough.
Major Projects Office: Port of Churchill Plus
2. Wind West — Nova Scotia
Stated scale: US$44 billion
Wind West is less a wind farm than an attempt to turn Atlantic Canada into an enormous clean-power platform. The federal Major Projects Office says the concept could tap more than 60 GW of Nova Scotia offshore wind potential, supported by new transmission connecting Atlantic and eastern markets.
The nearer-term ambition is to unlock 5,000 MW. Atlantic Canada has spent generations exporting fish, timber and people, so exporting vast quantities of electricity would be a rather welcome addition to the list.
Major Projects Office: Wind West
3. Novatron Energy — Québec
Stated scale: US$36 billion
Novatron is one of the more ambitious clean-energy proposals in the prospectus, envisioning a huge new energy platform connecting generation and markets in Québec and Atlantic Canada. At US$36 billion, this is firmly in nation-building territory rather than “let’s put a few solar panels on the warehouse.”
It is also among the projects where ambition currently outpaces publicly visible development details. That’s not necessarily bad because every megaproject begins as an idea. The trick, historically, has been getting Canada to the shovel part.
4. West Coast Oil Pipeline — Alberta and British Columbia
Stated scale: approximately $35 billion, currency unspecified
This one has moved well beyond a hypothetical line on a map. Alberta proposes a roughly 1,250-kilometre pipeline to transport one million barrels per day from the Edmonton region to a deepwater terminal in southern British Columbia.
Ottawa referred it to the Major Projects Office in July and is considering designation under the Building Canada Act. Whatever one’s feelings about oil, getting Canadian resources to customers other than the United States is becoming less an ideological question and more an economic-security strategy.
Major Projects Office: West Coast Oil Pipeline
5. Ksi Lisims LNG Terminal & PRGT Pipeline — British Columbia
Stated scale: approximately US$28.5 billion
Ksi Lisims combines a floating LNG export facility on B.C.’s north coast with the roughly 750-kilometre Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline. More interestingly, the project is being developed in partnership with the Nisg̱a’a Nation, Rockies LNG and Western LNG.
The project has received major federal and provincial environmental approvals and has secured European supply agreements. This isn’t simply Canada digging something up and shipping it south; it combines Indigenous ownership, Canadian energy and overseas customers. More of that combination, please.
Major Projects Office: Ksi Lisims LNG
And we’re only five projects in.
Canada’s investment pipeline stretches from LNG and Arctic infrastructure to high-speed rail, AI, batteries, and hydrogen, with projects worth tens of billions of dollars.
Subscribe for free to see the remaining 15 projects, including some Canadian megaprojects you probably haven’t heard about yet.
Hi Bo, great work as always. Aside from the Bell Data center what specific project have funding committed. Seems like lots of money was "pledged" but I can't see what any of it is tied to.
500 billion has been secured in the investment summit - only half of what’s needed to build these projects so that will have an impact as well. I’m thrilled to learn how many of these projects are for renewable energy and hope they do get built but understand that for now, oil and gas will likely be prioritized. Not ideal but necessary. Especially during the Iran oil crisis.