The Canadian Northern Corridor Roundtable Program: Results and Lessons Learned

The Canadian Northern Corridor (CNC) Research Program is an investigation of the feasibility, desirability and acceptability of the corridor concept in advancing integrated, long-term infrastructure planning and development in Canada. The concept involves a series of multi-modal rights-of-way across mid- and northern Canada to provide space for efficient, timely and integrated development of infrastructure, including combinations of road, rail, transmission, pipeline, communications, port and airport infrastructure. While there is no final CNC routing, the notional corridor reaches across Canada’s mid- and northern regions, connecting all three coasts and creating interlinkages with the existing southern transportation corridors. These would be expected to make public and private infrastructure investments more attractive by reducing approval costs and uncertainties, sharing costs associated with establishing and administering rights-of-way, decreasing environmental footprints and, in general, moving to a more strategic, integrated and long-term approach to infrastructure planning and development. Overall, a CNC could potentially expand and diversify Canada’s international and national trade opportunities, increase Canada’s overall income and employment growth, support development and living standards for Indigenous, mid- and northern Canadian communities, and assist with Canada’s northern security and sovereignty goals.