The federal government will invest $3 billion in drilling in Canada’s Arctic, as it prepares to sign a new deal to invest billions of dollars in Arctic oil and gas exploration.
The deal, worth $2.7 billion, will be announced on Tuesday at a cabinet meeting.
In a news release, Minister of Natural Resources Bill Bennett said the announcement was a “historic day” for Canada.
He said Canada’s future as a global leader in Arctic development depends on the continued development of this vast and resource rich region.
Bennett said it will also ensure that Canadian oil and natural gas companies have access to the world’s largest, most accessible oil and the fastest-growing oil sands.
It will also help Canada maintain the best long-term prospects for Canada’s oil sands, he said.
Last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada’s intent to invest more than $5.5 billion over the next five years in exploration, development and production in the Arctic.
Earlier this month, a report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer predicted Canada would spend more than three times the $3.5-billion budget earmarked for the Arctic to drill for oil and drill for gas.
The Canadian government’s announcement is a significant boost for Arctic development as it sets the stage for billions of Canadian dollars to be spent on exploration, production and exports of the resource, Bennett said in a statement.
The government will also create two new projects, one for Arctic offshore and one for Canadian offshore, in order to accelerate development of the Arctic’s vast reserves of oil and mineral resources.
“We are looking forward to an unprecedented period of partnership in the oil and resource sector, and this investment is the latest step in that direction,” Bennett said.
“This investment will create jobs and strengthen our economy and create jobs for Canadians in the long term.
We have invested in the future of our economy, and it will continue to be our goal to do so.”
