The Canadian Northern Corridor Research Program includes multiple studies, across several areas of expertise, to address the many facets of the corridor concept including financial, legal, geographical, socio-economic, environmental, regulatory, governance and policy dimensions. The purpose is to provide the information and analysis necessary to establish the feasibility of the Canadian Northern Corridor.
Implications of a Northern Corridor on Soft Infrastructure in the North and Near North
Julia Christensen
The School of Public Policy Publications
Volume 16 • Number 25 • August 2023
Disparities in health care, education and employment, housing and social welfare have long been documented in Northern Canada. These disparities have been linked to colonialism, ineffective social policy, uneven development and the high costs of service delivery and infrastructure in northern regions. This literature review aims to present a comprehensive understanding of existing research on the current state of soft infrastructure and its deficits in Canada’s North and near-North regions.
Canadian Competitiveness for Infrastructure Investment
Mukesh Khanal, Robert Mansell and G. Kent Fellows
The School of Public Policy Publications
Volume 16 • Number 24 • August 2023
This paper provides a broad overview of the infrastructure investment landscape in Canada and our reputation as a competitive destination for such investment. We compare the Canadian infrastructure investment environment and recent outcomes with those of a set of peer nations (G7 countries plus Australia).
The Northern Corridor, Food Insecurity and the Resource Curse for Indigenous Communities in Canada
Shirley Thompson, Stewart Hill, Annette Salles, Tanzim Ahmed, Ajarat Adegun, and Uche Nwankwo
The School of Public Policy Publications
Volume 16 • Number 20 • June 2023
Food insecurity rates for Canada’s Indigenous people are the worst among developed nations, demanding immediate action to prevent an impending health crisis. This research found that, rather than improving food security and providing benefits, trade corridors typically bring a resource curse to Indigenous communities, leading to worse food insecurity for impacted Indigenous communities in Canada.
Species and Areas Under Protection: Challenges and Opportunities for the Canadian Northern Corridor
Steven M. Vamosi
The School of Public Policy Publications
Volume 16 • Number 18 • June 2023
Given the potential magnitude of corridor development, there are many implications for the lands, waterways, and habitats with which a northern corridor could either intersect directly or affect indirectly through cascading effects. This study used literature searches focused on the intersection of biodiversity, conservation research, government policies and engagement with Indigenous knowledge systems. Given the diversity of topics and the amount of research available in some areas, this study highlights, rather than comprehensively treats, potential biodiversity challenges associated with the CNC.
A Review of Funding and Financing Models for Infrastructure Corridor Megaprojects, and Implications for the Canadian Northern Corridor
David Large and Ahmad Teymouri
The School of Public Policy Publications
Volume 15 • Number 47 • April 2023
The objectives of this research paper are to contribute to the SPP’s research program by conducting an examination of the financing and funding models employed in similar megaprojects elsewhere in the world, and to extract knowledge that would be useful to help complete the feasibility analysis.
The Usage of Indigenous Languages as a Tool for Meaningful Engagement with Northern Indigenous Governments and Communities
Jenanne Ferguson and Evgeniia (Jen) Sidorova
The School of Public Policy Publications
Volume 15 • Issue 46 • April 2023
Finding common ground among Indigenous peoples, governments and industry on engagement and consultation practices is imperative to the future of resource development and the Canadian economy, and ultimately to the reconciliation of the relationships between Indigenous Peoples and Canada. In this paper, we focus on language, stressing that languages are more than just tools. Rather, all communicative systems also hold both individual and cultural identities, histories and memory, and encode knowledge in specific ways.
Regulatory Alignment for Multi-Modal Infrastructure Corridors
Rowland J. Harrison
The School of Public Policy Publications
Volume 15 • Number 42 • March 2023
This paper reviews whether there are any existing models “for regulatory oversight and approval for multi-modal corridors and the subsequent placement of infrastructure within” that might be appropriate in developing the CNC. The paper concludes that existing models do not include certain of the elements of the CNC Concept as it has evolved to date, nor could any of the models be applied within the framework of Canada’s jurisdictional realities that would govern the CNC.
Indigenous Land Ownership and Title in Canada: Implications for a Northern Corridor
Cherie Metcalf
The School of Public Policy Publications
Volume 15 • Number 10 • March 2023
The goal of this research paper is to outline the law of Indigenous peoples’ land ownership rights, including proven and asserted title, Crown-Indigenous treaty relations and obligations and Indigenous land claims agreements, and to consider the implications for a large-scale infrastructure project like the Northern Corridor. The focus is on the legal and regulatory aspects of Indigenous peoples’ land rights within the non-Indigenous Canadian legal system. It concludes that, for a proposal like the Northern Corridor, further study is required to fully appreciate the implications of these nascent developments and consider how they should be reflected in the project proposal.
Estimating Future Costs for Infrastructure in the Proposed Canadian Northern Corridor at Risk from Climate Change
Nathan S. Debortoli, Tristan D. Pearce, and James D. Ford
The School of Public Policy Publications
Volume 15 • Number 39 • March 2023
This paper reviews current climate change projections for northern Canada and considers what these mean for infrastructure development in the proposed Canadian Northern Corridor (CNC). We focus on chokepoints along the corridor’s notional route and estimate future costs of infrastructure along the chokepoints. We draw upon climate change projections at the end of the century (2100) using information from several climate variables sourced on the CMIP6 and CMIP5 reports. Infrastructure built along the CNC route will need to be designed to remain functional under different climatic conditions that predominate today. Chokepoints will dictate how buildings and transportation infrastructure should be planned.
Air Connectivity and Airport Infrastructure in Northern Canada
Alexandre G. de Barros, Marcela Coelho Lopes, and Iyad Sahnoon
The School of Public Policy Publications
Volume 15 • Number 37 • February 2023
The paper presents an analysis of existing air transportation services and infrastructure along the notional Canadian Northern Corridor. It examines the current level of infrastructure and services, existing federal and territorial policies regarding northern and Arctic air connectivity, and the potential impact of climate change on air transportation systems in northern Canada.
