• Canada-EU summit will kick off formal talks on closer ties: Carney

  Source: Global News Politics
  Date: 2026-10-27 17:05:20.0
  Tags: [National, Trade, Economy, Labour, Resources, Mining]

  Prime Minister Mark Carney is meeting with European Union President Ursula von der Leyen and other EU officials in Montreal for a summit launching formal negotiations on an enhanced alliance and deeper partnership over the next year. The talks follow the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and encompass specialized labour mobility, potential Canadian participation in the Erasmus+ student exchange program, and critical minerals collaboration to reduce reliance on China. Additionally, the European Investment Bank has applied for an exemption from Canadian foreign banking rules to operate domestically as part of the critical minerals framework.

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• Nackawic mill workers and union push for government action as shutdown looms

  Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
  Date: 2026-10-16 20:51:04.0
  Tags: [New Brunswick, National, Labour, Industry, Trade, Resources]

  AV Group NB Inc. announced it will temporarily idle the AV Nackawic Mill in New Brunswick on November 4 due to prevailing market conditions and trade pressures, placing roughly 240 unionized workers and 300 to 350 direct jobs at risk. In response, Unifor leadership and local union representatives are pushing for government intervention, including a national forestry strategy, a joint government task force, a provincial modernization review, and keeping the facility heated through the winter. Premier Susan Holt stated that the Government of New Brunswick is working with AV Group NB Inc. and municipal officials to explore employment alternatives and facility uses while Working NB assists affected employees with federal and provincial benefits.

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• Baffinland asks judge to allow sale of assets to avoid mine closure

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-10-05 20:07:08.0
  Tags: [National, Mining, Economy, Resources, Labour, Indigenous]

  Debt-stricken Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. has asked the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to approve the sale of its shares, assets, or the Mary River Mine on northern Baffin Island to prevent liquidation and mine closure. As of May 14, the company owed $2.6 billion to 231 creditors—including a dozen northern businesses and organizations—following creditor protection granted in May and a subsequent $660-million loan from federal Export Development Canada. The company's financial crisis was partly driven by spending more than $1.5 billion on its failed Phase 2 railway expansion proposal, which was rejected by the federal government after opposition from north Baffin communities. The potential liquidation threatens the loss of over 1,200 jobs at one of Nunavut's largest private sector employers, with a court appearance scheduled before an Ontario judge.

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• Liberals table bill to speed up major project approvals, avert labour disruptions

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-21 23:13:50.0
  Tags: [National, Infrastructure, Energy, Resources, Labour, Governance]

  Prime Minister Mark Carney's government tabled Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, to fast-track major project approvals, reduce federal review timelines to one year for the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and six months for the Canada Energy Regulator and Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and establish pre-approved economic zones of "national interest." The legislation transfers review responsibilities for pipelines and transmission lines from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada to the Canada Energy Regulator, and for nuclear projects to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. Additionally, the bill amends the Canada Labour Code to mandate collective bargaining six months prior to agreement expiry under specific conditions, require federally mediated relationship repair work following work stoppages, and increase penalties for bad faith bargaining.

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• Uncertainty hangs over Nackawic after pulp mill announces temporary shutdown

  Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-18 20:32:12.0
  Tags: [New Brunswick, Economy, Industry, Resources, Labour]

  AV Group NB Inc., a subsidiary of India-based Aditya Birla Group, announced the temporary idling of its AV Nackawic dissolving-grade pulp mill facility west of Fredericton, effective around the end of October. The shutdown will result in 350 workers losing their jobs, including 228 represented by the union Unifor. The company cited surplus market supply of dissolving-grade pulp and production costs outpacing stable price realizations as the primary drivers. Municipal and provincial officials, including Natural Resources Minister John Herron and Premier Susan Holt, expressed concern over the impact on the local economy and forestry sector, with provincial authorities working to assemble a support plan for affected workers.

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• New Brunswick mill laying off hundreds of workers, union says

  Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-17 21:44:08.0
  Tags: [New Brunswick, Labour, Industry, Resources, Economy]

  Unifor reports that the AV Nackawic mill, a subsidiary of the India-based Aditya Birla Group located in Nackawic-Millville, New Brunswick, will temporarily idle operations and lay off 228 workers in November. The facility produces dissolving grade pulp used for textiles and serves as a major economic driver for the rural community. New Brunswick Natural Resources Minister John Herron stated that the provincial government is developing a response plan to support the affected workers.

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• Tree planting project creating positive opportunities in Wekweètì, says chief

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-09-02 15:36:49.0
  Tags: [National, Environment, Climate, Resources, Indigenous, Labour]

  The Tłįchǫ Government is advancing a regional reforestation initiative to plant 13 million black and white spruce trees across the Tłįchǫ region by 2030, backed by federal funding and implemented with the help of the contractor Let's Plant Trees. In Wekweètì, Northwest Territories, a crew of approximately 45 people flew in to plant 425,000 seedlings over a two-week period following wildfire damage. The project is injecting between $100,000 and $150,000 directly into the local economy through community culture camp rentals, boat transport, and bear guarding services, while providing daily piece-rate wages ranging from $250 to $700 for local workers.

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