Question Period Note: CanNor – Support to Northern Infrastructure Development (SNID) initiative

CanNor – Support to Northern Infrastructure Development (SNID) initiative

• The Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Arctic sovereignty and defence through sustained investments in strategic infrastructure and resilient Northern communities.

• We are actively strengthening project readiness through a new program delivered by the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency; the Support to Northern Infrastructure Development (SNID) initiative, launched in March 2026.

• This initiative complements the larger Arctic Infrastructure Fund, a $1 billion program delivered by Transport Canada.

• CanNor will deliver the $41.7M SNID program over four years through both funding and enhanced services to strengthen the regulatory, consultation, and project-readiness foundations required to advance infrastructure projects.

Background:

• Guided by the new Trade Infrastructure Strategy, the $1 billion Arctic Infrastructure Fund supports dual-use transportation assets to support northern projects, strengthen Arctic sovereignty and promote trade diversification.

• CanNor’s SNID initiative is being delivered through two streams:
Stream 1: Getting Projects Approved will support consultation readiness for Indigenous governments and organizations; and,
Stream 2: Getting Projects Shovel Ready will provide proponent support for project management capacity-building.

Program Delivery:
• SNID helps accelerate infrastructure projects to shovel-ready status, while supporting long-term economic benefits for Northern and Indigenous communities.

• Through SNID, CanNor is providing enhanced services via its Northern Projects Management Office (NPMO), as well as a new Centre of Expertise and Project Management Hub, to support critical northern infrastructure projects.

• Delivered through a targeted intake, SNID supports activities such as consultation protocols, regulatory roadmaps, technical and traditional knowledge studies, and project readiness and capacity supports.

• SNID will focus on projects receiving support through, or preparing for consideration, under the AIF, while also strengthening communities to participate in and benefit from these activities.