There’s a lot of excitement about energy in Canada right now, and for good reason.
The recent announcement of Canada’s major projects office (MPO) has brought dozens of major economic development projects into the spotlight. If you’re a student interested in the energy sector like myself, I’d recommend looking through all the exciting projects bringing Canada one step closer to being an energy superpower. You may even find some that shape your future career path.
MPO-tied projects are in various phases of planning and development, with some further along than others. Here are 3 projects at the top of my wishlist for Canada’s energy future:
You may know that Ontario is home to most of Canada’s nuclear power, but did you know that it’s building the first Small Modular Reactor (SMR) of the G7 countries?
The Darlington Nuclear project will build 4 SMRs in Clarington, Ontario, that together will power 1.2 million homes.
But what’s so special about SMRs?
An SMR is like a mini nuclear power plant built in a fraction of the time and at a lower cost. The first of 4 reactors in the Darlington project began construction in May 2025 and is expected to be operational by 2030. The best part? Darlington will not be the last SMR project we see in Canada – this is just the beginning.
In 2025, Ontario signed an agreement with Alberta, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick to collaborate on future SMR development. The Darlington project is proof that nuclear is ready to be deployed here at home.
What is the economic benefit for us Canadians? In addition to providing cheap, reliable electricity for growing populations in Ontario and New Brunswick, SMRs also help develop the uranium value chain at home.
Nuclear reactors use uranium as their fuel source and as the world’s second largest producer of uranium, Canada is perfectly positioned to build SMR projects domestically. The Darlington project has already provided around 4000 new jobs in Ontario and will support mining jobs in Saskatchewan as uranium demand increases.
It’s a really exciting time for young Canadians interested in nuclear power.
Ever wonder what’s in east-central Saskatchewan?
Turns out, this area is known as McIlvenna Bay, home to almost 21,000 hectares of land holding an estimated 39 million tonnes of minerals. The most abundant are copper and zinc, which are critical in a digitized world, especially for the ever-growing battery industry.
In January 2025, the federal government invested $41 million into the project through its Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF). This fund is dedicated to supporting projects that will have a significant impact on Canada’s economic growth.
This tells me that Canada is betting big on Saskatchewan’s mining sector. This makes sense as 27 of Canada’s 34 critical minerals are found there and mining is a critical component of the provincial economy.
The Foran project will bring another 400 mining jobs to the province and tap into one of the largest copper deposits in the country. Construction alone has brought in roughly 800 jobs through contract work in skilled trades and engineering. To see this work in action, take a look at this recent update video from Foran.
If you’re interested in mining, this is definitely one to watch. Construction reached 88% completion in January and is expected to be operational by mid-2026.
If you ask me, wind is one of Canada’s largest untapped energy resources that we are only recently beginning to harness.
Nova Scotia will be central to Canada’s future in wind energy as it has one of the world’s most competitive untapped offshore wind reserves. This means huge potential for large-scale electricity generation on Canada’s east coast.
The Wind West energy project is a proposed offshore wind farm with the potential to meet 27% of Canada’s entire electricity demand. The project would include wind energy infrastructure and transmission lines connecting the grids of the Maritime provinces with Quebec. Four designated land areas were identified in July 2025 and the project is expected to be operational by 2033.
Although the project has not begun construction, one thing is certain: this is a big opportunity for Nova Scotia.
Royalties from the project would go directly into funding infrastructure development in the province. Not only will this project provide numerous jobs in engineering and skilled trades, it will also aid in the building of key infrastructure like schools and hospitals.
A project supporting our entire country’s energy demand and supporting local infrastructure? Sounds like a perfect pairing to me.
And that’s a wrap on my energy wishlist. What projects do you hope to see come into the spotlight this year?
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