One called pipelines a matter of sovereignty. Another focused on building out electricity infrastructure. One emphasized exports. Another ruled out fossil fuel development entirely.
Energy policy is so tied to the economy it’s become central in this election and there are many contrasts in what this looks like depending on which party’s policy platform you are reading. It was a top issue in both the English and French-language leaders’ debates, shaping how each party framed the economy, trade, and Canada’s role in the world.
The Conservatives have released their fully costed platform, as did the Liberal Party, and so has the NDP. A fully costed platform outlines the price tag of campaign promises and how things get paid for, offering a clearer sense of priorities and trade-offs. Taken with what was said on stage, the platforms get into the details and show what each party is prioritizing — and what they are not.
We are focused on what these commitments mean for Canadians who care about economic prosperity, energy security, affordability, and community impact. We know from our research that 85 per cent of engaged women say a strong energy sector is essential to Canada’s future, so we’re looking closely at the details in each platform.
We are non-partisan, but not neutral on outcomes that matter to engaged women.
Before comparing platforms, it’s important to understand two federal laws shaping the debate both of which were passed in 2019:
- Bill C-69, the Impact Assessment Act, created new rules for reviewing major infrastructure projects. It expanded consultation requirements and has been criticized for causing delays and uncertainty.
- Bill C-48, the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act, bans large tankers from docking on British Columbia’s northern coast, limiting access to overseas markets, particularly Asia, for Canadian oil.
What the Conservatives are committing to
The Conservative platform includes $110 billion in new measures over four years and projects a $100 billion deficit during that time. It relies on revenue from economic growth and government spending reductions to offset new costs. On energy, the platform prioritizes infrastructure expansion, regulatory reform, and export capacity. The platform frames energy as a matter of national independence and outlines specific projects and timelines, offering a level of clarity and planning that would support investment confidence.
Poilievre says federal project review timelines would drop from five years, to a one year maximum, with a target of six months. The platform names 10 specific projects that would be approved within this timeframe and includes tools to support energy and mining development, including in Ontario’s Ring of Fire, a mineral-rich region with deposits like nickel and chromium.
In summary:
- Legislation: Repeal Bill C-69 and Bill C-48
- Major projects and timelines: Confirm a list of 10 priority projects, including pipelines and Ring of Fire mining.
- Energy corridors: Build cross-country corridors including oil, gas, and LNG pipelines
- Carbon policy: Repeal the industrial carbon tax and cancel the proposed emissions cap on oil and gas. The goal is to make it easier for companies to invest, grow production, create jobs, increase exports and lower global emissions.
- Indigenous participation: Offer revenue sharing and Indigenous loan guarantees through establishing the Canadian Indigenous Opportunities Corporation
- Nuclear development: Expand nuclear power and streamline permitting
Together, these commitments frame energy as an economic and strategic priority. The plan emphasizes faster approvals, national planning, and stronger trade infrastructure, with Indigenous equity as part of long-term competitiveness.
This direction aligns with what 79 per cent of engaged women support: developing a national energy corridor that includes pipelines for oil and natural gas.
The platform positions Canadian energy development as a way to increase energy independence by reducing reliance on U.S. infrastructure and accelerating domestic pipelines. This ties directly to our research findings, with 80% of engaged women supporting the fast-tracking of an energy corridor and calling for urgent improvements to the regulatory system to enable it.
What the Liberals are putting forward
The Liberal platform includes nearly $130 billion in new spending over four years and adds $225 billion to the federal debt. When it comes to energy, it emphasizes grid infrastructure and critical mineral development. While the Liberal Party website mentions a national trade and energy corridor, the formal platform and costing plan include no specific details or funding for one and there is ambiguity about whether or not this would include pipelines.
The plan proposes a new Major Federal Project Office but retains Bill C-69 and C-48. Infrastructure investments include electricity transmission and Indigenous loan guarantees, but no oil, gas, LNG projects or terminals are included.
- Legislation: Keep Bill C-69 and C-48
- East-West grid investment: Commit $500 million per year starting in 2026 to build an east-west electricity grid, as part of a broader corridor focused on transmission and critical minerals. The platform excludes oil and gas infrastructure, specifically pipelines and LNG terminals.
- Indigenous participation: Expand the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program with $250 million per year
- Infrastructure funds: The platform promises support for corridor and trade infrastructure but does not detail how these projects would be funded. The only infrastructure spending with a dedicated budget is a $3-billion First and Last Mile Fund, focused on electricity and critical minerals.
- Carbon policy: Maintain and increase the industrial carbon tax and implement an emissions cap on the oil and gas sector
- Energy corridors: The Liberal platform references a national trade and energy corridor, with a $5 billion Trade Diversification Corridor Fund allocated in the costing plan. However, detailed information on the corridor’s scope, routes, timelines, or implementation is not provided in the formal platform documents.
The platform outlines priorities for electricity and mineral infrastructure. It does not include plans for pipelines, LNG, or oil and gas export capacity. While corridor language appears online, it is not backed by specific proposals or dedicated funding for energy infrastructure in the formal policy or fiscal documents.
Carney has also described Canada’s potential to be an ‘energy superpower’ stating energy is a national security issue and emphasized reducing dependence on imports, but the platform’s focus is on electricity and transmission. These priorities are not reflected in any pipeline or refining infrastructure commitments or references to revenue from exporting oil and gas or liquid natural gas, making their implementation difficult to assess.
This stands out given that 85 per cent of engaged women support building pipelines and refining capacity within Canada to reduce reliance on the United States. In addition, 73 per cent support expanding oil and gas production for export, and 81 per cent agree that growing Canada’s energy sector will help position the country as a global energy leader.
What the NDP is proposing
The NDP platform focuses on expanding renewable electricity and public ownership of energy infrastructure. It opposes new oil, gas, and LNG development and does not reference national energy corridors or export infrastructure.
- Fossil fuel infrastructure: Opposes projects like Energy East and LNG Québec, stating they should not proceed without Quebec’s approval.
- Provincial oversight: Supports Quebec’s right to apply its own environmental standards to major projects.
- Electricity: Commits to building an east-west electricity grid and investing in publicly owned renewable energy.
- Carbon policy: Supports enforceable emissions targets and more public ownership of the energy system, focused on renewables and electricity infrastructure, not expanding oil and gas.
The platform envisions a shift toward renewable power replacing fossil fuels, but it does not address the ongoing role oil and gas play in meeting domestic and global energy needs.
This stands in contrast to the views of many engaged women, as the vast majority favour building a national corridor that includes pipelines for oil and natural gas, reflecting support for both near-term energy security and long-term transition.
What this tells us
Energy is one of the clearest dividing lines in this election, and engaged women are paying close attention.
Over the past two years, engaged women have consistently said they support a diverse energy mix with no exclusions. They are proud of Canada’s energy and resource sectors and want policies that provide energy security, economic prosperity, affordability, and national planning. Above all, they are looking for clarity and predictability, because that is what helps bring capital investment back to Canada.
Each party platform offers a different answer to these priorities. One party commits to a national corridor that includes oil and gas, with specific projects identified. Another references a national trade and energy corridor online and includes a funding allocation in the fiscal plan, but the formal platform provides no detail on oil and gas infrastructure or specific project commitments. A third rules out oil and gas expansion entirely and focuses on renewables and public infrastructure.
What leaders say in debates and public appearances does not always match what is written in their official platforms. That is why it is important to look closely at the details, because they really matter.
In an election where energy is a central issue, Canadians deserve clarity, and party leaders should be expected to provide it.