Canada could add as much as C$1.1-trillion to its economy by 2035 if it accelerates investment decisions on more than 500 energy, mining and infrastructure projects, according to a new report by the Public Policy Forum.

The 'Build Big Things' report, released on Thursday, offers a policy playbook aimed at boosting Canada’s sluggish productivity and countering global competition in critical minerals and energy. It calls for regulatory reform, streamlined permitting, expanded Indigenous participation and a national strategy to accelerate project approvals.

“A new economic order is emerging where Canada’s resource strengths are more valuable than ever,” the report states. “This is the moment for Canada to embrace big ambitions and a comprehensive vision of its place in this changing landscape.”

The report, backed by modelling from Navius Research, outlines a scenario in which fast-tracking major resource developments, including in oil and gas, clean power, mining and clean tech, adds about 4.5% to the country’s GDP over the next decade.

With US tariffs rising and demand for critical minerals and low-carbon energy intensifying globally, the Forum says “the case for urgent, coordinated action to unlock more capital investment has never been more clear".

“Canada has vast potential to rapidly accelerate its growth by tackling the identified barriers and implementing the proposed playbook - the opportunities are enormous. It is imperative that we unleash our natural advantage,” says Public Policy Forum executive director of economic and energy policy Jay Khosla, who is also the lead author of the report.

“We now have agreement on the importance of accelerating new investment and project approvals to launch a wave of energy, critical minerals and infrastructure growth without precedent, but we're going to need urgent and coordinated public and private sector support to get it done.”

The report proposes a new national strategy that aligns public and private sector action around a shared vision. It recommends streamlining regulatory and permitting processes to a two-year timeline, establishing a Strategic Investment Office to serve as a central hub for project financing and approvals, and reducing duplication by integrating existing federal agencies and programmes. It also calls for the declaration of key “no-regrets” nation-building projects that can drive economic, environmental and reconciliation goals.

A major pillar of the plan is advancing Indigenous economic participation by improving access to capital, creating equity ownership opportunities and investing in capacity-building. The Forum argues that trust and long-term partnerships with Indigenous communities will be critical to the success of Canada’s infrastructure and resource ambitions.

Developed after consultations with more than 150 leaders from across the country – including representatives of more than 95% of Canadian energy producers and mining firms, along with Indigenous leaders, civil society, financial institutions and government officials – the report is described as the most comprehensive assessment yet of the policy tools required to fast-track major projects.

“Canada is an energy country and we cannot achieve our growth ambitions without unlocking investment in this sector,” said Inez Jabalpurwala, president and CEO of the Public Policy Forum. “We’ll be doing more work in this area under the rubric of our new ‘Mission Canada’ initiative to find actionable policies that build Canadian prosperity.”

The Forum says its approach is intended to help overcome long-standing barriers that have slowed capital deployment and eroded investor confidence. The goal, it says, is to provide a credible pathway to final investment decisions for projects that are central to Canada’s economic future.