NL and Québec to Develop Cooperative Agreement #nlpoli

The Governments of Newfoundland and Labrador and Québec have agreed to explore opportunities that support greater economic and community development along the shared border of the two provinces. The provinces have targeted two issues of common interest that would benefit from greater interprovincial cooperation: the development of the Labrador Trough and the extension of Highway 138 on the lower North shore of Québec.

Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Philippe Couillard, Premier of Québec, announced the launch of these discussions today on the occasion of the Summer Meeting of the Council of the Federation currently in Edmonton. The two governments plan to negotiate an agreement by the end of 2017 in order to implement it by the beginning of 2018.

The two governments share a common interest in the Labrador Trough, where several mining projects are located along the border between Québec and Labrador.

Newfoundland and Labrador and Québec will also assess the feasibility of creating a new economic corridor through Routes 138 and 510. The implementation of this project is based on Québec’s completion of the extension of Route 138. For its part, along with improvements to Route 510, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will continue updating the feasibility study of constructing a fixed link between Labrador and the island of Newfoundland. This work has the potential to create a new transportation corridor enabling new opportunities for businesses and residents.