Canada has not made a decision about lifting Arctic drilling ban, Carney says
USO•Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada has not decided whether to lift its Arctic offshore oil and gas exploration moratorium. The federal budget earmarks C$11 million over four years for Arctic offshore oversight, and the moratorium is set to expire in 2028.
1. No decision on moratorium
Carney said the government has not decided whether to lift its decade-long moratorium on offshore oil and gas exploration in the Arctic. He said the budget funding was for Inuit leadership capacity and was not a decision about lifting the ban.
2. Funding and review timeline
Last week's federal budget allocated C$11 million over four years to support governance and oversight of offshore oil and gas activities in the Arctic Ocean. The moratorium has been in place since 2016, is reviewed every five years and is set to expire in 2028.
3. Calls for development
Some Northern leaders have advocated opening the region to drilling to support economic self-sufficiency. A 2023 accord between the Canadian government and northern representatives set out plans for management, regulation and revenue-sharing from potential Arctic fossil fuel development.
