Trudeau says Canada can be a solution to the European gas supply

Amid European countries being asked to cut their gas use in the face of ongoing uncertainty around energy supply from Russia, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s been in talks for months with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about “how Canada can be a solution.”

“There are things that we’re trying to do in the very short term, as we look at this coming winter and the challenges that Germans are going to be facing with Russia choosing to weaponize the source of gas and oil for them,” Trudeau said Thursday.

Europe has been facing an energy supply crisis as Russian President Vladimir Putin has been using countries’ reliance on Russia for oil and gas as what officials are viewing as a form of retaliation over sanctions imposed in support of Ukraine. This has resulted in considerable reductions to the flow of natural gas, leaving countries clamouring to shore up reserve supply.

Scholz has expressed interest in Canada becoming an energy alternative, and is planning to visit Canada in August “to secure key partnerships on energy security, critical minerals and clean technology,” according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office issued following the two leaders’ meeting at the G7 Summit in Germany in June.

Trudeau’s comments were made in response to a question from a reporter in Nova Scotia about the potential for LNG projects in that province to advance, given the current situation in Europe.

“I will say that we are looking at a number of different proposals around that,” Trudeau said, declining to speak to any specific potential LNG export facilities in that province or others, of which there aren’t currently any in Canada.