Carney says no decision yet on lifting Arctic drilling ban
Prime Minister Mark Carney says the federal government has not decided whether to lift the moratorium on oil and gas exploration in Arctic waters. The Globe and Mail reported his remarks on November 10, 2026.
The moratorium, a federal ban on offshore oil and gas exploration in Arctic waters, was put in place by the Trudeau government a decade ago. It is set to expire in 2028. Carney said any move to lift it would have to be made jointly with northern partners, and that the views of territorial governments and Inuit leadership would be central to the decision.
Finance Canada confirmed that part of the fall budget funding for Arctic oil and gas governance would be used to consider whether to lift the drilling moratorium in the Western Arctic. Carney said that money is meant to strengthen the capacity of Inuvialuit partners. He said it is not a decision to lift the ban. Northern and Arctic Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand said the funding does not authorize exploration or drilling.
The 2023 Western Arctic-Tariuq Accord sets out how offshore oil and gas would be co-managed and how revenue would be shared if the moratorium is lifted. The signatories are Inuvialuit partners, the Northwest Territories, Yukon and the federal government.
The governments of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut have both called on Ottawa to lift the moratorium. NWT Premier R.J. Simpson said he has advocated for lifting it because the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation supports the move.
