Ottawa: Crucial talks between Newfoundland & Labrador and Quebec regarding the revised agreement for the Churchill Falls hydroelectric project have reached their final stage. Once complete consensus is reached on the remaining disputed issues, both governments are expected to make an official announcement regarding the deal early next week.
Ashley Politi, spokesperson for Newfoundland Premier Tony Wakeham, confirmed that significant progress has been made in the talks, but clarified that a final contract has not yet been signed. The office of Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette declined to comment on the matter.
The former Liberal government had signed a preliminary Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Quebec in December 2024, which included the development of the Gull Island hydroelectric project. However, an expert panel review under the Progressive Conservative government—which came to power following the October 2025 elections—found that this MoU was contrary to public interest. Consequently, negotiations between the two provinces resumed last June.
Meanwhile, the opposition Liberal Party expressed strong protest over details of the energy agreement being leaked through media rather than officially released. Stating that reports suggest the new agreement contains clauses similar to the previous MoU, the opposition demanded that Premier Tony Wakeham maintain greater transparency with the public regarding the issue.
