Carney says Canada has not decided on lifting Arctic drilling ban

Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Tuesday (November 10) that his government has not made a decision about lifting the moratorium on offshore oil and gas exploration in the Arctic. The ban has been in place for about a decade, and some Northern leaders have urged lifting it, arguing it would boost the regional economy.

A decade-old ban; Northern leaders urge easing

According to Reuters, Carney was asked about the issue on Tuesday and said the government has not made a decision. Canada suspended Arctic offshore oil and gas licensing in 2016, and the moratorium has now lasted about a decade. Supporters of easing it argue Arctic oil and gas development could bring jobs and revenue to northern communities; critics point to the fragile Arctic environment, where an oil spill would be extremely difficult to clean up. Carney gave no indication of when a decision might come.