Nestled in Ontario’s rugged Muskoka region, Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville is playing host to a high-impact, multi-day event: the Council of the Federation Summer Meeting, held July 21–23, 2025. This isn’t just another political networking event it’s a battleground of ideas, anxieties, and aspirations, as Canada’s premiers seek unified solutions to some of the country’s most urgent and layered problems.
With spiraling global tensions, broken supply chains, energy dilemmas, and growing calls for Indigenous justice, the meeting has gained outsized importance. Provincial and territorial leaders are treating this year’s conference as a strategic war room, preparing policy blueprints and national appeals that could shape legislation for years to come.
What the Conference Is Trying to Accomplish In Detail
1. Defending Canada’s Position in the Global Trade Arena
The trade war rhetoric from President Donald Trump, who recently floated the idea of a 35% tariff on Canadian exports, has jolted both federal and provincial leaders. For key sectors like forestry, auto manufacturing, and agriculture this could spell disaster.
Here’s what the premiers are trying to do:
- Develop provincial contingency plans: They’re crafting provincial emergency relief frameworks, ensuring local industries can stay afloat if the tariffs are enacted.
- Push for trade diversification: Ontario and British Columbia are especially focused on opening up lanes to Europe, South Korea, and India. Nova Scotia is proposing a regional shipping hub that would bypass American ports entirely.
- Urge federal compensation: In meetings with federal representatives, leaders are lobbying for export insurance, wage subsidies for affected workers, and federal support for trade missions abroad.
- Unite with business leaders: Premiers invited CEOs and trade consultants to work alongside them during closed strategy sessions, ensuring that proposed solutions are economically viable.
The urgency is underscored by leaked memos suggesting that over 62,000 jobs in Ontario alone could be at risk if the U.S. tariffs materialize.
2. Fixing Canada’s Broken Internal Trade System
It may surprise many, but interprovincial trade within Canada is bogged down by centuries-old legal fiefdoms. Different provinces have varying standards, licenses, and certification processes even for basic goods like milk, beer, lumber, and pharmaceuticals.
At the conference:
- Premiers are proposing a Pan-Canadian Free Trade Accord, which would create national standards for product labeling, digital goods, and shipping logistics.
- Alberta and Saskatchewan have been pushing for “One License, One Canada”, which would allow professionals like nurses, plumbers, and truck drivers to work anywhere in the country without redundant licensing.
- Quebec expressed concerns about cultural protections especially around language and small-scale artisanal products but has agreed to participate in broader discussions.
According to economists at the University of Waterloo, harmonizing provincial regulations could generate $200–$230 billion in GDP growth over the next decade.
3. Energy and Infrastructure: From Pipelines to Clean Transit
The debate around energy infrastructure is always intense but this year it’s more collaborative:
- Quebec and Manitoba are jointly proposing a National Green Grid Initiative, to connect hydroelectric power across provinces and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
- Alberta and British Columbia are promoting a West-East LNG corridor, with environmentally sensitive pipelines routed through Indigenous-owned land, subject to local oversight.
- Ontario is lobbying for a Muskoka Express Rail Line, a high-speed train connecting Toronto to Ottawa via Huntsville a legacy infrastructure project that would reduce traffic congestion and boost tourism.
- The territories (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut) raised concerns about climate-proofing existing infrastructure, like airports and hospitals, which are increasingly at risk due to permafrost melt and flooding.
Funding and federal cooperation remain sticking points, but there’s growing momentum to include infrastructure in broader economic recovery plans.
4. Bail Reform and Public Safety
Crimes committed by repeat offenders have triggered a wave of public concern and premiers are not ignoring the call:
- Ontario has piloted a Judicial Risk Index, which uses AI to assess bail suitability based on criminal history and likelihood of reoffense.
- Alberta is championing a GPS Bail Monitoring Program, aiming to prevent accused individuals from violating release terms.
- Indigenous leaders are urging reforms to respect cultural and restorative justice models, pointing out that Indigenous people are disproportionately jailed under current bail laws.
At the summit, premiers are reviewing draft legislation for a National Bail Standard, which would provide guidelines for judges across provinces, ensuring that high-risk individuals are flagged consistently.
The RCMP and municipal police chiefs are also involved, presenting data on trends in organized crime, cybercrime, and hate-motivated violence.
5. Indigenous Economic Reconciliation
This area isn’t being sidelined it’s front and center at this year’s summit:
- The Assembly of First Nations has established a parallel caucus at Deerhurst, hosting over 30 Indigenous entrepreneurs and community leaders to develop frameworks for self-sustaining economies.
- Topics include co-ownership of pipelines, tech incubation hubs on reserves, and streamlined grant programs for housing and education projects.
- Premiers are committing to a Revenue Sharing Protocol, which would ensure Indigenous communities receive a portion of proceeds from resource extraction, tourism, and infrastructure development.
In a landmark move, the premiers agreed to create a permanent Indigenous Cabinet Committee, which would meet quarterly with provincial leaders to guide policies affecting First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities.
Is Prime Minister Mark Carney In Huntsville?
Yes and his presence is more than ceremonial. On Tuesday, July 22, PM Carney will join a full-day First Ministers’ session, flanked by:
- Economic advisors from the Department of Finance
- Top trade diplomats and negotiators
- Cybersecurity experts from CSIS and the RCMP
His objectives are ambitious:
- Presenting Canada’s formal negotiation strategy for upcoming talks with Washington
- Outlining a new Emergency Economic Resilience Package, which includes wage subsidies, industry bailouts, and disaster relief funding for wildfire zones
- Requesting cybersecurity cooperation, including real-time threat sharing between federal and provincial agencies
There’s cautious optimism among premiers, many of whom regard Carney as a savvy economist and capable negotiator yet concerns linger about how much federal support will actually materialize.
Security, Logistical, and Civic Impact
Huntsville is under tight watch:
- Temporary no-fly zones near Muskoka Airport
- Surveillance drones patrolling the Deerhurst perimeter
- Motorcade routes temporarily closing Highway 11 and Highway 60
- RCMP and OPP stationed in key commercial zones to manage crowds
Local businesses have seen an uptick in reservations and bookings, though some residents expressed concerns about noise and access restrictions.
Mayor Nancy Alcock issued a statement:
“This event puts Huntsville on the map not just as a resort town, but as a crucible of leadership and innovation.”