New Office to Fast-Track Key Canarian Projects
The Government of the Canary Islands is putting the finishing touches to its new Strategic Projects Office. Its main objective is to simplify administrative processing and accelerate procedures for projects declared as priorities. This will be achieved by reducing deadlines, improving coordination between different authorities, and providing direct support to developers. Through this new management model, the regional executive expects to mobilise at least 100 million euros in initiatives linked to innovation and economic diversification—a figure that could increase as new public and private projects are added. The new unit is expected to be operational from February.
Focus on Diversification and a Streamlined Process
With diversification as its central focus, the newly created Directorate-General for Organisational Coordination and Strategic Projects is currently working on a portfolio of 36 projects declared as strategic. This interim arrangement will remain until the office under its remit is fully operational. The combined investment is estimated at around one hundred million euros, covering both public and private initiatives, according to the Director-General of the area, David Pérez-Dionis.
The origin of the Strategic Projects Office dates back to 2024, when the Canary Islands Government defined 14 strategic areas to guide the approval of projects considered priorities. The aim is to address the new economic reality and position the Archipelago in sectors where it has specific conditions to excel. The Office has an initial allocation of 1.1 million euros for two years and a multidisciplinary team of seven people, with expertise in project management, legal, financial, communication, and administration, plus external technical assistance.
A Paradigm Shift in Managing Major Projects
Physically located at Proexca (the Canary Islands Institute for Foreign Promotion), the office represents a paradigm shift in how major projects are managed. One of the pillars of the new model is administrative simplification. To this end, the Government has introduced a specific provision in the draft Science Law, currently being processed, intended to provide a legal basis for the fast-track processing of strategic projects. Once the law is approved, strategic projects will be able to use a priority processing system, which is key to meeting deadlines associated with European funds.
Furthermore, the new provision will strengthen coordination with town councils, by allowing the Canary Islands Government itself to certify the strategic nature of projects to local entities. This will facilitate the speeding up of licences with legal certainty for municipal technicians.
One-Stop Shop and Comprehensive Support
The Office will function as a one-stop shop, explains David Pérez-Dionis, assigning each promoter a single point of contact or project manager. This person will accompany them throughout the entire administrative process and facilitate coordination between regional ministries, island councils (cabildos), and town halls.
Beyond speeding up procedures, the Strategic Projects Office will offer comprehensive support to promoters. Its functions include identifying European funding calls, advising on how to apply for them, and providing support during fund management and justification processes. The executive also intends for the “strategic project” seal to carry specific weight in regional aid schemes. The Canary Islands Government will also facilitate letters of support and institutional commitment to strengthen projects’ positions with public and private investors, as well as a dissemination and communication strategy aimed at improving the visibility of initiatives declared strategic.
Alignment with Key Economic Sectors
The Office’s activity aligns with the smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) and focuses on areas considered key for the Archipelago’s economic future. These include aerospace, audiovisual, animation, video games, the blue economy, energy, digitalisation, and sustainability.
The push for this policy has resulted in the progressive declaration of strategic projects. The latest batch was approved on 13 October, when the Government declared 19 new initiatives. These were added to the 17 approved in July 2024, bringing the total to 36 strategic projects in just two years.
Portfolio of Major Public and Private Initiatives
This portfolio includes major private initiatives, such as the ATH Bioenergy project, which plans to build four biomethane and fertiliser production plants in Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, with an estimated investment of 65 million euros. Also notable is DesaLIFE, promoted by Ocean Oasis Canarias, an innovative wave-powered desalination system with a planned investment of 10 million euros, as well as Astilleros Automatizados Wencoe, a 4.0 shipyard linked to the blue economy, with an investment of 7.4 million.
Alongside these private initiatives, the portfolio includes public and mixed projects. Examples are the La Gomera Aerospace Sandbox, promoted by the island council, which mobilises 20 million euros; the eDatos infrastructure from the Canary Islands Institute of Statistics; the SmartHub360 project, focused on smart classrooms and immersive learning environments; and the Canary Health Service’s ‘Salud Zer0 Net Emissions 2030 Strategy’, with an investment of four million euros.
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