Mark Carney, the leader of the Liberal Party, recently tabled a significant bill in the House of Commons aimed at giving the federal government the authority to prioritize and expedite the approval process for large-scale projects deemed to be in the national interest. This legislation makes good on one of Carney’s election campaign’s most essential promises. He pledged to make Canada the world’s first “energy superpower” while creating a more diversified and resilient economy.
Environmental groups welcomed the bill as it’s introduced, during a critical time for Canada. The country is still reeling from devastating economic impacts, particularly from U.S. president Donald Trump’s worldwide trade war. Carney’s proposed legislation is designed to help Canada navigate these turbulent waters while addressing the pressing need for infrastructure development and economic growth.
That’s why the bill includes a sunset clause. This sunset clause ensures that we will review its provisions after five years, letting us assess its impact and effectiveness over time. It sets out five new criteria to figure out if a project should even be considered in the national interest. These criteria include assessing the likelihood of success for the project, its potential to strengthen Canada’s economic resiliency, its implications for Indigenous communities, and its contribution to environmentally responsible economic growth.
“This process is arduous. It takes too long and it’s holding our country back,” Carney stated, emphasizing the need for a more streamlined approach to project approvals.
Under the proposed legislation, a new federal review office will work towards a goal of approving major projects within two years. This new initiative goes further and zeroes in on cutting bureaucratic red tape. It aims to break down internal trade barriers that have long impeded project delivery.
The bill is twinned with the “Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act” and the “Building Canada Act,” creating a comprehensive framework intended to facilitate major projects across the country. Carney says that this legislative package would expedite the approval process. Lastly, it will ensure that meaningful consultation with Indigenous Peoples truly happens, as mandated by the Constitution and the Crown’s duty to consult.
For too long, when federal agencies examined a project, their immediate question has been, ‘Why?’ With this new bill, we will ask ourselves, ‘How?’ Carney continued, remarking on a reorientation of effort to encourage growth rather than prevent it at every turn.
Despite the bill’s lofty goals, it’s been met with criticism from all angles. Even Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accepted the initiative’s value. He hailed it as “at least on the small side a step in the right direction.” He emphasized the need for more substantial progress, stating, “We do not need baby steps. We need breakthroughs.”
Environmental advocates have warned that long-term risks could mount with more dangerous project approvals rushed through. Jessica Clogg cautioned that “rushed approvals without assessment of risks are a recipe for conflict, legal challenges and future environmental disasters.” Keith Stewart of Greenpeace slammed the announcement as “a gift to the fossil fuel industry.” He deemed it “a slap in the face” to Canadians all across this country who are facing the reality of climate change today.
Stewart Elgie pointed out that previous governments have struggled with project approvals due to inadequate attention to environmental and Indigenous concerns. After all, the Harper government talked a big game but never succeeded in building a single major pipeline mainly because they ignored environment and Indigenous rights. It resulted in opposition, blockades and litigation that in the end delayed the building of the projects,” he continued.
Supporters claim that greater centralized authority expedites decision making in a time of national crisis. As critics have argued, this new direction is fraught with dangers. Elgie remarked, “This is the kind of consolidation that you sometimes see in times of national emergency… but it can be a risky thing.”
