Canada introduces bill to accelerate approvals for major infrastructure projects
Prime Minister Mark Carney's government will table the Building Canada Strong Act today to speed up approvals for large pipelines and power lines.
On Monday, Prime Minister Mark Carney's government will present the Building Canada Strong Act, a bill intended to hasten the approval of large infrastructure such as pipelines and transmission lines. The legislation would remove many project reviews from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and empower ministers to pre-approve projects within newly defined “economic zones.” The government had postponed the bill's debut after criticism from environmental and Indigenous organizations.
A summer-long consultation generated more than 21,000 emails, prompting officials to abandon a plan to exempt certain projects from species-at-risk laws. The move signals Ottawa's attempt to balance economic growth with environmental and Indigenous concerns.
Why it matters
Accelerated approvals could reshape Canada's energy landscape while impacting environmental and Indigenous rights.
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