In a global landscape that is increasingly uncertain, Canada's new government is focusing on what we can control. We are building big and building fast to create a stronger, more competitive, and more independent Canadian economy.
For too long, nation-building infrastructure - including ports, railways, energy corridors, critical mineral developments, and clean energy - has been bogged down in red tape, leaving enormous investment on the table. The process was too long, too repetitive, and put the onus on the proponent to navigate the system. Last August, our government changed that with the launch of the Major Projects Office (MPO). To date, 21 nation-building initiatives have been referred to the MPO, supporting more than 60,000 jobs, and representing over $126 billion in new investment.
Our government has provided regulatory certainty, and instilled confidence in investors here in Canada and from around the world. Now, we must go further to streamline review and approvals processes, to ensure we build a stronger, more resilient Canadian economy for all.
Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy, and the Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, announced the government will engage with Indigenous Peoples, provinces and territories, and the Canadian public on potential changes that would ensure federal reviews and decision-making timelines take no longer than one-year, once all information from the project proponent has been received.
To that end, the government is launching two discussion papers to engage Canadians over a 30-day period on proposed reforms to:
This will strengthen a uniform regulatory system for major projects and improve supply chain efficiency across Canada. Clear, predictable processes give investors and project proponents the certainty they need to build, and drives sustained economic growth for all Canadians.
Indigenous partnership is critical to building a stronger Canadian economy, and engagement will be pivotal to the success of future projects. We are engaging meaningfully with Indigenous groups, consistent with the Government of Canada's commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
These proposals will improve regulatory efficiency, while maintaining robust environmental standards and respecting Indigenous rights, by:
- Ensuring federal reviews and decision-making timelines take no more than one year, once all information from the project proponent has been received;
- Establishing a Crown Consultation Hub to strengthen Crown consultation on project reviews and coordinate one Indigenous consultation process, per community, per project;
- Creating a regulatory system where a single comprehensive federal decision is made on permits and approvals for major projects;
- Assigning responsibility and authority for certain projects to the federal regulatory organization with the most expertise; and
- Creating federal economic zones through regional impact assessments, in consultation with Indigenous Peoples.
The Government is also advancing a number of proposals to diversify Canada's trade and attract new investment:
- National Trade Corridors: Modernize Canada's National Transportation Policy to emphasize the importance of supply chain efficiency through the designation of National Trade Corridors. This will better reflect the reality of how transportation supply chains support trade corridors and identify solutions to increase performance.
- Modernize Port Governance: Modernize Canada's port governance framework to better reflect the realities of modern trade and the role of marine infrastructure in supporting Canada's non-US trade diversification goals, and foster collaboration amongst the port authorities.
- Simplifying Regulatory Reporting: Adopt a "tell-us-once" approach to information sharing between departments and agencies and streamline redundancies and inefficiencies in transportation regulations.
Canada's new government is connecting and transforming the economy. We are diversifying our industries, accessing new markets, protecting Canadian workers, safeguarding Canada's rigorous environmental standards, and upholding the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Today's announcement builds on that progress and furthers our mission to build Canada strong for all.
