Canada unveils bill to speed project reviews, alter strike intervention

Canada has introduced draft legislation aimed at accelerating the approval process for significant natural resource projects, a move Prime Minister Mark Carney believes is crucial for addressing U.S. tariffs and removing obstacles to economic growth. The bill proposes a one-year timeframe for federal reviews and decisions, which will involve conducting permit processes and reviews concurrently rather than sequentially.

Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson emphasized that the legislation signals a need for increased efficiency and accountability within the federal bureaucracy. He noted that while project proponents must also provide timely data, the government is committed to improving the speed and quality of environmental work. The rights of Indigenous groups to be consulted and accommodated on projects within their territories are preserved, though Hodgson indicated these consultations also need to be conducted more efficiently.

In addition to streamlining project approvals, the bill seeks to reform the Labour Code. It aims to make it more difficult for the jobs minister to quickly end strikes and lockouts, a power that has been invoked multiple times in recent years to settle disputes in critical sectors like railways, ports, airlines, and postal services, much to the dissatisfaction of unions. Under the proposed changes, a special mediator would be required to engage with parties in major disputes for at least 21 days before the minister can intervene, following a report from the mediator and an assessment from the federal employment ministry on the potential damage of a work stoppage.