Carney’s Bill to Fast-Track Major Projects Set to Become Law
(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Mark Carney’s bill to speed up the construction of major projects such as pipelines, mines and electricity systems has passed Canada’s Senate and will soon become law.
The legislation allows projects the government deems to be in the “national interest” to receive quicker reviews for environmental and other impacts. The bill itself was fast-tracked through Parliament, as Carney argued it was needed urgently to grow Canada’s economy amid a trade war with the US.
The bill and its speedy approval have prompted outcry from some Indigenous groups who argue the government is infringing their constitutional rights. Carney is set to hold summits with First Nations starting on July 17, and he hopes to attract Indigenous project participants through a C$10 billion ($7.3 billion) loan fund that allows them to buy equity stakes.
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak has said “nothing’s off the table” when it comes to legal challenges. “You’re going to have legal wrangling right up the ying-yang if you don’t do the right thing and do this bill in a proper, respectful and good way,” she warned lawmakers last week.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce applauded parliamentarians for swiftly passing the bill at a time when the country needs an “economic jump-start.” The legislation also removes federal barriers to internal trade, with the goal of enabling provinces to sell more to one another and reduce their dependence on the US market.
“This bill has the potential to overcome domestic challenges that have held the Canadian economy back for decades,” Matthew Holmes, the chamber’s executive vice-president, said in a statement. “At the same time as we move forward with this positive development, we remind and call on the government to ensure that these powers are used responsibly and in full compliance with the rights of Indigenous communities and with environmental standards.”
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