Summary#

This bill creates two new laws. Part 1 removes federal barriers to trade and work across provinces and territories. Part 2 creates a fast-track process for “national interest” projects, with a single federal document that stands in for multiple approvals, subject to conditions.

• Goods or services that meet a province’s rules can count as meeting comparable federal rules for moving across provinces (Part 1, Goods; Services).
• Federal regulators must recognize provincial licences for occupations and issue a comparable federal licence on application (Part 1, Labour Mobility).
• The federal cabinet can list “national interest projects,” after notice and consultations, and the minister must issue a single document that is deemed to be all specified federal authorizations, with conditions (Part 2, s.5; s.7).
• Certain environmental assessment steps are skipped or deemed, but safety confirmations are required for nuclear and energy-regulated projects (Part 2, Impact Assessment Act clause; Nuclear Safety and Control Act limits; Canadian Energy Regulator Act limits).
• The minister must publish project information, consult Indigenous peoples, and table annual independent progress reviews (Part 2, s.5.1; s.7(2)(c), (2.1); Annual Report).

What it means for you#

• Households and consumers

  • More products and services can move across provinces under one set of provincial rules if those rules are comparable to federal ones. This may expand choice. Timing depends on when the law comes into force by order in council (Part 1, Goods; Services; Coming into Force).
  • Health, safety, and environmental protections still apply through conditions set on projects and through safety confirmations for certain sectors (Part 2, Nuclear Safety and Control Act limits; Canadian Energy Regulator Act limits).

• Workers and professionals

  • If you hold a provincial or territorial licence in an occupation that also needs a federal licence, the federal body must recognize it and issue you a comparable federal licence on application, subject to regulations (Part 1, Labour Mobility).
  • Federal bodies decide details like what counts as an “authorization” and any conditions by regulation (Part 1, Regulations).

• Businesses (goods and services)

  • If your product or service meets a province’s requirement, it is deemed to meet any comparable federal requirement for moving across provinces or providing services, as long as the provincial requirement keeps applying to you (Part 1, Goods; Services).
  • A federal regulator decides if the provincial rule is “comparable” based on same aspect, similar objective, and any regulatory conditions (Part 1, Goods — Comparable requirements; Services — Comparable requirements).
  • The Act and its regulations prevail over conflicting federal statutes to the extent of conflict (Part 1, Act and regulations prevail).

• Project proponents (energy, natural resources, transport, infrastructure)

  • If cabinet lists your project as a national interest project after 30 days’ public notice and required consultations, the minister must issue a single document that is deemed to be each specified federal authorization, with conditions (Part 2, s.5(1), (1.1); s.7(1), (5), (6)).
  • You must still supply information, pay fees, and meet all measures required under each law. The “deeming” provision favours permitting findings, but an authorization is not granted solely because of that deeming (Part 2, s.6(1)–(3); s.7(2)(a)).
  • Safety confirmations are mandatory before issuance for nuclear and Canadian Energy Regulator projects (Part 2, Nuclear Safety and Control Act limits; Canadian Energy Regulator Act limits).
  • If the project is not substantially started within 5 years of the document, it expires (Part 2, s.7(10)).
  • Annual independent reviews of timelines, budgets, and outcomes will be tabled in Parliament and posted online (Part 2, Annual Report).

• Indigenous peoples and communities

  • The minister must consult Indigenous peoples whose rights may be adversely affected before listing a project and before issuing or amending the authorization document. A report on the consultation process and results must be public within 60 days of issuance (Part 2, s.5(7); s.7(2)(c), (2.1); s.8(3)).
  • Project information, conditions, studies, recommendations, and reasons for not accepting some recommendations must be made public at least 30 days before issuance (Part 2, Information available to public).

• Provinces and territories

  • Cabinet must consult you before listing a project. If the project falls within areas of exclusive provincial or territorial jurisdiction, your written consent is required (Part 2, s.5(1.1)).
  • Part 1 promotes mutual recognition of provincial standards and licences at the federal level for interprovincial trade and labour mobility (Part 1, Goods; Services; Labour Mobility).

• Federal regulators and departments

  • Must decide comparability of provincial and federal requirements and issue federal occupational authorizations recognizing provincial licences (Part 1, Goods; Services; Labour Mobility).
  • Have immunity from civil suits for good-faith actions under Part 1, but judicial review remains available (Part 1, Limitation of Liability).
  • Must provide input on conditions for the consolidated authorization document, and some must confirm safety before issuance (Part 2, s.7(2)(b); Nuclear Safety and Control Act limits; Canadian Energy Regulator Act limits).

Expenses#

Estimated net cost: Data unavailable.

• No fiscal note was provided. The bill authorizes spending and creates ongoing duties but does not include dollar amounts (Recommendation; Part 2, Annual Report; s.5.1; Office).
• New administrative obligations include:
  • Creating and maintaining a public registry (Part 2, s.5.1).
  • Annual independent reviews and tabling reports (Part 2, Annual Report).
  • Consultations and published analyses for each national interest project (Part 2, s.5(7); s.7(2)(c), (2.1); Information available to public).
  • Possible creation of a coordinating office (Part 2, Office).
  • National security reviews for certain foreign or state-owned investments (Part 2, s.7(2)(b.1), (2)(d)).
• Appropriations: The Governor General’s recommendation signals public funds will be required, but amounts are not specified (Recommendation).
• Data unavailable for any projected savings from reduced duplication or faster approvals.

Proponents' View#

• Reduces duplication and speeds up approvals by deeming required findings in favour of permitting and issuing a single document that acts as multiple federal authorizations, with conditions (Part 2, s.6(1); s.7(1)).
• Improves labour mobility by requiring federal bodies to recognize provincial licences and issue comparable federal authorizations, easing worker movement across Canada (Part 1, Labour Mobility).
• Cuts internal trade barriers by recognizing provincial compliance as meeting comparable federal requirements for interprovincial movement of goods and services (Part 1, Goods; Services).
• Maintains safety through mandatory confirmations from the nuclear and energy regulators before issuing or amending the consolidated authorization (Part 2, Nuclear Safety and Control Act limits; Canadian Energy Regulator Act limits).
• Enhances transparency via a public registry, publication of conditions, studies, recommendations, reasons, and annual independent project reviews (Part 2, s.5.1; Information available to public; Annual Report).
• Respects federalism and Indigenous rights through required provincial/territorial consultations and consent in exclusive jurisdictions and mandatory Indigenous consultations with public reporting (Part 2, s.5(1.1), (7); s.7(2)(c), (2.1)).

Opponents' View#

• Risk of weaker or uneven standards as federal compliance is tied to “comparable” provincial rules decided by federal bodies, and this Act prevails over conflicting federal laws to the extent of conflict (Part 1, Goods; Services; Act and regulations prevail).
• Reduced procedural safeguards: key orders and the consolidated authorization document are exempt from the Statutory Instruments Act, limiting formal regulatory scrutiny, though reasons must be published (Part 2, s.5(8)–(9); s.7(7)).
• Environmental oversight concerns: several Impact Assessment Act provisions do not apply; determinations are deemed in favour of permitting, which could compress early planning and participation steps (Part 2, Impact Assessment Act non-application; s.6(1)).
• Legal and implementation risks from undefined terms and new discretion, such as “hostile countries” for mandatory national security reviews and the initial order that defines “national interest” criteria (Part 2, s.7(2)(b.1); s.5(1)–(3)).
• Administrative burdens and costs with no budget specified: building the registry, conducting annual independent reviews, extensive consultations, and national security reviews (Part 2, s.5.1; Annual Report; s.7(2)).
• Potential strain on Indigenous consultation quality under accelerated timelines, despite required participation and public reporting, given the deeming of favourable determinations (Part 2, s.6(1); s.7(2)(c), (2.1)).