Getting Major Projects Built in Canada Discussion Paper

The Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the federal government's discussion paper, Getting Major Projects Built in Canada (the Discussion Paper). This submission draws on BCBC’s sustained engagement with federal and provincial regulatory changes, including recent submissions on Canada’s Industrial Emissions Pricing System, ongoing dialogue with the Impact Assessment Agency, and submissions to British Columbia on proposed amendments to the Environmental Assessment Act.

Canada is at a critical juncture. Trade uncertainty, global competition for capital, and the imperative to build strategic infrastructure in energy, critical minerals, and transportation, demand a regulatory environment that is fast, predictable, and credible. The Discussion Paper’s proposals for one-year federal reviews, reduced jurisdictional duplication, and earlier public interest determinations reflect the scale of reform the moment requires. A consistent theme across BCBC's regulatory submissions – federal and provincial – is that federal overreach into areas of provincial jurisdiction remains a structural source of delay, duplication, and legal uncertainty. That theme is central to this submission.

This submission identifies elements of the Discussion Paper that represent genuine progress, areas of concern that risk undermining the stated objectives, and specific recommendations for the federal government's consideration.