Unceded Anishinaabe Algonquin Territories [OTTAWA], 21 September 2026,:
In response to legislation changes introduced today, Katie Gibbs, National Policy Manager at Climate Action Network Canada, issued the following statement:
“This legislation is the latest development in Carney’s deregulation agenda, one that is systematically dismantling the environmental and labour guardrails that protect Canadians and the ecosystems they hold dear to prioritize major projects above all else. Are major projects built this way truly in Canada’s national interest?
“Gutting our environmental protections isn’t the way to get projects done. Impact assessments are where Canadians get to have their voices heard and understand how their communities will be affected by projects. Respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and engaging communities is not ‘red tape’; it can lead to better projects and more community buy-in.
“Taken collectively, the Carney government has given themselves many paths to building the projects they want without oversight, transparency or accountability.
“Dismantling federal environmental assessments and limiting Indigenous and community consultation risks eroding the social license for these projects and opens the government up to lengthy litigation making it harder for major projects to get built in the long term.
“Decarbonizing our economy will require building major projects at speed, but we need to be building the right projects, the right way, and that includes ensuring rigorous environmental assessment with Indigenous rights-holders, local communities and civil society engaged from the beginning.”
Further analysis:
- The legislation introduced today further erodes federal impact assessment by allowing the government to create designated ‘regions of national interest’ across the country where certain projects can be fast-tracked; handing impact assessment of nuclear projects over to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission; imposing an arbitrary one year limit on project reviews; and giving the Canada Energy Regulator Commission sole authority to assess pipelines.
- Today’s developments follow a major regulatory change made earlier this month where the government exempted many dangerous projects including interprovincial and international oil and gas pipelines and fossil fuel-fired power plans from even being subject to federal impact assessment requirements.
- It follows the controversial Building Canada Act introduced last year which allows projects deemed ‘in the national interest’ to completely skirt environmental assessment with no requirement to consider environmental impacts of projects.
- This legislation is tabled jointly with changes to the Canada Labour Code, with significant risk to the Right to Strike. Recognizing workers’ constitutional rights are essential to Canada’s resilience, and creating greater economic security during this period of turmoil.
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Canada’s farthest-reaching network of organizations working on climate and energy issues, Climate Action Network – Réseau action climat (CAN-Rac) Canada is a coalition of close to 200 organizations operating from coast to coast to coast. Our membership brings environmental groups together with trade unions, First Nations, social justice, development, health and youth organizations, faith groups and local, grassroots initiatives.
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Audrey Robillard, Bilingual Communications Coordinator
audreyrobillard@climateactionnetwork.ca