The Business Council of Alberta (BCA) welcomes the Government of Canada’s introduction of Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, to make Canada more competitive.
This legislation represents a long-overdue recognition of the policy and regulatory barriers that have stood in the way of Alberta and Canada’s prosperity, growth and job creation through our ability to attract investment. We applaud the government’s action and urge parliamentarians to work together to pass and implement these changes as quickly as possible.
Many of the reforms closely align with recommendations BCA advanced earlier this year through From Barriers to Breakthroughs, our comprehensive roadmap for reforming Canada’s major project approval and regulatory systems.
Of particular note, BCA welcomes:
- A one project, one decision, and one-year timeline for federal project reviews and decisions, led by a single life cycle regulator with the deepest expertise in a project;
- A centralized Crown Consultation Hub at the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada to coordinate the federal consultation processes on project reviews;
- Measures to reduce duplication and administrative burden across federal review and permitting processes;
- Changes to the Canada Labour Code to strengthen collective bargaining to resolve disputes earlier, including the establishing of a special mediator, to support critical supply chains; and
- The modernization of port governance to give ports greater flexibility to increase private investment and to collaborate with one another to boost efficiency and competitiveness.
Together, these changes can help Canada approve projects with greater speed and certainty, keep goods moving and help ensure that the country can compete for critical investment in a rapidly changing world.
BCA will work with our members and government officials to provide practical business perspectives as the legislation moves forward.
Adam Legge
President, Business Council of Alberta