CALGARY, Alta. – Nov. 5, 2026 – The Business Council of Alberta (BCA) welcomes the Government of Canada continued focus on strengthening Canada’s economy and recognizes the important steps taken in Budget 2026 to improve Canada’s competitiveness, attract investment and support long-term economic growth.
BCA is encouraged by the government’s recently announced efforts to make investment in Canada more attractive through major project and transportation reforms in Bill C-39 and the introduction of the Productivity Mega Deduction.
Several measures reflect priorities BCA has championed to strengthen Canada’s investment environment.
Budget 2026:
- Takes steps towards cutting red tape, with a new Cabinet directive that makes competitiveness central to federal regulation, including a requirement for regulators to reduce regulatory costs by $2 for every $1 added, reflecting BCA’s recommendations in Building a Regulatory System that Supports Investment.
- Reinforces the case for greater business investment, through the Productivity Mega Deduction, which aligns with BCA’s call for permanent accelerated depreciation in our pre-budget submission.
- Continues momentum on getting major projects built, building on the direction set by Bill C-39 and Pacific Link’s designation as a project of national interest, both consistent with BCA’s From Barriers to Breakthroughs recommendations.
- Helps build the skilled workforce Canada needs to get major projects built, with stronger apprenticeship supports, faster credential recognition across provinces and a labour mobility deduction for tradespeople, consistent with BCA’s recommendations in Laying the Foundation.
- Signals provinces could have a greater role in meeting regional workforce needs, including through economic immigration and reforms to better align temporary foreign worker programs with local labour market demands.
However, there are further enhancements that could be made, including:
- Addressing the underlying structural challenges facing Canada’s finances and accelerating progress toward long-term fiscal sustainability.
- Meaningful tax reform to improve Canada’s competitiveness and make the country a more attractive destination for business investment.
- Clarity on critical energy and emissions policies, including the oil and gas emissions cap, industrial carbon pricing and the Clean Fuel Standard. These outstanding policy questions can create uncertainty for major energy investments, including Pacific Link.
In our pre-budget submission, BCA asked the federal government to focus on creating the right conditions for business investment in Canada in three areas: reforming major project approvals and tax policy, improving regulatory competitiveness, and enhancing overseas trade capacity and the effectiveness of Canada’s trade transportation network.
Overall, Budget 2026 is positive, confirming that the government’s recent shift toward investment and competitiveness is being taken seriously.
“Ultimately, the federal government cannot create prosperity on its own, but it can create the conditions that allow businesses and entrepreneurs to build it,” said Mike Holden, BCA’s Vice-President of Policy and Chief Economist. “Industry has been clear about what is required to unlock Canada’s potential: a competitive, predictable policy environment that attracts and rewards investment. Canada has taken meaningful steps in that direction this year. The task now is to finish the job and deliver on creating greater prosperity for Canadians.”
BCA and our members will continue to work with the Government of Canada to advance policies that strengthen competitiveness, attract investment, and build a more prosperous Alberta and Canada.
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