Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 02 APRIL 2026

Alberta And Canada Sign Co-operation Agreement To Reduce Assessment Duplication

Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Contributor
Bennett Jones LLP

Bennett Jones LLP

Bennett Jones is one of Canada’s premier business law firms. With deep experience in complex...

View firm profile
Explore more from Bennett Jones LLP

On April 2, 2026, the Government of Alberta (Alberta) and the Government of Canada (Canada) announced the execution of a finalized Co-operation Agreement on Environmental and Impact Assessment (Co-operation Agreement).

CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Ashley M. White
Ashley M. White
Jason Roth
Jason Roth
Larissa Lees
Larissa Lees
Tinashe Muzah
Tinashe Muzah
Author LinkedIn connections

On April 2, 2026, the Government of Alberta (Alberta) and the Government of Canada (Canada) announced the execution of a finalized Co-operation Agreement on Environmental and Impact Assessment (Co-operation Agreement). The Co-operation Agreement establishes a framework for Canada and Alberta to reduce duplication and work toward a more streamlined approach for federal impact assessment under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA) and provincial environmental assessment under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA).

The Co-operation Agreement reflects Canada's policy objective of a "one project, one review" approach, which is intended to enhance the efficiency of federal and provincial regulatory and permitting processes for major projects and provide certainty to proponents, Indigenous partners, investors and stakeholders.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

See more popular content from

Article

New Act Respecting Contracting By Municipal Bodies: How To Secure Your Bids

Effective April 1, 2026, Quebec's Act respecting contracting by municipal bodies fundamentally transforms how municipal contracts are awarded, moving beyond the traditional lowest-price model to embrace qualitative evaluation criteria including environmental practices, life cycle costs, and contractor performance history. Municipal bodies now have eight award procedures to choose from, along with new pre-tender processes that can limit competition to prequalified enterprises. Contractors must adapt their te
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
BCF Business Law
BCF Business Law
Article

Building Canada: Investing In Major National Projects

Canada is experiencing a surge in infrastructure investment driven by streamlined regulatory approvals, enhanced government financing mechanisms, and growing demand for energy and digital infrastructure. This guide examines the evolving legal and regulatory landscape that foreign investors must navigate to successfully structure, finance, and develop major projects across the country.
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Article

Building Momentum: Canada Advances Major Projects Under The Building Canada Act

The federal government has published notices proposing to add the Mackenzie Valley Highway and Roberts Bank Terminal 2 to Schedule 1 of the Building Canada Act as projects of national interest. These potential listings, following a similar notice for the West Coast Oil Pipeline, provide the first practical indications of how the government may use the Act to advance major infrastructure projects through streamlined federal approvals while maintaining Indigenous consultation and environmental assessment requ
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
McMillan LLP
McMillan LLP
Article

Canada Launches Responsible Data Centre Development Principles: What Clients Need To Know

Canada has introduced a new national framework setting expectations for data centre infrastructure development, with 42 major industry signatories including Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and NVIDIA. The Principles establish five core requirements covering local benefits, electricity cost allocation, environmental impacts, transparency and strategic value, though their practical implementation will depend heavily on provincial and municipal policy decisions.
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

Permit Me To Explain: Bill C-39’s Plan To Build Canada Faster

The Canadian government has introduced Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, proposing to compress federal project approval timelines from five years to one year through consolidated permitting and streamlined processes. The legislation also modernizes transportation infrastructure through National Trade Corridors and reforms labour relations by strengthening collective bargaining while clarifying ministerial powers to intervene in work stoppages.
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
MLT Aikins LLP
MLT Aikins LLP
Article

Buying Quebec, Buying Canadian: What The New Orders In Council 1358-2026 And 1359-2026 Mean For Procurement

Under Order in Council 1358-2026, the Québec government authorizes, from September 7, 2026 to January 31, 2027, the Centre d'acquisitions gouvernementales (the “CAG”) to depart from the general principle that public calls for tenders must be open and without discrimination to foreign suppliers from jurisdictions bound by an intergovernmental agreement with Québec.
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Fasken
Fasken
Article

Notice Concerning The Quota For Imports Of Chinese Electric Vehicles

The Government of Canada has introduced new rules governing the second allocation period for electric vehicle imports from China, increasing the available quota to 33,397 vehicles while maintaining strict permit requirements and a first-come, first-served allocation system. Global Affairs Canada signals potential intervention measures to ensure equitable access, particularly for original equipment manufacturers and new market entrants navigating this highly regulated import regime.
GlobalInternational Law
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

Ontario Court Bifurcates Class Action As Practical Approach To Onerous Discovery Demands

An Ontario court granted a motion to bifurcate liability and damages stages in a class action alleging $500 million in hidden fees, finding that extensive documentary production requests were disproportionate and not relevant to determining liability. The decision addresses proportionality concerns in class actions where defendants face onerous discovery demands spanning millions of transactions over a decade.
CanadaLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

Data Centre West 2026: Alberta's Digital Infrastructure Moment Has Arrived

Alberta's data centre sector has evolved from speculative interest into billions in committed investment, supported by a new regulatory framework and hyperscale commitments from Meta and AWS. However, grid capacity constraints, power procurement challenges, unresolved federal copyright issues affecting AI training workloads, and community concerns about environmental impacts present significant obstacles that require continued collaboration between industry, government, and regulators.
CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

Canada Launches Responsible Data Centre Development Principles: What Clients Need To Know

Canada has introduced a new national framework setting expectations for data centre infrastructure development, with 42 major industry signatories including Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and NVIDIA. The Principles establish five core requirements covering local benefits, electricity cost allocation, environmental impacts, transparency and strategic value, though their practical implementation will depend heavily on provincial and municipal policy decisions.
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

Canada's Response To Trump: Tariffs And Relief Measures

Following the Trump administration's imposition of 50% tariffs on Canadian exports worth C$27.6 billion, Prime Minister Carney has announced comprehensive countermeasures targeting American goods. The Canadian response includes dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on US products, alongside C$7.5 billion in support programs for affected workers and businesses. What relief measures and remission frameworks are available to Canadian importers navigating this escalating trade dispute?
CanadaInternational Law
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

The Q3 2026 PE Briefing

The Canadian private equity landscape navigates a transition period marked by prolonged market volatility and stalled exit activity, yet demonstrates resilience through strategic investments in high-growth sectors. Q3 2026 analysis reveals how larger commitments, power and utilities investments, evergreen fund expansion, and healthcare sector dynamics are shaping the market amid escalating trade tensions and evolving investor strategies.
CanadaFinance and Banking
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

Round Three, Same Result

The Alberta Court of Appeal has ruled that Canada's amended Impact Assessment Act remains unconstitutional despite 2024 revisions intended to address Supreme Court concerns. The 4-1 majority decision found that federal oversight continues to exceed jurisdictional boundaries, particularly in regulating major resource and infrastructure projects that fall primarily under provincial authority. This landmark ruling marks the third time courts have invalidated the Act's Designated Projects scheme, raising critic
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

OPC Issues New PIPEDA Guidance On Assessing Third-Party Service Providers

Canada's privacy regulator has released new draft guidance establishing comprehensive due diligence standards for organizations evaluating third-party service providers under PIPEDA. The framework introduces eleven best practices covering everything from data flow mapping and AI training data sourcing to vendor lock-in risks and ongoing monitoring obligations, signaling heightened expectations for privacy accountability in vendor relationships.
CanadaPrivacy
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP