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ARTICLE · 11 JUNE 2025

Building Canada Act To Streamline Approvals For National Interest Projects

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On June 6, Bill C-5, the "One Canadian Economy Act" passed first reading in the House of Commons. If passed, part 2 of Bill C-5 would enact the Building Canada Act (the Act), implementing a streamlined process...

CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Mark Bain
Mark Bain
Dennis Mahony
Dennis Mahony
Andrew Bernstein
Andrew Bernstein
Krista Hill
Krista Hill
Peter Danner
Peter Danner
Valerie Helbronner
Valerie Helbronner
T. Ryan Lax
T. Ryan Lax
Josh Van Deurzen
Josh Van Deurzen
Huw Evans
Huw Evans
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On June 6, Bill C-5, the "One Canadian Economy Act"1 passed first reading in the House of Commons. If passed, part 2 of Bill C-5 would enact the Building Canada Act (the Act), implementing a streamlined process for approving projects that are designated by federal Cabinet as "national interest projects" (part 1 of Bill C-5 addresses interprovincial trade). National interest projects would be subject to a new regulatory process focused on "how" to best advance them instead of "whether" to advance them. This is aimed at shortening a process that currently takes five or more years to two years.

The Act introduces a "two-key" process with the following mechanisms to accomplish this goal:

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