Fast-Tracking Prosperity: How Ontario and BC are Prioritizing Major Project Approvals

At a time when US tariffs are threatening Canada’s economic future, Canadian resource and infrastructure projects across the country continue to face significant barriers to approval and construction.

But in Ontario and BC, provincial governments are taking meaningful action to flip the script: Bills 5 and 15 are concrete steps towards eliminating red tape and delivering prosperity to all Canadians.

What are the Bills about?

Ontario’s Bill 5 – passed into law earlier this month – is an omnibus bill that amends a number of Ontario’s laws and regulations to accelerate development of major resource and infrastructure projects.

One of the key powers granted to the provincial government by Bill 5 (the Protecting Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act) is the ability to carve out “special economic zones” wherein projects can be fast-tracked. By exempting project proponents from provincial and municipal regulatory processes where necessary, projects can be approved faster and easier than before.

An example of a “special economic zone” the Ontario government is targeting is the Ring of Fire area of northern Ontario, which is home to rich mineral deposits. After consultations with local First Nations communities are complete, the government intends to expedite mining and infrastructure projects in the area, including some proposed projects that have been years in the making. This decision will be accompanied by a $1 billion provincial investment for roads, highways, and other development in the area.

Out west, BC’s Bill 15 is its own version of Ontario’s new law. Bill 15 – recently passed into law as the Infrastructure Projects Act – will speed up permitting and approvals for major infrastructure projects across BC.

Private-sector projects deemed as “provincially significant” will be eligible for fast-tracked review. Though specifics of the project eligibility criteria are yet to be determined, the province has indicated that it will prioritize certain objectives, including critical mineral supply, energy security, and trade diversification. This means red tape surrounding projects like pipelines, LNG facilities, and mining operations could be reduced.

While Ontario will use “special economic zones” to fast-track projects, BC will determine which projects can undergo streamlined permitting and regulatory processes on a project-by-project basis, thereby giving the BC government authority to “get shovels in the ground” on projects that will support local communities and drive the province’s economic growth.

There’s Always Nuance

Reactions from industry groups, media, and Indigenous communities to the passing of Bill 5 and Bill 15 have been mixed. While the new laws are significant strides towards bolstering jobs and prosperity across Ontario and BC, there are concerns about provincial governments having too much authority, especially where Indigenous consultation and regulatory approvals are concerned.

However, the laws are committed to “advancing reconciliation and protecting the environment” (BC) and maintaining “robust environmental standards throughout, while also fulfilling constitutional obligations to Indigenous communities, including the duty to consult” (Ontario).

Mechanisms within each of the laws, as well as the fact that Canada has one of the most well-developed legal systems in the world, will ensure that the provincial governments act responsibly and within their mandate in approving projects.

Meaningful consultation and collaboration with the Indigenous communities that stand to benefit from project development will be crucial going forward, as Indigenous business leaders and Indigenous-led industry groups have echoed.

Now or Never for Canada’s Economy

It’s overtime in game seven for Canada. In other words, our economy is facing a massively significant turning point.

The US trade war has seemingly upped the stakes tenfold, exacerbating existing issues like the affordability crisis and a poor investment landscape. Legislation that reduces red tape and gets major projects built is now fundamental to Canada’s continued economic health.

BC and Ontario are blazing the trail towards more projects, jobs, and prosperity. The federal government seems aligned in this objective, too, having recently proposed legislation that would reduce project approval times and break down interprovincial trade barriers.

These are positive steps towards bolstering Canada’s economy. We, as young Canadians, must continue to call for the approval and development of major projects (especially energy and critical minerals projects) if a prosperous, thriving Canada is the Canada we’d one day like to inherit.