Canada unveils draft legislation to fast-track approval of major projects
The bill follows Ottawa's ultimatum last week to Stellantis over its idled Brampton, Ontario plant
Published
Canada's government has introduced draft legislation meant to speed up approvals for major projects, covering the kind of energy, mining and infrastructure developments that have long faced lengthy federal review.
The move comes as Canada faces pressure on several fronts. The Bank of Canada's Tiff Macklem has warned that new US tariffs could roughly halve the country's fourth-quarter growth. Separately, President Trump has said the US is working on a large potash purchase from Belarus that would cost less than buying from Canada, currently the top source of potash for US farmers.
The legislation also arrives days after Ottawa told Stellantis on Friday to either reopen its Brampton, Ontario assembly plant or return the public funding it received. That factory has sat empty since 2023, and Stellantis is reportedly in talks to sell it rather than restart production.
Faster approvals address a real constraint on Canadian competitiveness at a moment when the country is under pressure from US tariff threats and competing for investment against Europe and emerging AI partnerships. Speeding up timelines could help Canada hold on to critical minerals and energy projects that might otherwise move elsewhere, part of Prime Minister Mark Carney's push to deepen partnerships beyond the United States. The measure is constructive but incremental, and it will not offset the damage from tariffs or reverse the broader shift already under way in US-Canada trade relations.