Ottawa aims to align rules, ease licensing, and fast-track project reviews under new federal bill
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government introduced Bill C-5 on Friday to fast-track major national projects, harmonise trade rules across jurisdictions, and recognise professional licences across provinces and territories.
BNN Bloomberg reports that the bill proposes to cut approval timelines, expand worker pools, and simplify product compliance—measures expected to have wide-ranging implications across regulated sectors and investment planning.
Bill C-5, labelled the “One Canadian Economy” bill, would establish two new acts: the “Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act” and the “Building Canada Act.”
According to the government, the bill is a “top priority” and aims to shift the federal project review process from deciding whether to build, to determining how to build.
Under the new “one project, one review” model, the federal cabinet would decide whether a proposed project is in the national interest.
The criteria would include Indigenous and provincial consultation, economic benefits, execution feasibility, clean growth, and alignment with climate objectives.
The proposed “two-key” system would centralise permitting, consultation, and impact assessment decisions, streamlining federal oversight through a new Major Projects Office.
Officials say the plan would reduce the average federal approval time from five years to two.
“When asked to put a dollar figure on the value of the projects that would be unlocked and become eligible under these changes,” an official said, “it’s too hypothetical to say.”
The same official, speaking on background, noted that discussions had begun with provinces and Indigenous representatives but added, “There’s nothing in the legislation that defines a number of projects.”
Carney stated, “Canada is a country that used to build big things… But in recent decades, it’s become too difficult to build in this country… and it’s holding our country back.”
He added that consensus and Indigenous participation would remain core to project approval, saying he would not “impose a project on a province.”
The bill also introduces a national framework to recognise provincial and territorial licences and certifications for workers.
If passed, a worker certified in one jurisdiction would more easily be approved federally to work in the same occupation.
According to the government, this would simplify credential recognition and widen the talent pool for employers.
Following Monday’s First Ministers’ Meeting, all sides agreed to target a 30-day service standard for credential recognition for professions such as doctors and skilled trades.
On the trade front, Bill C-5 seeks to align federal product regulations with provincial and territorial standards. Goods or services that meet a jurisdiction’s requirements would automatically be treated as compliant federally.
Briefing materials noted examples such as food products meeting one province’s organic certification or appliances satisfying provincial energy efficiency rules.
The government said this would lower compliance barriers for businesses and expand consumer choice.
Interprovincial trade barriers—ranging from licensing standards to varying product regulations—can increase consumer costs by 7.8 to 14.5 percent, according to Statistics Canada.
Bill C-5 introduces a framework to substantially reduce the burden of federal rules on trade across provincial and territorial borders.
Officials said this would help unify the market and expand commercial opportunities.
Bill C-5 was tabled by Canada-US Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, alongside Carney and other key ministers on Parliament Hill.
The legislation is under 20 pages.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre responded critically, saying, “It’s a small step, but it is breadcrumbs when we needed a bold move.”
He added, “A very small amount of interprovincial barriers will be eliminated by this bill… the tens of billions of dollars of obstacles at a provincial level are untouched.”
Beyond Bill C-5, the federal government reiterated its commitment to removing the remaining federal exceptions under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement by July 2025.
Officials noted that 20 exemptions were already lifted prior to the last election. Remaining exceptions relate to national security and co-legislated frameworks with other governments.
“We’re continuing to do the analysis,” an official said, “to see what do we really need to maintain and does it impact internal trade?”
According to the Committee on Internal Trade, more than $530bn in goods and services moved across provincial and territorial borders in 2024, representing nearly 20 percent of national GDP.
Government estimates suggest that eliminating internal barriers could add up to $200bn to the Canadian economy.
Carney said Friday that “we will do everything to get it passed before the summer,” adding, “if Parliament needs to sit longer, it should sit longer in order to get it passed… That’s what Canadians expect.”
