#energy-policy

The federal government has tabled new legislation to amend the Impact Assessment Act, following a Supreme Court of Canada advisory opinion that deemed major parts of the original law unconstitutional. The proposed changes aim to narrow the scope of federal environmental reviews to matters strictly within federal jurisdiction, addressing the Court's concerns about overreach into provincial powers over natural resource projects. The move seeks to provide greater clarity for industry and quell intergovernmental friction, particularly with resource-rich provinces like Alberta, while maintaining federal oversight on key environmental and Indigenous concerns.

The federal government has introduced new legislation to overhaul Canada's environmental assessment process for major projects. The proposed law aims to replace the Impact Assessment Act, which the Supreme Court of Canada found to be largely unconstitutional due to federal overreach into provincial jurisdiction. Tabled by the Environment and Natural Resources ministers, the bill seeks to create a more efficient and constitutionally sound framework. It focuses federal oversight on specific areas like fisheries and Indigenous rights, aiming to balance environmental protection with the need for clarity and investment certainty in the natural resource sector.

The federal government has introduced new legislation to overhaul Canada's environmental assessment process for major projects. The proposed law aims to replace the Impact Assessment Act, which the Supreme Court of Canada found to be largely unconstitutional in a 2023 advisory opinion. The new bill seeks to create a more streamlined and constitutionally sound framework by narrowing the scope of federal reviews to areas of clear federal jurisdiction. It represents Ottawa's attempt to balance environmental protection with economic development while addressing provincial concerns about federal overreach into resource management.

The federal government has tabled new legislation, the Major Projects Review Act, to replace the Impact Assessment Act (IAA) after the Supreme Court of Canada found the latter largely unconstitutional. The proposed law aims to create a constitutionally sound and efficient review process for major resource and infrastructure projects. It focuses on effects within federal jurisdiction, seeking to provide clarity for industry and investors while upholding environmental standards and Indigenous consultation rights. The move comes amid ongoing debate over federal authority, with provinces and industry groups cautiously awaiting the bill's full details and implementation.

The federal government has introduced new legislation to overhaul Canada's environmental assessment process for major projects, directly responding to a Supreme Court of Canada opinion that found the previous Impact Assessment Act largely unconstitutional. The proposed law aims to narrow the scope of federal oversight to areas of clear federal jurisdiction, seeking to end a protracted battle with provinces over resource development. While industry groups hope for increased clarity and investment certainty, provincial governments and environmental organizations remain cautious, scrutinizing the bill for signs of federal overreach or weakened environmental protections.

The Supreme Court of Canada has issued a landmark advisory opinion, ruling in a 5-2 decision that the federal Impact Assessment Act is largely unconstitutional. The majority found the legislation, which assesses major energy and infrastructure projects, oversteps federal authority by intruding into areas of provincial jurisdiction. The ruling is a significant victory for provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan, which challenged the law, arguing it hindered resource development. The federal government must now revise the legislation, creating a period of regulatory uncertainty for major projects across the country.