#resource-development

The federal government has introduced legislation to amend the Impact Assessment Act following a landmark Supreme Court of Canada ruling that found the law to be largely unconstitutional. The court determined the 2019 law, known as Bill C-69, improperly intruded on provincial jurisdiction over resource projects. The proposed changes aim to narrow the scope of federal reviews, focusing specifically on areas of federal authority like fisheries and Indigenous rights, rather than a project's overall public interest. This move seeks to provide clarity for industry while addressing the constitutional concerns raised by the court and several provinces.

The Supreme Court of Canada has delivered a landmark ruling, finding the federal government's Impact Assessment Act is largely unconstitutional. In a 5-2 decision, the court sided with Alberta and other provinces, concluding the legislation oversteps federal authority by intruding into areas of provincial jurisdiction over resource development. The ruling strikes down key provisions of the 2019 law, often called the 'No More Pipelines Act' by critics. The federal government must now redraft the legislation, creating significant uncertainty for major energy and mining projects across the country.