The federal government may not immediately scrap Trudeau-era climate policies as requested by Alberta and Ontario, but the newly adopted major projects bill could pave the way for changes over time, according to Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson. Speaking in Calgary on Friday, Hodgson said the One Canadian Economy Act allows the government to move quickly under the current framework, with any legislative adjustments coming later. “We need to move quickly.
What the One Canadian Economy Act does is allows us to move quickly under this framework,” Hodgson told reporters. His comments came in response to a letter from the environment ministers of Alberta and Ontario asking for the repeal of climate policies, including the Impact Assessment Act, clean electricity regulations, and the emissions cap. The ministers argued these policies, put in place by the previous Liberal government, undermine competitiveness and delay project development.
Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin, after meeting with her provincial and territorial counterparts in the Northwest Territories, said the environment remains a priority for Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government, even as it prepares to fast-track major projects. “We know it’s very important to Canadians that as we do this, we’re doing it properly and in a way that supports a strong country,” she said.
Government considering adjustments to climate policies
When asked if current climate policies might deter private investment, Hodgson said Prime Minister Carney is “focused on results” and the government would “figure out how to get there.”
Hodgson also addressed the potential for new pipeline projects, particularly a proposed pipeline bringing crude oil from Alberta to the Port of Prince Rupert in British Columbia. While discussions are ongoing, he withheld details about the project’s future. “Those conversations are going on.
They’re going to happen in private,” Hodgson stated. The major projects bill, C-5, was fast-tracked through the House of Commons and received royal assent the same day, becoming law. However, environmental groups and Indigenous communities have raised concerns that the government will bypass environmental safeguards and that there was insufficient consultation.
To address these concerns, Carney has pledged to hold summits during the summer with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. The federal government will also be negotiating with provinces and territories over the next six months to streamline the environmental assessment process. The prospect of potentially overriding provincial laws may become a point of contention, particularly in Quebec and British Columbia, where significant portions of the population oppose the idea, according to polling from the Angus Reid Institute.
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