DOMINIC LeBlanc, Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy, on Friday introduced new legislation to build a stronger, more competitive, and more resilient Canadian economy.

One Canadian Economy: An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act, will remove federal barriers to internal trade and labour mobility, and advance nation-building projects crucial for driving Canadian productivity growth, energy security, and economic competitiveness.

The proposed legislation will accelerate the realization of major, nation-building projects that will help Canada become the strongest economy in the G7, deepen our trade relationships with reliable partners, and create good Canadian jobs. The federal government will determine whether a major project is in the national interest based on consultations with provinces, territories and Indigenous Peoples.

Projects will be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria:

• Strengthen Canada’s autonomy, resilience and security;
• Provide economic or other benefits to Canada;
• Have a high likelihood of successful execution;
• Advance the interests of Indigenous Peoples; and
• Contribute to clean growth and to Canada’s objectives with respect to climate change.

Projects will only be designated following full consultation with affected Indigenous Peoples.

When a project is designated, it is conditionally approved upfront. The project will go through existing review processes, with a focus on “how” the project will be built as opposed to “whether” it can be. The federal major projects office will coordinate and expedite these reviews.

The results, along with consultation with Indigenous Peoples, will inform a single set of binding federal conditions for the project. These conditions would include mitigation and accommodation measures to protect the environment and to respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples. The federal major projects office will include an Indigenous Advisory Council with First Nation, Inuit, and Métis representatives. The federal government will also allocate capacity funding to strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ participation in this process.

This legislation aligns with the Government of Canada’s commitment to a ‘one project, one review’ approach, which means realizing a single assessment for projects and better coordination of permitting processes with the provinces and territories. The ultimate objective is to reduce decision timelines on major projects from five years down to two years.

Canada will uphold its constitutional obligations to consult Indigenous groups to ensure projects proceed in ways that respect and protect Indigenous rights. The government said it is committed to working in a way that respects our commitments to the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and the principles of reconciliation, including economic reconciliation.

This new legislation builds one economy out of 13. It removes federal barriers to free trade within the borders while protecting workers, the environment and the health and safety of all Canadians.

In cases where there is a federal barrier, the legislation will allow a good or service that meets comparable provincial or territorial rules to be considered to have met federal requirements for internal trade. For Canadian businesses, this will make it easier to buy, sell and transport goods and services across the country.

On labour mobility, the new legislation will provide a framework to recognize provincial and territorial licenses and certifications for workers. This means that a worker authorized in provincial or territorial jurisdiction can more quickly and easily work in the same occupation in federal jurisdiction.

This new legislation will make it easier to do business across Canada by removing regulatory duplication and cutting federal red tape. It will also reduce costs or delays for Canadian businesses who follow comparable provincial and territorial rules.