Overview

• The Infrastructure Projects Act empowers the B.C. cabinet to designate projects as provincially significant, streamlining their approval process.
• The legislation introduces alternative environmental assessments to accelerate permitting without compromising assessment quality or First Nations obligations.
• An initial list of priority projects includes critical minerals, housing, disaster recovery, and trade diversification, while excluding pipelines and LNG facilities.
• Municipalities can request project delays to meet local planning requirements, but the province retains override powers for significant initiatives.
• The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association criticized the selective project designation process, despite supporting efforts to reduce permitting delays.