Overview

• The Infrastructure Projects Act, introduced by Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma, aims to streamline the approval and delivery of major public and private projects in British Columbia.
• Cabinet will have the authority to designate projects as provincially significant on a case-by-case basis, including those from Crown corporations, local governments, First Nations, or the private sector.
• The legislation includes alternative environmental assessment processes to expedite permitting while ensuring environmental standards and Indigenous consultation obligations remain intact.
• Premier David Eby’s government previously committed to speeding up permitting to strengthen the economy, addressing external pressures such as U.S. tariff threats.
• The Act is part of a broader strategy to modernize infrastructure delivery, enhance economic growth, and uphold the province's commitments under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.