Overview
- Monday’s release follows Prime Minister Mark Carney’s 60‑day government‑wide review launched in July to streamline federal regulations.
- Departments will carry proposals forward at their own pace, with Treasury Board support, and any formal rule changes remain subject to the cabinet directive on regulation and required consultations.
- Highlighted measures include re‑engineering the impact assessment process toward a two‑year decision goal and Canada Energy Regulator updates that simplify applications, remove some authorization requirements and cut reporting.
- The government cites faster decisions already occurring, noting 12 projects entered federal impact assessment since June 2024 and eight received early federal assessment decisions in just over three months on average, while routine pipeline applications now average 79 days versus 191 four years ago.
- Health Canada and other regulators plan greater reliance on trusted foreign decisions to speed access to drugs and products, with background estimates of about $500,000 a year in business benefits and $1 million in government savings, as environmental groups and some Indigenous leaders warn about weakened safeguards and consultation.