Overview
- The House and Senate created special legislative committees to study Bill C-39 and hearings began on Monday, Oct. 19, starting ministerial testimony and expert presentations.
- The 243-page bill would fast-track major projects by shortening review timelines, expanding the one-project/one-review model and creating geographic “regions of national interest” that can receive pre-authorizations.
- C-39 would amend Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to let a minister order a resumption of work or impose binding arbitration for federally regulated employers, a change labour experts say is likely to face Charter challenges.
- Ministers and heads of regulators told committees the bill preserves consultation and environmental obligations while reducing administrative delays, but environmental lawyers, academics and First Nations collectives said the proposals could weaken oversight and limit Indigenous influence.
- The Commons committee set a compressed schedule to finish hearings by Nov. 16 and begin clause-by-clause work in mid-November, a timetable critics say is too tight given the bill’s scope and legal risks.