From Barriers to Breakthroughs: Unlocking Investment through Regulatory Reform

Canada has no shortage of projects worth building. What it needs to have is a regulatory system fast enough to build them. In its latest From Barriers to Breakthroughs report, the Business Council of Alberta (BCA) outlines recommendations to modernize major project approvals, unlock investment, and give companies the certainty they need.

The data tells a stark story; Canada is falling behind. The scale of the problem is significant. Between 2006 and 2021, federal regulatory requirements increased by 37% despite repeated reform efforts. To reverse this trend, BCA recommends improving major project reviews and permitting through changes to the Impact Assessment Act (IAA) and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act (CER Act), and strengthening regulatory design and oversight. Key reforms include:

Improve the process for screening reviews in and out of the IAA: Ensure projects are reviewed by the correct regulator under the right legislation and enable “one project, one review, one decision” by integrating federal expertise into provincial processes.
Remove late stage political decisions: Adopt a two stage decision model with an early political decision on whether a project proceeds and a final independent authorization on how it proceeds.
Shorten and stabilize timelines: Limit reviews to two years or less, prevent political extensions and streamline stages to reduce duplication and improve efficiency.
Focus reviews on the most important impacts: Narrow assessments to major, material impacts, avoid re evaluating issues covered by existing laws and set clear requirements early.
Streamline permitting: Make the lead review regulator responsible for coordinating permits, align permit decisions with the IAA outcome and prevent contradictions.
Clarify Indigenous Consultation: Ensure the Crown uses businesses’ engagement to meet procedural duties, complete consultation within timelines where possible and support Indigenous participation and equity opportunities.

Canada has the assets and talent to compete globally, but it needs a regulatory system capable of turning those strengths into investment and growth. For Alberta’s construction industry, the cost of uncertainty is real. Lengthy approval timelines disrupt workforce planning and limit the capacity of CLRA members to deliver the infrastructure the economy depends on.

If implemented, these reforms would create a regulatory system that supports sustained investment and economic growth. Regulatory costs would be managed more effectively and clearer requirements and more predictable processes would give businesses the confidence to invest and grow.

For CLRA, this is what success looks like. Success means project approval timelines that move at the pace of industry, clear pathways for cross provincial projects, and fewer delays once technical requirements are met. Alberta has the workforce, the expertise and the commitment to build what Canada needs. Major construction opportunities are ready to proceed, and now we need a regulatory system that can keep pace.

CLRA values the insight of the BCA and has been fortunate to have them share their research and policy recommendations with our contractors and stakeholders at key events like last year’s National Construction Labour Relations Alliance conference and our MLA Reception and Panel Discussion. We will continue to align its efforts with those of the BCA to drive practical regulatory improvements that unlock investment, accelerate approvals and get more construction underway.