The federal and Alberta governments have reached an agreement-in-principle to accelerate the construction of major infrastructure projects in the province.

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced a draft co-operation environmental and impact-assessment that aims to streamline project approvals through a one-project, one-review approach. The agreement, which will be open for public consultation for 21 days, is designed to reduce regulatory duplication while maintaining environmental protections and respecting the rights of Indigenous communities.

If implemented, the agreement would allow federal and provincial regulators to conduct a single co-ordinated review of major projects in Alberta, including pipelines, rail, power generation and transmission infrastructure. The approach is intended to speed approvals and enable construction to begin sooner on projects considered key to economic growth and energy development.

The proposal builds on a Canada-Alberta memorandum of understanding signed in November 2025 aimed at strengthening collaboration in the energy sector, unlocking the province’s natural resources and supporting the transition to net-zero emissions by 2050.

“In the face of global trade shifts, Canada and Alberta are launching the next phase of our partnership,” said Carney. “Together, we will build big and build fast to create a stronger, more sustainable, more independent economy for Albertans and all Canadians.”

Smith said the agreement would accelerate regulatory decisions on projects that fall within provincial jurisdiction.

“This agreement is a meaningful next step toward faster, more efficient project reviews, and includes the removal of federal oversight of projects that are squarely within the province’s jurisdiction to approve,” she said. “This will see Alberta projects approved faster, and shovels in the ground sooner.”

The draft agreement will be posted on the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada’s Let’s Talk Impact Assessment website for public comment until March 27, with funding available to support Indigenous groups participating in the consultation process.

The federal government said major projects under review through its Major Projects Office represent more than $116 billion in combined investment and are expected to create thousands of high-paying jobs across the country.

Pictured: TransAlta’s Keephills power facility in Northern Alberta, where the company and Brookfield are planning to develop a large data centre.

Photo: Transalta