The federal Liberal minority government has passed proposed legislation tied to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s major infrastructure fast-tracking program in the House of Commons.

Bill C-5 must still receive Senate approval before it can be proclaimed as a law and enable the government to begin accelerating new projects deemed to be of national significance.

The government has stated that the program will focus on approving proposals that enhance Canada’s economic independence and have support from Indigenous communities.

Carney unveiled his plans for the program following a meeting with premiers during the First Ministers conference in Saskatoon earlier this month. It was Carney’s first such meeting with premiers since his election win in April.

The fast-tracking program has widespread implications for commercial real estate development across multiple asset classes. Investors and developers have called for quicker infrastructure-project approvals and incentives to help boost commercial real estate investment and development. A lack of sufficient infrastructure has hindered investment and development projects in recent years.

Carney’s Liberal government is committing to a two-year approval window for projects such as critical mineral corridors, ports, nuclear energy facilities and pipelines.

“The point is to build the certainty, the stability and the ambition that builders need to catalyze enormous investment, investment to make Canada into an energy superpower and to build the strongest economy in the G7,” Carney told reporters at the time of the unveiling.

Although no specific projects have been named, Carney confirmed that “decarbonized Canadian oil and gas by pipelines” is among the types of proposals under consideration, including potentially an oil pipeline to tidewater. Carney has has asked premiers to submit lists of nationally significant projects.

Once a project is deemed in the national interest, a new federal major projects office will be tasked with setting a single set of conditions to be met, streamlining federal oversight. However, the government has yet to clarify how it will balance expedited approvals with its duty to consult Indigenous communities.

National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, has criticized the lack of Indigenous involvement in the planning process.

Premiers have welcomed Carney’s plan, despite the lack of additional details.

Pictured: Infrastructure in the Vancouver region.

Photo: Statistics Canada