Varcoe: Bill C-5 charts a path, but full road map needed to get major projects built in Canada

Calgary Herald

10-07-2025

It seeks shorter approval processes for developments that will be built on current industrial brownfield sites. Timelines for regulatory processes 'should be short, concrete and adhered to.'
The study calls for governments to take steps to unleash energy as 'Canada's hard power,' selling it to a world that is consuming — and requiring — more each year.
The group recommends pursuing development of a North American energy alliance, and says Canada should 'reclaim its position as an agriculture and agri-food superpower.'
The report recommends Canada work with other NATO allies to create a critical mineral reserve for defence and military purposes.
'It serves as a clarion call to the federal government that an unprecedented level of policy coherence is really what is going to be necessary to move more energy, food and critical minerals to global markets,' said Business Council of Canada vice-president Michael Gullo.
The report is timely, as Canada's federal, provincial and territorial ministers of energy and mines are meeting in Charlottetown this week.
Last month, the Carney government passed Bill C-5, which allows it to designate major projects as being in the national interest and accelerate the approval process.
Gullo said the new legislation and the prime minister's comments are directionally positive.
'We need to go further,' he added.
'There's still some areas that haven't been sorted out . . . whether it's the oil and gas emissions cap or some of these other areas. They really need to be addressed.'
The report by the council says provinces should be in charge of leading the environmental assessments for projects under their jurisdiction, including mines, oilsands facilities, refineries and power-generating facilities.
Cross-border pipelines and electricity transmission lines should be assessed by the Canada Energy Regulator.
There are other issues that need to be clarified, such as how to get major energy projects built with the federal Impact Assessment Act and the tanker ban off the northern B.C. coast still in place. A tanker sits in dock at the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby, B.C. PNimg
Carney said Bill C-5 creates flexibility for major projects.
'We're not going to have a project that gets oil to tidewater and it stays there. There's only so much you can do with it. So it comes in the round,' he said.
'How does it fit together with what else we're doing . . . Are we growing competitive oil and gas? Are we growing clean energy at the same time with other projects? Are we growing our critical minerals? Are we growing our AI data centres?'
Gitane De Silva, former CEO of the Canada Energy Regulator, said the country has an opportunity to develop and export its natural resources, and provide energy, food and critical minerals to our allies.