The Government of Canada has introduced Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, a major legislative initiative aimed at accelerating infrastructure development, strengthening trade corridors, modernizing labour protections, and creating greater certainty for investors. The proposed legislation seeks to transform how major projects are reviewed and approved by establishing faster, more predictable processes while maintaining environmental protections and respecting Indigenous rights.

According to the federal government, the legislation is designed to help Canada build critical infrastructure more efficiently, unlock economic opportunities, strengthen supply chains, and support workers across the country. The Act builds on previous economic and regulatory reforms and is part of a broader effort to enhance Canada’s competitiveness, attract investment, and support long-term economic growth.

 

What Would the Building Canada Strong Act Do?

• • Accelerate project approvals and reviews.
    The legislation proposes a streamlined federal review process with a target of completing reviews and decisions within one year after a comprehensive project application is submitted. The goal is to reduce regulatory delays, provide greater certainty for investors, and help move major projects from planning to construction more quickly while maintaining environmental standards and Indigenous consultation requirements.
• • Strengthen trade corridors and transportation infrastructure.
    The Act would designate strategic trade corridors and remove bottlenecks that slow the movement of goods across the country. It also proposes the creation of a dedicated transportation project office to coordinate permits and advance priority transportation projects, helping Canadian businesses access domestic and international markets more efficiently.
• • Strengthen worker protections and labour relations.
    The Act includes proposed changes to the Canada Labour Code that would encourage earlier dispute resolution, strengthen collective bargaining processes, and help labour and management reach negotiated agreements more efficiently. At the same time, the legislation maintains workers’ right to strike while promoting more stable labour relations.
• • Modernize Canada’s ports and supply chain infrastructure.
    Proposed reforms would improve port governance, advance transportation digitalization initiatives, and reduce administrative burdens. These changes are intended to improve efficiency at Canadian ports, attract investment, strengthen supply chains, and enhance Canada’s ability to move products to global markets while maintaining high standards for security and sustainability.
• • Create a more predictable process for businesses and investors.
    By simplifying and coordinating federal approvals, the government aims to provide project proponents with clearer timelines and expectations. Greater predictability is expected to encourage private sector investment in sectors such as energy, mining, transportation, and infrastructure, helping Canada compete more effectively in the global marketplace.
• • Support economic growth and job creation.
    By accelerating project development and reducing approval timelines, the legislation aims to unlock new investments, strengthen Canada’s energy and natural resource sectors, and generate thousands of high-paying jobs. The government believes faster project delivery will contribute to long-term economic growth, productivity, and national competitiveness.
• • Improve workplace safety and enforcement.
    The government plans to hire 100 new health and safety officers, increasing inspection capacity by approximately 70%, and add 26 new staff members to the Canada Industrial Relations Board to help address complaint backlogs. These measures are intended to improve worker protections, workplace compliance, and timely enforcement of labour standards.
• • Support nation-building projects across Canada.
    The legislation is intended to help advance projects in sectors such as energy, mining, ports, trade infrastructure, and transportation. According to the government, the reform package will help Canada build the infrastructure needed to support economic growth, strengthen supply chains, increase energy security, and attract long-term investment.
• • Maintain environmental protections and Indigenous rights.
    While speeding up project approvals, the legislation would continue to uphold Canada’s environmental review processes, Duty to Consult obligations, Modern Treaty commitments, and responsibilities under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. The government states that economic development, environmental stewardship, and Indigenous reconciliation will remain key considerations in project decision-making.

 

Supporting Canadian Workers

Alongside infrastructure reforms, the legislation introduces measures intended to strengthen worker protections and modernize federal labour laws. Proposed changes would support collective bargaining, improve dispute resolution processes, enhance workplace safety enforcement, and provide additional resources to investigate complaints and ensure compliance with labour standards.

The government also plans to increase inspection capacity through the addition of new health and safety officers and strengthen oversight of worker misclassification. These measures are intended to help ensure that workers benefit from Canada’s economic growth while continuing to have access to fair, safe, and secure workplaces.

 

Quotes

“Canada is a country of high standards, but high standards do not require slow decisions. Our government is bringing speed, certainty, and predictability to how we build, so investors know that when Canada says it wants something built, Canadians will get it built. In a more uncertain world, we will control our own future.”
— The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada

“Canada is building big and creating certainty for a stronger, more competitive, and independent Canadian economy. We have already begun by accelerating major nation building projects through the Major Projects Office, and now we will apply the same efficiency more broadly through this Act. Our standards are simple: one project, one review, one year.”
—The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy

“Canada’s success depends on growing our economy and getting Canadian products to global markets efficiently and affordably. By modernizing our transportation system and reducing red tape, we are helping move goods more quickly, strengthening supply chains, attracting investment, and reinforcing Canada’s position as a reliable trading partner. These measures would help create jobs, support businesses, and build a stronger economy for Canadians.”
—The Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

“Strong labour relations are essential to the success of Canadian workers, businesses and our economy. As workplaces continue to evolve, our labour laws must keep pace to ensure workers are protected and workplaces remain fair and safe. This legislation will protect the right to strike while reinforcing the responsibility of unions and employers to negotiate in good faith, helping ensure workers and employers can continue to navigate challenges together.”
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister Responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario

“Canadians expect us to build the projects that grow our economy while protecting the environment and advancing reconciliation through meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples. This legislation maintains rigorous assessments and strong environmental safeguards while giving proponents the certainty they need to invest, including in the clean energy projects that are a building block of a net zero economy.”
– The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature and Minister responsible for the Canada Water Agency

 

Quick facts

• • The measures in the proposed legislation build on Government of Canada efforts such as:
    • • The legislative measures introduced though Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, which established a new framework to advance projects of national interest through a more efficient and coordinated federal process.
      • Ongoing work to improve the efficiency, predictability, and coordination of federal impact assessment and regulatory processes for major projects, including through the eight cooperation agreements finalized with provinces to date, while maintaining strong environmental protections and respecting Indigenous rights.
      • Budget 2025 provided important funding to support federal investments in trade-enabling transportation infrastructure through the new $5 billion Trade Diversification Corridors Fund and the $1 billion Arctic Infrastructure Fund.

• • Since September 2025, 27 nation-building initiatives have been referred to the new Major Projects Office – new ports, mines, and energy corridors from every region of the country that now represent $200 billion in investments and a clear path to $500 billion in future private sector investment.
• • Canada will continue to uphold its obligations including its Duty to Consult, Modern Treaty and Self-Government obligations, and commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
• • Over five years, the government’s capital investments and incentives in support of third parties, totaling about $280 billion, are expected to enable more than $1 trillion in total investment from public, private, and institutional partners.
• • Canada consistently ranks amongst the top destinations for foreign direct investment confidence, with an AAA-rating, lowest net debt to GDP in the G7, and #1 ranking in the G7 for banking stability.
• • Canada has the world’s most educated workforce with a leading AI sector adding jobs faster than the US, and a $140 billion quantum opportunity.
• • The Canada Investment Summit laid the foundation for enormous new investment and strategic partnerships, while accelerating existing negotiations – resulting in nearly $500 billion in new investment commitments to Canada.
• • As part of cross-country consultations this summer, over 26,000 responses were received, and 78 engagement sessions were held with Canadians, industry, Indigenous groups, and environmental organizations.

 

Conclusion

The Building Canada Strong Act represents one of the federal government’s most significant efforts in recent years to modernize project development, improve regulatory efficiency, and strengthen Canada’s economic competitiveness. By streamlining approvals, improving transportation infrastructure, and supporting workforce development, the legislation aims to accelerate the delivery of projects that contribute to Canada’s long-term growth and prosperity

At the same time, the proposed reforms seek to balance economic development with environmental stewardship, Indigenous consultation, and worker protections. If implemented, the Act could play a major role in shaping how Canada develops infrastructure, attracts investment, and supports future nation-building projects in the years ahead.

 

Source: canada.ca