OTTAWA — A new federal bill billed as a fix for environmental assessment is in fact a blank cheque for Cabinet to push through projects without proper oversight, the Green Party of Canada warns.
“This is not environmental assessment — it’s a political playbook,” said Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands. “Bill C-5 gives the federal Cabinet sweeping discretion to fast-track projects while weakening Indigenous rights and environmental protections.”
Under the proposed law, Cabinet alone will decide which projects are deemed “in the national interest.” The law would give ministers the power to bypass key planning requirements and timelines — and rewrite rules for individual projects at any time. Safeguards for nature, sustainability and biodiversity are conspicuously missing.
“This is the first time in 40 years that Canadian environmental assessment law has been written to serve political deals first and environmental responsibility second,” said May.
The bill also sidelines Indigenous rights. Even where Indigenous communities’ constitutionally protected rights may be harmed, the bill requires only that they “must be consulted” — while giving full veto power to the Canadian Energy Regulator over pipeline approvals. “That is an appalling double standard,” said May.
Other concerns include:
- Sweeping regulation-making powers allowing Cabinet to change rules for any project at any time.
- Bypassing of planning phases and timelines for designated national interest projects.
- Weaker oversight from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, which do not receive the statutory powers granted to energy regulators.
- A five-year sunset clause, designed to drive fast project approvals with little transparency or accountability.
- A new Office of Major Federal Projects Coordination, with no clear reporting lines or ministerial accountability.
“This is not how we should be building a sustainable, resilient, and just Canada,” said May. “We believe in nation-building — but the right way: through transparent, accountable decisions that respect Indigenous rights and protect our environment.”
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For more information or to arrange an interview:
Laurie MacMillan
Communications Director
Green Party of Canada