Government of Canada introduces legislation to transform how Canada builds

OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 21, 2026 /CNW/ -- The world is changing rapidly. In response, Canada is focused on what we can control: building a stronger, more independent, and more sustainable economy. We are leveraging our strengths and moving with speed to open new markets, strengthen supply chains, accelerate projects, and unlock our natural resources. As we build, we are ensuring workers have the protections, security, and opportunities they need to succeed, creating good jobs and greater prosperity for Canadians.

To that end, today, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-39 the Building Canada Strong Act to bring greater speed, certainty, and predictability to infrastructure project reviews, and support the workers who will build them. This will give business the confidence to invest in Canada, accelerate projects, and drive long-term growth and prosperity that protects the environment and upholds Indigenous rights. Bill C-39 is the most comprehensive and ambitious reform to Canada's ability to get big things built in a generation. It will reshape the regulatory approvals process, maintain Canada's rigorous standards and uphold Indigenous rights.

The proposed legislation will:

• Build Canada Now: Get projects in Canada built faster by ensuring federal reviews and decisions are completed within one year of a proponent submitting comprehensive application.
  • The legislation will establish clearer, simpler, and more predictable processes for project proponents and Indigenous groups participating in project consultations, giving investors the certainty they need to put capital to work and build in Canada.
  • This will accelerate investment, strengthen our economy, enhance energy security, and create high-paying careers for Canadians while protecting nature and the environment, and in full respect of Indigenous rights.
• Keep Canada Moving: Strengthen Canada's trade corridors and ports to move Canadian goods faster, unlock new markets, and build more resilient supply chains.
  • Canada will formally designate strategic trade corridors, remove bottlenecks, and establish a transportation project office to coordinate federal permitting and advance priority transportation projects within one-year.
  • Legislative changes will also modernise port governance, advance new trade digitalization strategies, reduce administrative burdens, and create clearer, more predictable rules that attract private investment and make our ports more competitive.
  • These measures will help Canadian businesses build, and connect them to more global markets, while maintaining high standards for safety, security, and sustainability.
• Canada Strong For All: Modernise the federal labour framework and strengthen protection for workers in federally regulated industries.
  • Changes to the Canada Labour Code will strengthen collective bargaining by helping parties address issues earlier, reach negotiated agreements, and resolve disputes while fully protecting the right to strike.
  • Additional measures will modernise federal labour protections to keep pace with a changing economy.
  • The government will also be adding 100 new health and safety officers to increase inspection capacity by approximately 70%, hiring 26 new staff at the Canada Industrial Relations Board to clear the backlog of complaints by workers against employers, and cracking down on worker misclassification with more inspectors.
  • Together, these changes will ensure workers are treated fairly, protected on the job, have greater income security, and promote stable labour relations.

The proposed measures were informed by cross-country engagement with workers, unions, employers, Indigenous Peoples, provinces and territories, industry, and other partners. They told us clearly what Canada needs to build a stronger economy. The Building Canada Strong Act responds to that. It accelerates projects that harness Canada's energy and natural resources, strengthens the transportation and supply chains that connect them to global markets, and builds safer workplaces with strong protections and security for workers.  

The Government of Canada is moving quickly and diligently to advance these proposals, including through parliamentary review and continued collaboration with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples, environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs), industry and unions. In parallel with this legislation, the Government of Canada has issued a Cabinet Directive to complete federal reviews and make project decisions in no more than one year. These decisions will align with the government's priorities for economic growth and security, Indigenous reconciliation, and environmental protection, including through applying a mitigation hierarchy policy to project reviews and decisions, in alignment with Canada's Nature Strategy.

Canada has what the world wants, and the talent to deliver it. The Building Canada Strong Act will allow us to move faster to build, invest, trade, and create high-paying Canadian careers. In a rapidly changing world, we are unlocking Canada's full economic potential and building a stronger, more independent, and more sustainable Canadian economy for all.

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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Over five years, the government's capital investments and incentives in support of third parties, totalling 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 organisations.

Related products

• Backgrounder: Bill C-39 Introduction
• Cabinet Directive on Getting Projects Built in Canada
• Government of Canada releases What We Heard reports on proposed reforms on major projects, trade and transportation, and labour relations
• Government of Canada streamlines project assessments to strengthen one Canadian economy
• Canada's new government to simplify and accelerate Canada's regulatory process
• Government of Canada launches consultations to strengthen labour relations and better support workers

Associated links

• One Canadian Economy
• Major Projects Office
• Building Canada Strong – Bigger, faster, for all - What we Heard Reports

SOURCE President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy

Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Gabriel Brunet, Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy, 819-665-6527, [e-mail]; Marie-Justine Torres, Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of the Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Ottawa, 613-327-5918, [e-mail]; Jennifer Kozelj, Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of the Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, [e-mail]; Media Relations: Privy Council Office, 613-957-5420, [e-mail]; Media relations: Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055, [e-mail]; Media Relations Office: Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [e-mail]