15 Quotes on Regulatory Change Needed for Canada’s Nation-Building Projects to Succeed

15 Quotes on Regulatory Change Needed for Canada’s Nation-Building Projects to Succeed

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Quotes on the Need for Further Regulatory Change Required to Build Canadian Major Projects cover

Canada’s recent passing of Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, and the opening of the Major Projects Office in Calgary are positive steps towards attaining a stronger, more independent, and more prosperous future for our families. But, as several Canadian leaders and organizations have pointed out, more can be done above and beyond Bill C-5 to ensure that we attract the investment back into our country necessary to kickstart major projects of national importance.

Below, we take a look at what several government and business leaders are saying about further regulatory changes Canada can take to ensure these projects are expedited and remain inclusive of all sectors, no matter the province or territory.

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building pipelines strengthens Canada

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“Some will say Bill C-5 is a start. But if Canada wants to compete globally, modest measures will not be enough. Other countries are moving quickly to attract capital. Without sweeping reform, Canada will continue to bleed opportunities and watch prosperity slip away.

Canadians deserve a system that is stable, transparent and efficient. They deserve the jobs and revenues that come with development. And they deserve a government that makes prosperity the norm, not an exception reserved for the projects it chooses to favour.

The Building Canada Act is a tacit admission that Ottawa knows the system is broken. But without real reform, it risks becoming just another missed opportunity. Canada cannot afford to let another $314 billion slip through its fingers.”

Krystle Wittevrongel, Director of Research, Montreal Economic Institute | Troy Media, August 2025

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On Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act:

"The Building Canada Act is supposed to enable the permits, licenses and approvals of specific acts and regulations to be overridden or fast-tracked for identified projects. Put bluntly, the act lets parliament fast-track projects it considers too important to get caught up in red tape. Whether that’s a good short-term fix is up for debate, but it won’t solve the bigger issues: duplication between jurisdictions, endless approval processes, unclear rules and high political risk."

Canada West Foundation | August 2025

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“It looks unlikely that Bill C-5 will do much to diminish such uncertainty. And entrepreneurs and investors, who spend millions developing project plans, will have to hope that their new mine, pipeline or hydroelectric dam catches the attention of the right Ottawa officials. Only then will they be able to access the faster approval process that Bill C-5 has, in theory, created. All other projects, no matter how beneficial, risk being bogged down in our broken impact assessment process and burdensome regulations.

For the sake of all Canadians, Bill C-5 should be amended so that it doesn’t apply exclusively to a few hand-picked projects. Rapid consideration must be given to all practical projects, including pipelines, that are advanced — or have been advanced — by private companies for solid economic reasons.”

Bronwyn Eyre, Senior Fellow, Montreal Economic Institute | Calgary Herald, July 2025

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building powerlines strengthens Canada

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“We need to become an economically stronger and more independent country without further delay or excuse. It’s time to repeal these terrible laws that continue to weaken our economy, make us dependent on a single customer, and hold back the prosperity of our country.”

“The federal government must immediately drop the anti-resource development laws holding our economy back and work at all haste to approve multiple pipelines, rail expansions, and transmission lines going west, east, and north to diversify and grow our export markets around the world.”

Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta | Western Standard, July 2025

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“No one will build a pipeline to tide waters if there’s a ban on tankers… No one will invest in opening a mine if it takes 15 years to get to ‘yes.’ It’s time to end excuses, and it’s time to start building, and we need to start building now."

Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario | CTV News, July 2025

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On Canada becoming a mining and energy superpower:

“Making the most of this opportunity will require the federal and provincial governments to work quickly and collaboratively to increase Canada’s export capacity, streamline bulky regulatory processes and build investor confidence. It’s time to unleash Saskatchewan’s world-class resource sector and fully realize our economic potential.”

Colleen Young, Saskatchewan Energy & Resources Minister | Government of SK, July 2025

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During testimony to the Canadian Senate on Bill C-5:

“Our energy, our story, is one of unfulfilled potential. LNG provides a striking example of where policy missteps and onerous regulatory barriers have kept Canada shackled and unable to reach its full potential, leaving us on the sidelines as other countries take the place that should have been Canada's as an energy supplier for the democratic world.”

Goldy Hyder, President & CEO, Business Council of Canada | CPAC, June 2025

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On Bill C-5 receiving royal assent:

“We welcome the passing of Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, officially receiving Royal Assent. This is a pivotal move to strengthen trade, build infrastructure and unlock economic opportunity across the country.

As a next step, regulatory reform must extend beyond those projects designated as nationally significant. For smaller, local infrastructure projects — particularly in rural and Indigenous communities — clearer timelines and more predictable approvals are equally vital. These projects may be modest in scale but have an outsized impact on economic development and community well-being. This includes other policies that hinder development and investment, such as the emissions cap, Competition Act amendments, Impact Assessment Act amendments and others.”

Ruhee Ismail-Teja, Vice-President, Policy & External Affairs, Calgary Chamber of Commerce | June 2025

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When asked about a new pipeline from Alberta to B.C.:

“We will be there to build what is needed for our shippers, for Alberta and for Canada — that’s our job, our mission as a company — but only when the conditions make sense and the right framework is in place.”

Enbridge | CBC, June 2025

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“Canada’s regulatory systems are supposed to protect us from risk, not from progress.

Yet somehow our approaches to approving and permitting projects have evolved into an albatross: a burden on those who would build and invest in our country. Canadians have less infrastructure, jobs, productivity and economic growth as a result. The net effect has left Canadians poorer.

Collectively we have decided that this state of affairs is no longer tenable, and our political leaders describe on a daily basis how they will improve the system. Now we must do the hard work of actually peeling back the many layers of regulatory bureaucracy that have stymied our ambition and competitiveness.

At the top of the list of things that must change for Canada to start building major projects again is the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), known colloquially as Bill C-69.”

Heather Exner-Pirot, Special Advisor, Business Council of Canada & Michael Gullo, Vice President, Business Council of Canada | May 2025

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“Oppressive regulation has been the major stumbling block to investment in Canada. It takes too long for us to build things — when we can build them at all. Excessive regulation has straitjacketed oil, gas and mining projects — often quite deliberately, under the disproportionate influence of a small minority of Canadians opposed in principle to resource development.

But manufacturing and other industries are also affected by one of the slowest systems in the OECD for approving capital projects. Financing such projects is not really a problem; getting them approved is. We need a smoother and more certain process like the corridor system for infrastructure used in Australia and several other countries. We also need to resist loading capital projects with social policy obligations better encouraged by other means.”

Jack M. Mintz, Senior Fellow, School of Public Policy, University of Calgary | Financial Post, April 2025

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building railways strengthens Canada

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On securing Canada’s economic future amid tariffs:

“Canada has what the world needs: …energy, …innovation, and the talent to lead. As one of the most reliable and ethical nations, our energy sector is essential for addressing global challenges. To unlock this potential, we must back bold choices: streamline regulation, reduce barriers, and empower Canadian businesses to act with confidence and agility."

Laurent Ferreira, President & CEO, National Bank of Canada | LinkedIn, March 2025

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On securing Canada’s economic future amid tariffs:

“We can feed and fuel the growing world… That means removing internal trade barriers, getting high-impact energy and infrastructure projects approved faster, supporting homegrown tech innovation, improving our tax competitiveness and unlocking more capital to scale our best engines of economic growth.”

Dave McKay, President & CEO, Royal Bank of Canada | LinkedIn, March 2025

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On tariffs and regulatory reform in Canada:

“The current situation is… a clear signal that Canadian governments and businesses must pull together to remove the obstacles that hold back national productivity and strengthen our competitiveness.”

Raymond Chun, Group President & CEO, TD Bank Group | Reuters, March 2025

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On U.S. tariffs and diversifying Canada’s export markets:

“Canada needs a New National Policy of nation-building: dismantling internal barriers, welcoming investment, building new infrastructure, ending business-bashing and regulatory paralysis, and taking our resources to the world.”

Perrin Beatty, Former President & CEO, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Former MP and Cabinet Minister, Former President of CBC | X, February 2025

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building roads strengthens Canada

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What Are We Waiting For?

The path to achieving Canada’s economic potential lies in dismantling regulatory barriers that extend beyond Bill C-5. It’s time to act decisively—our nation’s economic future depends on it.