Mark Carney Tables Building Canada Strong Act to Fast-Track Projects

Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberal government tabled Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, on September 21, 2026, in Ottawa. The legislation aims to bolster economic resilience and attract investment following failed trade negotiations with the United States that resulted in tariffs on Canadian goods. The act establishes a one-year deadline for federal reviews of major infrastructure, mining, and energy projects, introducing a one-project, one-review system. It also creates regions of national interest to pre-approve projects and shifts oversight for pipelines and power lines from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada to the Canada Energy Regulator and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

On labor reform, the bill modifies Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to change how the government ends strikes. Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu stated the bill creates a higher bar for intervention, requiring the minister to declare a dispute adversely affects the national interest and consider a report from a new special mediator. To support these changes, the government will hire 100 new health and safety officers and 26 additional staff for the Canada Industrial Relations Board.

Opposition leaders and labor groups have criticized the measures. NDP Leader Avi Lewis and Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske argued the bill weakens collective bargaining and could allow the government to end legal strikes unilaterally. Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet suggested the act prioritizes foreign business over environmental and labor regulations. Meanwhile, the government abandoned plans to exempt projects from species-at-risk laws following public pushback.