In an open letter, the groups laid out seven criteria that must be met
An alliance of environmental, nature, and climate groups in Canada has urged the federal government to set what they termed “clear, transparent criteria” to identify projects considered to be in the national interest under Bill C-5, the Building Canada Act.
In an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney and key Cabinet ministers, the groups outlined seven requirements that projects must meet:
- Must improve Canada’s autonomy, resilience, security and identity
- Highly likely to be successfully executed and economically viable
- Must progress reconciliation and honor the rights of Canada’s Indigenous peoples as recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 and the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which includes the free, prior, and informed consent standard
- Must have involved Indigenous Peoples, experts, and the public in the early planning process and complied with guidelines from the minister or the major federal projects office
- Must cultivate sustainability
- Must support the government’s ability to meet environmental and human rights obligations and its climate change commitments
- Must not generate fossil fuels or transport fossil fuels for export
“The Building Canada Act must not become a backdoor for development that fuels climate chaos, pushes endangered species closer to extinction, or violates Indigenous rights,” said Kimberly Shearon, Ecojustice’s acting executive director, in a statement.
West Coast Environmental Law’s executive director and senior counsel, Jessica Clogg, also criticized the decision to appoint former Trans Mountain Corp. CEO Dawn Farrell as head of the Major Projects Office in Calgary.
“The government says it’s acting in the national interest, but Canadians deserve to know what that actually means. We’ve defined it clearly: projects must uphold Indigenous rights, protect the environment and build a sustainable future. The decision to appoint a former pipeline CEO to lead the Major Projects Office heightens concern about whose interests will really be prioritized,” Clogg said. “But if the government commits to strong, transparent standards, it can still ensure that future projects strengthen communities and move Canada closer to meeting its climate obligations.”
The Canadian Environmental Law Association’s counsel and acting executive director Richard Lindgren called for the government to prioritize projects that “would enhance the health, safety and environment of Indigenous peoples and under-served and under-resourced communities across the country” in Schedule 1 of the Building Canada Act.
“For example, a priority for the federal government in designating national interest projects should be to close the infrastructure gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in Canada. For any specific project, there must be meaningful consultation and co-development of projects with potentially impacted Indigenous peoples,” Lindgren said.
Environmental Defence Canada’s executive director Tim Gray highlighted the need to shield Canadians from the natural fallout of environmental disregard.
“This period of nation building cannot be about building more fossil fuel projects, which all credible international bodies have said are incompatible with a stable climate. The government must protect the health and safety of Canadians who are facing escalating wildfires, extreme weather and climate impacts,” Gray said.
