Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali announced on Monday that the federal government has released progress reports detailing nearly 500 ways in which departments are streamlining processes to enhance efficiency.
Ali emphasized that reducing bureaucratic hurdles will align with Government of Canada objectives such as expediting project reviews to stimulate economic growth and fostering closer partnerships with trading allies to eliminate obstacles and expedite product deliveries.
This declaration follows Prime Minister Mark Carney’s comprehensive review of regulations across departments, initiated in July, with the aim of realizing Canada’s full economic potential by cutting red tape. The federal government shared various regulatory accomplishments in a background document, indicating advancements that will accelerate infrastructure initiatives, hasten the market entry of goods like pharmaceuticals and agricultural products, and bolster international trade activities.
Throughout the recent months and the 2025 federal election campaign, Carney has advocated for the Canadian government to streamline decision-making processes for major infrastructure projects within a two-year timeframe. To meet this objective, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada has started revamping its procedures, including simplifying templates, to align with Carney’s directive.
Moreover, the federal government reported that since June 2024, 12 projects have entered the federal impact assessment phase, with eight projects receiving early assessment decisions in just over three months on average. The Canada Energy Regulator is also in the process of updating four regulations pertaining to activities such as oil, gas, and electricity exports and imports, construction of international power lines, and toll information reporting.
The proposed regulations aim to eliminate certain authorization requirements for specific activities, while the CER has significantly reduced decision timelines for routine pipeline project applications of under 40 kilometers to an average of 79 days, down from 191 days four years ago.
The government is leveraging partnerships with trusted international bodies to expedite regulatory processes. The Minister of Health now has the authority to establish that certain legislative and regulatory standards for products like pharmaceuticals have been met based on approvals from comparable foreign regulatory bodies. Additionally, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is enhancing international alignment to facilitate timely assessments of agricultural products by leveraging decisions from reputable foreign jurisdictions.
Furthermore, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission is aligning regulations with international standards and minimizing redundant customs requirements. These collective regulatory modifications are estimated to provide a net benefit of $500,000 per year to affected businesses, with an anticipated $1 million in government savings due to proposed exemptions reducing license applications.
Transport Canada is collaborating with international entities to ensure Canada stays in sync with evolving global standards, enabling Canadian businesses to operate more smoothly on a global scale. Ali stated that the Red Tape Reduction Office, under the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, will continue working with federal regulators to drive further advancements and engage with provinces and territories in this endeavor.
