September 21, 2026
Edmonton Chamber Supports Bill C-39 Measures to Establish One-Year Federal Project Reviews and Streamline Permitting
EDMONTON, AB – September 21, 2026 – The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce welcomes measures introduced today through Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, that would establish one-year timelines for federal project reviews and decisions, better coordinate federal permitting, reduce regulatory barriers and strengthen Canada’s strategic trade corridors.
Edmonton businesses have been clear: Canada cannot compete for investment if it takes years to say yes or no to projects. We have consistently called for governments to reduce regulatory duplication, shorten approval timelines and create greater certainty for businesses looking to invest and build in Canada.
Most recently, our 2027 Federal Budget Submission called on Ottawa to reduce regulatory duplication, invest in nationally significant trade and transportation corridors and improve the reliability of Canada’s transportation system. During the WestJet labour dispute this summer, we also wrote directly to the Prime Minister calling for a more durable federal approach to labour relations across nationally significant transportation infrastructure, recognizing that the reliability of Canada’s trade network is itself a competitiveness issue. And in May 2026, when the Alberta–Canada MOU was finalized, the Chamber specifically welcomed its “one project, one review” approach.
These asks all come back to the same principle: Canada needs to be a place where businesses can invest with confidence, projects can move forward on predictable timelines, and the infrastructure connecting Canadian products to global markets can be relied upon.
Bill C-39 is meaningful progress in that direction. Establishing a one-year standard for federal project reviews and decisions, coordinating permitting and strengthening strategic trade corridors responds directly to priorities Edmonton businesses have brought forward.
We welcome the federal government’s action and look forward to working with all parties as the legislation moves through Parliament. Ultimately, success will be measured by implementation: fewer duplicative processes, faster and more predictable decisions, and more projects moving from proposal to construction.
Canada has no shortage of projects worth building. Now we need a regulatory system capable of getting them built.
Media Contact
Akanksha Bhatnagar
Executive Director, External Relations
media@edmontonchamber.com
