5 big takeaways from the Building Canada Strong Act

The federal government introduced landmark legislation this month designed to overhaul Canada’s infrastructure approvals process, expedite regulatory reviews and accelerate the flow of private capital into major national projects.

Bill C-39, titled the Building Canada Strong Act, aims to transform how critical infrastructure, transport corridors and energy projects are built across the country. Accompanied by a binding Cabinet directive, the proposed reforms establish a faster, more predictable framework designed to eliminate regulatory gridlock and attract large-scale investment while maintaining environmental standards and upholding Indigenous rights.

For construction industry professionals, here are the top five takeaways from the proposed legislation.

1. A strict one-year ceiling

The central reform of Bill C-39 is the establishment of a binding 12-month limit for federal reviews and final decisions on major infrastructure applications. Under the new legislation and parallel Cabinet directive, federal authorities must complete all environmental and regulatory evaluations within one year of receiving a comprehensive application from a proponent. For project developers and capital allocators, this structural shift eliminates multi-year delays, reduces carrying costs during front-end engineering design, and provides a clear timeline for capital deployment.

2. Designated trade corridors and a streamlined transport office

To eliminate chronic supply chain bottlenecks and modernize logistical gateways, the legislation establishes designated strategic trade corridors and creates a specialized Transportation Project Office. This new office will coordinate federal permitting to advance priority transit and shipping assets within the target one-year window. Additionally, legislative updates to port governance and supply chain digitalization aim to cut administrative overhead, enhance port competitiveness and create predictable conditions for private infrastructure financing.

3. Structured Indigenous consultation and standardized mitigation

Bill C-39 restructures regulatory engagement to provide clearer rules for proponents and Indigenous groups participating in project consultations. While maintaining Canada’s constitutional duty to consult, the bill introduces standardized timelines and formalizes a mitigation hierarchy policy aligned with Canada’s Nature Strategy. This framework gives developers clear, upfront guidelines regarding environmental offsetting and project design, significantly reducing late-stage legal and regulatory risk for institutional investors.

4. Altering labour frameworks

The proposed legislation updates the Canada Labour Code to foster stable labour relations and protect project timelines from costly disputes. The changes emphasize early dispute resolution during collective bargaining while explicitly safeguarding the right to strike. To support safer worksites and enforce fair practices, Ottawa is adding 100 new health and safety inspectors—increasing inspection capacity by roughly 70%—alongside 26 new staff at the Canada Industrial Relations Board and increased enforcement against worker misclassification.

5. A legislative foundation to unlock $1 trillion in capital

Bill C-39 serves as the statutory engine driving the federal government’s broader economic strategy, which aims to leverage $280 billion in public capital and incentives over five years to unlock more than $1 trillion in total public, private and institutional investment. The legislation codifies the work of the Major Projects Office, which has managed 27 nation-building proposals representing $200 billion in immediate capital since September 2025, providing developers and investors with a designated pipeline toward $500 billion in future private sector investment opportunities.