Feds draft agreement to streamline Alberta project reviews

Key Takeaways:

• Canada and Alberta have established a draft agreement to implement a one project one review system for major infrastructure such as pipelines and power generation.
• The partnership aims to accelerate project approvals and eliminate federal oversight on matters within provincial jurisdiction to speed up economic development
• While reducing regulatory duplication the agreement maintains environmental standards and provides forty million dollars to support Indigenous participation in the review process.

The Whole Story:

The federal government and Alberta have released a draft Co-operation Agreement on Environmental and Impact Assessment that will streamline major infrastructure reviews in the province, the Prime Minister’s office said Monday.

The agreement, which will be open for public consultation from March 6 to 27, 2026, implements a “one project, one review” approach for major projects including pipelines, rail, power generation, and transmission infrastructure. Similar agreements have been completed with British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Ontario.

The deal builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Canada and Alberta in November 2025 focused on energy sector collaboration and net-zero emissions by 2050.

“This agreement is a meaningful next step toward faster, more efficient project reviews, and includes the removal of federal oversight of projects that are squarely within the province’s jurisdiction to approve,” Premier Danielle Smith said in a statement. “This will see Alberta projects approved faster, and shovels in the ground sooner.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney said the partnership reflects Canada’s shift toward economic resilience and diversification.

“In the face of global trade shifts, Canada and Alberta are launching the next phase of our partnership. Together, we will build big and build fast to create a stronger, more sustainable, more independent economy for Albertans and all Canadians,” he said.

The agreement aims to reduce regulatory overlap and duplication while maintaining environmental protections and Indigenous consultation requirements. Minister of Environment Julie Dabrusin said the approach preserves “Canada’s world-leading environmental standards and upholding constitutional obligations to Indigenous Peoples.”

Funding has been made available to support Indigenous groups’ participation in the consultation period. The Major Projects Office is also providing $40 million over three years to increase Indigenous capacity to engage on major projects.

The first and second tranches of major projects announced under the federal government’s infrastructure initiative represent combined investment of more than $116 billion and are expected to create thousands of jobs.