Ontario looks to trim 220K days of permit processing time

The Ontario government has introduced omnibus red tape reduction legislation that it claims will eliminate nearly 220,000 days of government permit processing times to accelerate project construction and counter U.S. tariffs.

Titled the Building Ontario Faster Act, 2026, the proposed bill was tabled as part of Ontario’s strategy to establish the most competitive, investment-ready regulatory framework in the Group of Seven. The legislation targets broad regulatory bottlenecks across infrastructure, business licensing, environmental reviews, and interprovincial labour mobility.

Central components of the proposed reforms include:

• Permit Modernization: Continuing a three-year review of all 375 business-facing provincial permits, aiming to eliminate, streamline, or transform 35% to 50% by the end of 2028. The province reports having evaluated 51% of these permits to date, altering or modernizing 65% of those examined.
• Infrastructure Acceleration: Establishing project-specific environmental frameworks to expedite major transit and transport builds, including shaving up to five years off the remaining four-laning of Highway 69 between Parry Sound and Sudbury.
• Underground Mapping System: Creating a unified digital map of underground utilities and infrastructure to help construction teams streamline planning, avoid project delays, and protect field workers.
• Interprovincial Labour Mobility: Removing credential and certification barriers for workers in regulated trades and professions moving to Ontario from other Canadian provinces and territories.
• Waste & Tariff Mitigation: Adjusting environmental regulations to expand domestic landfill and waste storage capacity, addressing U.S. Section 338 tariffs levied on Canadian waste entering American facilities.

“We’re giving businesses the confidence and predictability they need to invest and create jobs here in Ontario, so we can stand up to tariffs, protect our workers and build the most competitive economy in the G7,” said Red Tape Reduction Minister Andrea Khanjin in a statement.

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy noted that removing duplicative compliance rules delivers direct financial relief: “By removing outdated and duplicative processes, we are saving businesses valuable time and money, helping them to invest, grow and create jobs across the province.”

The proposed bill builds on earlier provincial red tape initiatives, including the Protect Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act, 2025, the Building a More Competitive Economy Act, 2025, and the Protecting Ontario’s Workers and Economic Resilience Act, 2026.