Canada’s ‘major projects’ should not come at the cost of the environment

Canada’s federal government released a discussion paper proposing reforms to fast-track major infrastructure projects, risking environmental safeguards like impact assessments and the Species at Risk Act. Critics warn this could threaten endangered species such as northern resident orcas and woodland caribou, while contradicting the government’s $3.8-billion nature protection strategy, *A Force of Nature*." "article": "Canada’s federal government published *Getting Major Projects Built in Canada*, a discussion paper outlining proposed reforms to accelerate infrastructure development. The document suggests creating federal economic zones exempt from environmental impact assessments and allowing construction to begin before assessments are completed. Critics argue these changes undermine protections for ecosystems, species at risk, and public health, contradicting the government’s recent *A Force of Nature* strategy, a $3.8-billion plan to protect 30% of Canada’s lands and waters by 2030. The reforms could exempt projects from the Species at Risk Act’s jeopardy test, a legal requirement ensuring developments do not push endangered species toward extinction. Canada has over 600 species listed under SARA, including the threatened northern resident orca, whose habitat in British Columbia’s northern waters faces risks from proposed LNG projects like Ksi Lisims LNG and LNG Canada’s expansion at Kitimat. Increased shipping traffic and noise pollution could further endanger the species, which has fewer than 500 individuals remaining. In Ontario, the Crawford Nickel Mine near Timmins threatens 11,785 hectares of critical woodland caribou habitat, a species already declining due to habitat loss and disturbance. A 2024 federal report found caribou habitats across Canada have shrunk since 2017, with Ontario and Alberta lagging in recovery efforts. The proposed mine would exacerbate these trends, despite the caribou’s legal protections. Environmental assessments are designed to prevent irreversible harm, yet the reforms could bypass this process entirely in designated zones. The Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution, representing nearly 1,000 ecologists, warns the changes gamble with Canada’s natural heritage. Without proper safeguards, projects like those in B.C. and Ontario could set a precedent for routine environmental degradation, undermining conservation efforts nationwide.