Down but Not Out: The Long Saga of the Impact Assessment Act, AKA Bill C-69

The justice statue at the Supreme Court of Canada on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 17, 2021. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang

The Supreme Court of Canada’s ruling against the Impact Assessment Act, famously dubbed “the no more pipelines act” by former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, now forces the federal government to overhaul its 2019 legislation.

The legislation, known as Bill C-69 before it became law, was introduced by the Liberal government to give Ottawa the power to evaluate major infrastructure projects, such as major pipeline projects and new mines.

Timeline

Back in 2012, the Harper Conservatives streamlined the approval process for energy projects with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. The Liberal government sought a more rigorous process in Bill C-69, the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), and overhauled how major infrastructure projects were reviewed and approved.