BillCanadaNot passed yet

Building Canada Strong Act (C-39)

Building Canada Strong Act, a federal omnibus bill in three parts. Part 1 speeds up project reviews: a one-year limit for federal impact-assessment and energy-regulator decisions once the required information is in, one decision statement bundling federal permits, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission as assessor for nuclear projects, 'regions of national interest' under the Building Canada Act, removal of that Act's five-year sunset, and judicial reviews that go straight to the Federal Court of Appeal. Part 2 covers supply chains (trade corridors, ports, rail, digital trade) and Part 3 amends the Canada Labour Code; the bill has no tax measures, and most of it would come into force by order in council. It was introduced in the House of Commons on September 21, 2026, passed second reading on October 8, 2026 by 296 votes to 26 and was referred to a legislative committee.

Stages

Passing a law is not the same as switching it on, and switching it on is not the same as using it. Each stage is dated where known.

1. Introduced 21 September 2026
   Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, introduced by Steven MacKinnon

Events

• about 9 October 2026Alberta Court of Appeal, 4-1, finds the amended federal Impact Assessment Act still unconstitutional in Alberta's referenceActionCourt rulingAlberta3 sources
• 8 October 2026Chiefs of Ontario, AFNQL, BC Assembly of First Nations and Nishnawbe Aski Nation jointly reject Bill C-39 and call for its withdrawal as it clears second readingStatementStatementCanada3 sources
• 7 October 2026Six environmental groups call C-39 the 'Bulldoze Nature Bill' and ask that it be split and studied by standing committeesStatementStatementCanada1 source
• 28 September 2026Environmental groups warn Bill C-39 would create 'sacrifice zones where projects could get rubber stamped'StatementStatementCanada1 source
• 25 September 2026Bill C-39 at second reading in the House.DocumentLegislationCanada5 sources
• 25 September 2026Gabriel Hardy on C-39 s.107 labour changes: 'Workers who are fighting for higher wages are not enemies of our economy'StatementStatementCanada1 source
• 25 September 2026Chak Au on C-39: 'If the problem is implementation, why is another law the answer?'StatementStatementCanada1 source
• 24 September 2026Otipemisiwak Métis Government: efficiency cannot come 'at the expense of our rights'StatementStatementAlberta1 source
• 24 September 2026Conservative MP Garnett Genuis says the government is 'at least saying some good things' about selling Canada's resources to the worldStatementStatementCanada1 source
• 24 September 2026Labour critic Kyle Seeback on C-39 Part 3: 'We do not trust them. We do not trust their changes'; geographic-certification changes 'are significant'StatementStatementCanada1 source
• 24 September 2026Conservative deputy leader Lantsman says her party will 'scrutinize the legislation' on C-39 and seek amendments in the special legislative committee, without saying how it will voteStatementStatementCanada3 sources
• 23 September 2026Poilievre, opening debate on Bill C-39 for the Conservatives, says its one-year review limit 'could be paused at any time' and pitches 'one project, one approval, one year, and better yet, one page'StatementStatementCanada2 sources
• 23 September 2026Gérard Deltell on C-39: 'C'est bien, mais attention... le diable est dans les détails'; notes it contains the single-review idea from his bill C-375StatementStatementCanada1 source
• 23 September 2026Blaine Calkins: 15 months after C-5 'not a single project has been approved by that office'StatementStatementCanada1 source
• 22 September 2026AFN National Chief Woodhouse Nepinak warns Carney against 'abusing' his majority to pass C-39 and against rushing the West Coast pipelineStatementStatementCanada3 sources
• 21 September 2026Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, introduced by Steven MacKinnonDocumentLegislationCanada14 sources
• 21 September 2026Unions and NDP decry C-39 as an attack on labour; Ottawa says the bill is needed to build major projectsStatementStatementCanada2 sources
• 21 September 2026Andrew Scheer says the Conservatives will take a careful look at Bill C-39 before taking a positionStatementStatementCanada1 source
• 15 September 2026Carney's Summit opening speech: 'Economic integration is being weaponised. Tariffs are used as leverage' (US not named)StatementStatementCanada3 sources