Canada can accelerate major projects without diminishing environmental protections. Photo by Getty Images/iStockphoto /Postmedia Network

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Wildfires raging in Canada this summer not only underscore the severe threat that climate change poses to the country’s ecosystems, but also highlight the deep connection between conservation and economic prosperity — the two must be aligned for both to succeed.

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The federal government recognized this inextricable link last spring when it announced a landmark $3.8 billion for its nature strategy to protect the country’s lands and waters, calling it both a moral duty and an economic imperative.

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Now, however, the government risks moving Canada in the wrong direction by proposing legislative, regulatory and policy changes that weaken environmental protections to fast-track major projects such as pipelines, ports and mines.

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This is misguided and dangerous. There are far more effective ways for the government to speed up project reviews without diluting environmental standards. Nature Canada has identified more than a dozen practical reforms that do just that.

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Our recommendations recognize that we cannot grow the economy while cannibalizing nature, and we cannot conserve nature if we lack the resources to meet society’s needs. That is why we commended the federal government for its nature protection strategy. That is why we supported the 2025 throne speech commitment to improve and accelerate federal environmental review processes to get major projects built without unnecessary delays while maintaining environmental responsibilities.

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However, many of the reforms the government is now putting forward to fast-track major project approvals are deeply concerning.

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They weaken environmental protections, treating regulations as “red tape” holding up project approvals. They risk undermining democratic norms by giving ministers the power to set aside laws and regulations without legislative oversight.

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Yet, weakening environmental safeguards by bypassing environmental review processes and replacing legal standards with political discretion will not accelerate construction. Instead, it will squander social licence, invite endless litigation, trigger constitutional friction with Indigenous Peoples and jeopardize Canada’s international trade commitments, all while putting species and habitats at risk.

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A more effective and efficient way to build major projects without abandoning environmental integrity is to put nature front and centre from the beginning. This means identifying environmental risks early on, avoiding conflict where possible and providing certainty for communities, Indigenous partners, investors and proponents.

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Here are four practical solutions from our submission to do this.