Montréal, June 27, 2025 – The CQDE expresses its deep concern over the rushed passage of Bill C-5, the Building Canada Act. The organization believes that this hurried process creates a dangerous precedent and that the Act is a troubling piece of legislation.
“By agreeing to rush this legislation through, parliamentarians are setting a dangerous precedent and opening the door to extremely broad and unwarranted discretionary power without sufficient safeguards,” declared Geneviève Paul, Executive Director of the CQDE. “We have every reason to be concerned about legislation that gives the executive branch the power to circumvent environmental standards that are absolutely essential to ensure that so-called ‘national interest’ projects are truly beneficial to the public,” continued Geneviève Paul.
Despite the adoption of a few amendments between the tabling of the bill and its passage, which notably prevented the circumvention of certain statutes such as the Criminal Code, the Election Act, and the Official Languages Act, the adopted text still allows for the overriding of environmental regulations and poses a potential threat to the respect of provincial jurisdictions.
During the study of Bill C-5, the federal government repeatedly emphasized its determination to ensure compliance with Canada’s environmental obligations and its obligations to respect the rights of Indigenous peoples. However, amendments that would have helped ensure such compliance were not adopted. As it stands, the adopted text remains highly problematic from a democratic perspective and in light of Canada’s environmental and human rights obligations.
The CQDE will closely monitor how the legislation is implemented: the potential impacts of projects designated as “in the national interest” should be duly considered in advance with sufficient and appropriate public participation, respecting the rights of Indigenous peoples and ensuring strict compliance with applicable federal and provincial environmental standards.
