Bill C-5 has potential to accelerate a stronger, future-ready Canada, but only if we get the details right - Clean Energy Canada

Bill C-5, recently passed by the House of Commons, aims to accelerate Canada’s clean economy by enabling the government to fast-track projects that contribute to national interests, including clean growth and climate objectives. Rachel Doran, executive director of Clean Energy Canada, supports the bill’s inclusion of climate goals as a factor in project approval and the removal of federal barriers to interprovincial trade and labour mobility. She highlights the potential for the bill to enhance energy security by expediting transmission projects and prioritizing skilled workers essential to clean economy sectors, such as EV mechanics and wind turbine technicians. However, Doran emphasizes the need for certain improvements to ensure the bill’s effectiveness. She argues that contributing to Canada’s climate goals should be a mandatory criterion rather than one of many considerations. Additionally, she recommends limiting the extraordinary powers granted by the bill to a shorter timeframe, such as three years, to maintain oversight. The bill’s implementation must also align with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples