Canada's Carney Introduces Build Canada Strong Act to Cap Project Reviews, Curb Strikes

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's government on Sept. 21 introduced the Build Canada Strong Act, legislation mandating that federal reviews and decisions on major infrastructure projects be completed within one year and imposing new timelines on collective bargaining for federally regulated industries. The bill aims to reduce work stoppages that have disrupted railways, ports and airlines in recent years, and sets conditions for invoking binding arbitration under Section 107, including a requirement that a labor disruption have far-reaching economic effects. It also designates strategic trade corridors and creates a transportation project office to advance projects to construction within a year, while updating port governance laws to ease administrative burdens and allow private joint ventures. The legislation faces likely opposition from unions, environmental advocates and Indigenous groups. Carney's Liberal Party holds a majority in the House of Commons, making passage near certain.