Canada Unveils Bill to Cap Project Reviews at One Year, Tighten Strike Powers

Canada introduced draft legislation on Monday, September 21, 2026, to cap federal reviews of major natural resource projects at one year and to restrict the labor minister's power to order striking workers back to work. The bill sets a one-year deadline for federal reviews and decisions, in part by running permit processes simultaneously rather than sequentially. Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson said the measure signals that the federal bureaucracy must become more efficient, though the timeline also depends on project proponents supplying data promptly. Indigenous consultation rights remain unchanged, but Ottawa says those consultations must be faster. The legislation also would require a special mediator to work with parties for 21 days in major disputes before the minister could intervene, after receiving a mediator's report and an employment ministry damage assessment. Ottawa invoked the existing article in 2024 and 2025 to end disputes in railways, ports, airlines and postal services, angering unions. Prime Minister Mark Carney says faster approvals are needed to counter US tariffs.