There are no minor projects, prime minister

Ottawa should take inspiration from jurisdictions where moving rapidly from the proposal to completion of capital projects is the norm, not the exception. The United States has gone so far as to apply a two-year deadline on environmental impact statements, enforce limits of 150 pages on most applications, and impose firm deadlines for National Environmental Policy Act Reviews. At the state level, Arizona requires local governments to give permit applicants a firm response within 60 days of receiving an application. The U.K.’s Environment Agency has announced a program to overhaul its systems and technology in an effort to accelerate all permitting. In the competition for global capital, each of these jurisdictions has taken steps to ensure that permitting is not a limiting factor in any investment decision. Canada must develop a transparent, unified tracking system for all significant permits, identifying competitors, and setting a target to beat international peers on “time to decision.” The Carney government should publicly commit to a permitting system in which the path from application to verdict is as transparent and trackable as it is for a customer receiving an Amazon package. If all levels of government agree that a transit station, bridge, or housing development is worthy of taxpayer dollars, they should create the ability for the outcome to be achieved on an expedited basis. Aligning incentives and accountability across federal, provincial, and municipal levels will prevent blame-shifting and focus all politicians on solutions rather than merely complaining about the problems. On budget day, it’s time to make special treatment an ordinary occurrence. To this end, the definition of “major project” must be modified. While the potential economic impact of the five projects profiled by the Major Project Office is clear, in today’s climate, there are no “minor” projects—every investment with the potential to drive growth deserves urgency and respect. If a business, regardless of size, is willing to invest, the system should be capable of responding with the same seriousness and courtesy shown to billion-dollar megaprojects. The country’s challenging economic circumstances demand no less.