Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has vowed to repeal a key Liberal environmental law if his party wins the next federal election to streamline approval of major projects, such as pipelines, mines, and LNG plants.

Aly Hyder Ali, oil and gas program manager at Environmental Defence, says the Impact Assessment Act (which was brought in through Bill C-69 in 2019) is one of Canada’s most essential environmental laws. It ensures thorough project evaluations before major infrastructure, like pipelines, LNG projects and mines, move forward. Repealing the act would gut federal oversight, allowing fossil fuel companies to push projects through without proper scrutiny, he warns.

“Of course, oil and gas companies would rather see their projects get rubber-stamped, than have them be properly passed,” Ali said. “It is an extremely short-sighted move that prioritizes the profits of wealthy fossil fuel and resource extraction corporations over Canada’s economic and environmental stability.”