Canada changes review path for pipelines, power lines and some offshore projects
Regulatory amendments shift several project types to the Canada Energy Regulator and remove two facility categories from the federal Project List.
The federal government has amended the regulations that determine which major projects face review under the Impact Assessment Act.
Interprovincial and international pipelines, international and designated interprovincial power lines, and certain offshore renewable-energy projects will now be assessed by the Canada Energy Regulator instead of through an integrated review panel, the government announced September 9.
The changes also remove in-situ oil-sands facilities and fossil-fuel-fired power-generating facilities from the federal Project List. The government says those projects remain subject to applicable provincial and federal processes, including the Crown’s duty to consult Indigenous Peoples.
The announcement follows consultations held from May 8 to July 22. Ottawa says related policy and legislative work is continuing, with legislation expected this fall. That means the regulatory amendments are in place, while other proposed reforms are not yet law.
Source: Government of Canada news release — September 9, 2026.
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