Premier Appeared Before Senate Committee On Bill C-69

Premier Rachel Notley appeared before the committee studying Bill C-69 on February 28, 2019. The committee is studying the bill which would create a new, far reaching impact assessment process for resource development projects, including pipeline construction. As well as speaking to the Senate committee, Premier Notley will make a formal submission outlining a number of proposed amendments to the current legislation.

The proposed amendments include those that seek to:

• Exclude certain project types so that we can be assured that existing projects, pipelines, and in-situ facilities are not subject to additional oversight.
• Compel greater legislative certainty around the factors that must be considered in assessing a project
• Formally recognize the Climate Leadership Plan so that projects approved under it could be exempt from further environmental assessment.
• Ensure the federal government is acting in the public interest as it evaluates potential projects, and tha socio-economic benefits of a project are evaluated and considered.
• Limit the federal minister's discretion to add projects to the existing projects list. This would maintain clear lines between federal and provincial jurisdictions, and would ensure there isn't duplication of the efforts or a serious stall in project approvals.