The Cabinet Directive on Regulatory and Permitting Efficiency for Clean Growth Projects focuses on the federal efforts needed to accelerate regulatory efficiency for clean growth projects. It is intended to help get clean growth projects built faster by accelerating decision-making related to these projects. For more information, please visit the Clean Growth Office.
Section 1. Overview of Transport Canada’s Role in Supporting Regulatory and Permitting Efficiency
Transport Canada (TC) supports the Cabinet Directive by ensuring that its regulatory responsibilities are carried out in a timely, coordinated, and efficient manner. As a key regulatory department, TC contributes to project reviews, issues necessary authorizations, and provides technical expertise to support clean growth initiatives and major projects. The department also works to modernize regulatory processes, improve service standards, and enhance interdepartmental coordination to enable clean growth and advance major projects while protecting navigation.
Section 2. Results for Thematic Areas of the Cabinet Directive
Theme 1: Strengthening service standards
Results Achieved:
TC continues to advance its internal processes and planning to support strengthened service standards for clean growth projects.
- As part of the Canadian Navigable Waters Act (CNWA) fees for service introduced in July 2024, TC provided an application tracking tool to proponents within 5 working days.
- TC reviewed application’s completeness within days of submission to invoice proponents with the appropriate amount for their applications.
- TC’s regional staff followed national policies and procedures, which are regularly updated.
- TC has provided monthly updates to the Clean Growth Office on project status, as well as timely responses to various other requests.
TC continues to support a transparent and predictable review process, track service targets and is committed to meeting the cabinet directive timelines for major projects.
Theme 2: Providing timely guidance to proponents
Results Achieved:
TC is committed to providing clear, consistent, and timely information to proponents to facilitate efficient project planning and regulatory compliance.
- In 2024-25, TC undertook a review of its internal and external guidance to ensure clarity and made updates, where necessary.
- Since the coming into force of the Directive, TC has collaborated with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada to advance project-specific coordination.
Theme 3: Coordinating consultation with Indigenous Peoples
Results Achieved:
TC is committed to conducting Indigenous engagement and consultation in a timely, respectful, and coordinated manner consistent with the Crown’s duty to consult and Canada’s commitment to reconciliation.
- TC’s regional Indigenous Relations Units coordinated Crown consultations with other federal regulatory departments, as well as provincial entities, when appropriate.
- TC continued to support the role of the federal Crown consultation coordinator.
- TC established a special unit within its Indigenous Branch to monitor and support the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples Act.