Environment Committee on May 28th, 2026

[Ellis Ross, Conservative, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

No, I'm not talking about co-operation. I'm talking about the ministry's responsibilities. That's well laid out already in legislation and regulation, and everybody understands that currently it is the Canadian Impact Assessment Agency that takes the lead and issues a certificate, but right now, I'm seeing this turning into a three-headed beast. You talk about the Major Projects Office's being the designated agency to fast-track or pre-approve, but then there's a different ministry that will issue the certificate.

My understanding now is that the Major Projects Office will take the lead, but they will use the resources that are currently there under the Canadian Impact Assessment Agency for the resources to assess a major project for fast approval.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

I don't fully agree with how you set that out. I see that our time is up, but what I will say quickly is that, first of all, most projects are going to be under the co-operation agreements we've set up with provinces, but for the ones that do get referred to the Major Projects Office, there is a process. We provide the environmental assessments, and we will have a rigorous process to make sure that the environmental process and regulations are fully reviewed and accorded with.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shannon Miedema]

The time is up, Mr. Ross.

We will now go to Mr. Greaves for three minutes.

[Will Greaves, Liberal, Victoria, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Good morning, colleagues.

Thank you for joining us today, Minister. It's a pleasure to have you with us, though I am sorry that our meeting today has started with questions from our Conservative colleagues opposite who are, to put it mildly, factually challenged and more or less pretend that the province of British Columbia doesn't exist and hasn't benefited from enormous investments in the resource sector over the last 10 years.

As you're well aware, Canadians across the country supported the public acquisition and construction of a $35-billion pipeline to support the Alberta energy sector. We've seen the largest private sector investment in Canadian history in LNG Canada, which is now moving towards phase two. Frankly, the members opposite shouldn't need any reminding from me about the LNG that B.C. has been developing over the last decade. It's frustrating to have this be the context of your meeting, when it's very clear that British Columbia has helped lead the country in the last 10 years in terms of building out our natural resource and energy sectors.

Having said all that, it's also true that the government is clearly committed to helping to preserve and conserve our incredible natural environment in British Columbia. Recently, members of your team representing the Government of Canada, along with the Government of British Columbia and Coastal First Nations, announced a historic milestone to establish a national marine conservation area reserve on the B.C. coast. This is an incredibly exciting announcement as we move towards our 30 by 30 targets for conservation in this country.

I wonder if you could please speak to how this new agreement and the conservation area will help to protect Pacific salmon and help to support our coastal economies and coastal ecologies going forward.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Thank you for that question.

The signature we got to do last week in Klemtu for the national marine conservation area reserve was a really important moment for our country and for the province of British Columbia. This agreement was signed by six coastal first nations, the Province of British Columbia and the federal government, which all worked together on this reserve. It is very important, because it will help with the protection of whales and many different kinds of fish, as well as with other wildlife.

To be clear, though, there will be the continued ability for commercial and recreational fishing in the national marine conservation area reserve. They will go hand in hand. What we will see is sustainable fishing in that area. That's really important as a way of life to the coastal economy. We're seeing both work very much hand in hand. It was a very beautiful moment to see how we can all come together to do great things.

I know my time is up, but I have one last thing. I want to reiterate the size, because it's so massive. The area that was protected is one and a half times the size of Banff National Park, and it's larger than Prince Edward Island.

[Will Greaves, Liberal, Victoria, BC]

Thank you, Minister.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shannon Miedema]

Thank you very much, Mr. Greaves.

You have the floor for three minutes, Mr. Bonin.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Minister, there is a committee on environment that has several Liberal members. Have you met with any members of the committee and if so, how many times?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

You're talking about a caucus, and as you know, caucus matters are confidential. However, I can say that I work with all my colleagues and with all members of Parliament. I would also say that it's very important for our government and our party as a whole to continue the fight against climate change and to protect the environment.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

It's not a caucus. It was in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Devoir yesterday.

Did that committee give you any recommendations?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

As I said, you're talking about a caucus. Committees are the committees we have here. I can't speak to caucus matters, but I can say that we work with all members of Parliament all the time.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Your proposed amendments to environmental assessment would potentially make it possible to exempt pipelines and other major projects from impact studies, create economic zones that would make it possible to grant project approval prior to any environmental assessment and allow construction projects to start before impact studies have been completed.

Do you know of any other developed country that does that?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

When we talk about mapping areas that are better protected—

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

No, that is not what I'm talking about, Minister. I'm talking about project approvals and starting construction activity well before impact studies have been completed.

Do you know of any other developed country that does that?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

When it comes to our proposed regulatory changes overall, they are still at the consultation stage, but—

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

What country does that, Minister?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Overall, there are a number of measures, but there are other countries, including—

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

What country does that?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

I was going to say that.

Listen, it's a set of things that are at the consultation stage, but several countries, including the United Kingdom, have similar things.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Does the United Kingdom allow the construction of pipelines, for example, to start before completion of impact studies?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

No, I said there were a number of measures in this set of regulatory changes that we have proposed and which are at the consultations stage. Some countries have some of these measures.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Okay. I understand that according to you, no country authorizes construction activity—

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

That is not what I said.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Can you name one country that does that? You do take a close look at what is being done around the world.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

We have run out of time.