Ottawa inks deal with Alberta to speed up pipeline approvals after missed deadline
The deal, called the Cooperation Agreement on Environmental and Impact Assessment, is designed to simplify how large projects are reviewed.
Author: Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
Ottawa has finally signed on to at least one important part of the memorandum of understanding on pipelines adopted alongside Alberta in November 2025.
On Thursday, the Alberta government said it signed an agreement to speed up approvals for major development projects while cutting down on overlap between the two levels of government.
The deal, called the Cooperation Agreement on Environmental and Impact Assessment, is designed to simplify how large projects are reviewed.
“This new agreement puts Alberta back in the driver’s seat for projects within our borders. It means less duplication, fewer delays and stronger investor confidence, all while growing our economy and continuing to protect the environment,” said Alberta Environment Minister Grant Hunter in a press release.
The decision comes one day after Premier Danielle Smith warned that Carney was on schedule to miss two key agreement deadlines on April 1, including the project assessment process component of the MOU.
In the past, companies often had to go through separate federal and provincial assessments, which could slow things down and increase costs.
Under the new system, Alberta will take the lead on reviewing projects that fall mainly within its borders.
For projects that still require both federal and provincial approval, the two governments will work together through a single, coordinated review process.
The goal is to create a “one project, one review” system. This means fewer repeated steps, clearer rules and more predictable timelines for companies looking to invest in Alberta.
The provincial government says this change will help boost investor confidence by making the process faster and easier to understand. At the same time, environmental standards are expected to remain in place.
Despite the agreement, the Alberta government still says it “continues to challenge the constitutionality of various aspects of the Impact Assessment Act as improperly interfering with provincial jurisdiction.”