OTTAWA — New fast-track measures aimed at accelerating major projects have sparked concern among First Nations leaders, who say the reforms appear designed to move at lightning speed right up until the moment anyone asks, “So who agreed to this?”
Supporters say the approach will cut red tape, deliver jobs and improve certainty for investors. Critics say it mainly delivers certainty for investors.
Sources close to the process say the new model is “streamlined”, meaning environmental reviews will be condensed into a single document titled Please See Attached: Economy. Consultation will remain robust, officials confirmed, provided it fits neatly into a 45-minute Zoom between “Board Update” and “Lunch With Donors”.
A spokesperson for the responsible department said First Nations voices are “at the centre” of decision-making. “That’s why we’ve built a centre,” they explained, unveiling a circular diagram in which Indigenous Peoples were placed in the middle as a decorative icon.
Communities have called for consent and governance to be treated as real decision-making power, not a checkbox. In response, one project proponent reportedly offered a compromise: a commemorative plaque acknowledging that consent was “considered, in spirit”.
The first projects under the new system are expected to be approved by Tuesday, with the “lessons learned” report scheduled for release in 2039.
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