Overview
The federal government, through the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, and the Government of Alberta have signed the Co‑operation Agreement between Alberta and Canada on Environmental and Impact Assessment, intended to streamline impact assessments for major projects.
The agreement focuses on improving coordination between federal and provincial review processes, with the stated goal of reducing duplication and increasing efficiency. It introduces mechanisms that allow for joint assessments or substituted processes, under which one jurisdiction leads an assessment designed to meet both federal and provincial requirements.
The framework does not amend existing legislation or alter federal decision-making authority at either level of government. Instead, it sets out how the existing federal and provincial regimes will be administered in a more coordinated way, with an emphasis on relying on Alberta’s processes where projects are primarily within provincial jurisdiction.
Analysis
The agreement formalizes a more structured approach to federal-provincial collaboration on project reviews. This has been an ongoing area of concern for industry, particularly in sectors where projects are subject to duplicated assessments.
Substantively, the key feature is Canada’s commitment to recognize Alberta as “best placed” to conduct assessments for projects primarily under provincial jurisdiction, and to rely on Alberta’s environmental assessment or regulatory processes to address both provincial effects, and in many cases, federal effects within Alberta’s borders. In practice, this is expected to reduce the number and scope of standalone federal impact assessments while increasing expectations that provincial processes will be robust enough to satisfy federal requirements.
While the agreement is formally procedural and does not rewrite the Impact Assessment Act or Alberta’s Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, it could have structural implications. Over time, the combination of provincial primacy, coordinated conditions, and a two-year outer limit for federal decisions is likely to reshape how and where major projects face detailed federal scrutiny.
The overall impact will depend heavily on implementation. The use of joint or substituted assessments is expected to vary by project, and timelines will continue to be influenced by factors such as consultation requirements and legal processes.
Implications for Major Projects
The agreement is expected to apply to large-scale developments requiring both federal and provincial approvals, including projects in the energy, natural resources, and infrastructure sectors.
By reducing overlap between review processes, the framework may improve efficiency at several stages of project assessment, particularly where a single, coordinated review under Alberta’s lead is used rather than sequential federal and provincial processes. In those cases, proponents could see shorter timelines compared to sequential processes.
However, key elements of the regulatory system remain unchanged. Federal oversight continues to apply wherever federal jurisdiction is engaged, and requirements related to Indigenous consultation and environmental protection are not removed by the agreement. Legal challenges to federal or provincial decisions, as well as to the underlying legislation, may also continue to affect project timelines, limiting the extent to which process change alone can expedite approvals.
Federal Context
The agreement aligns with broader federal efforts to improve regulatory efficiency while maintaining environmental standards. Under Prime Minister Mark Carney, there has been increased emphasis on facilitating major project development in areas such as energy, critical minerals, and infrastructure.
It also sits against a contested constitutional background. The 2023 Supreme Court of Canada advisory opinion on the Impact Assessment Act found key portions of the legislation unconstitutional, and Alberta has launched further constitutional challenges to the amended Act. Cooperation agreements such as this one are part of the federal response — signalling greater deference to provincial processes in areas of clear provincial jurisdiction while preserving a federal role in areas squarely within federal powers.
Although the agreement is not tied to a specific list of projects, it is expected to support developments that require coordinated approvals across jurisdictions, including energy infrastructure and emerging sectors such as carbon capture.
The Agreement builds on similar “one project, one review” frameworks already in place with other provinces and territories, but Alberta’s version places a particularly strong emphasis on provincial primacy for provincially regulated projects, including in areas central to Alberta’s resource economy.
Considerations for British Columbia
The Alberta Agreement follows cooperation agreements with Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, New Brunswick, and a pre‑existing agreement on impact assessments with British Columbia. Alberta is therefore not the first province to adopt this model, but its agreement is noteworthy for the extent to which it foregrounds provincial leadership for projects within provincial jurisdiction.
For British Columbia and other provinces, Alberta’s arrangement may become a reference point in future negotiations over how far federal authorities are prepared to defer to provincial processes, particularly in sectors such as energy, critical minerals, and interprovincial infrastructure. In BC’s case, any further evolution of its cooperation framework will have to be reconciled with existing provincial policies and legal constraints on energy projects and marine shipping along the Pacific coast.
Public and Stakeholder Reaction
Initial reaction to the agreement has been mixed. Industry stakeholders have generally expressed support for efforts to improve efficiency, reduce duplication, and provide clear lines of accountability for major project approvals in the regulatory process.
At the same time, some environmental organizations have raised concerns about whether increased coordination could affect the depth or independence of project reviews. Public discussion has reflected a range of views, including support for economic development and ongoing attention to environmental oversight.For Indigenous governments and communities, the practical impact will depend on how provincial processes are designed and implemented in partnership with rights‑holders, and on whether coordinated assessments actually reduce consultation fatigue or simply repackage existing burdens.
“Through this co-operation agreement with Alberta, we are supporting development that builds a stronger economy, creates good jobs, and protects the environment. This agreement ensures we are delivering results for Canadians and upholding the rights of Indigenous Peoples.”
— The Hon. Julie Aviva Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature
Summary
The Alberta-Canada Co-operation Agreement introduces a more coordinated approach to impact assessments, with the potential to improve efficiency and predictability in the review of major projects that require both federal and provincial approvals.
Its overall effect will depend on how the framework is applied in practice, particularly in relation to joint assessments and timeline management. While the agreement may reduce duplication, core elements of the regulatory system — including federal oversight, Indigenous consultation requirements, and avenues for judicial review — remain unchanged.
Key issues to watch include:
- How quickly Canada and Alberta move to apply the Agreement to specific projects, and whether the two-year decision timeline is achieved in practice.
- How Alberta’s ongoing constitutional challenges to the Impact Assessment Act interact with the implementation of the Agreement.
- Whether and how other provinces seek to renegotiate their own cooperation agreements in light of Alberta’s model.
Resources:
- Canada, I. A. A. of. (2026, April 2). Alberta and Canada sign co-operation agreement to accelerate major project assessments. Canada.ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/impact-assessment-agency/news/2026/04/alberta-and-canada-sign-co-operation-agreement-to-accelerate-major-project-assessments.html
- Co-operation agreement between Alberta and Canada. Impact Assessment Agency of Canada. (n.d.). https://letstalkimpactassessment.ca/co-operation-agreement-between-alberta-and-canada
- “One project, one review”: Co-operation agreements for the assessment of Major Projects. Impact Assessment Agency of Canada. (n.d.-b). https://letstalkimpactassessment.ca/one-project-one-review-cooperation-agreements-assessment-major-projects
- Canada, I. A. A. of. (2016, July 6). Government of Canada. Canada.ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/impact-assessment-agency/corporate/acts-regulations/legislation-regulations/environmental-assessment-agreements.html
- Canada-alberta memorandum of understanding. Prime Minister of Canada. (2025, November 27). https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/backgrounders/2025/11/27/canada-alberta-memorandum-understanding
- Alberta and Canada publish draft co‑operation agreement on environmental and impact assessment. BD&P. (n.d.). https://www.bdplaw.com/insights/alberta-and-canada-publish-draft-cooperation-agreement-on-environmental-and-impact-assessment
- Curtis, N. (2026, March 10). Canada and Alberta Draft Agreement on Impact Assessments. Home. https://www.clearbluemarkets.com/knowledge-base/canada-and-alberta-draft-agreement-on-impact-assessments
- Dentons – energy regulatory trends to watch in 2026: The role of energy in Canada’s economic security. (n.d.). https://www.dentons.com/en/insights/newsletters/2026/january/14/global-regulatory-trends-to-watch/dentons-canadian-regulatory-trends-to-watch-in-2026/energy-regulatory-trends-to-watch-in-2026-the-role-of-energy
- Farrell, J. (2026, March 7). Ottawa, Alberta Reach Prospective Agreement on major project assessments. Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/11719437/ottawa-alberta-major-projects-agreement/
- Faster approvals. faster projects – a new agreement will restore provincial approvals on projects within the province’s jurisdiction, reduce duplication, and further unlock Alberta’s economic potential – canadian energy news, top headlines, commentaries, features & events – energynow. (n.d.-b). https://energynow.ca/2026/03/faster-approvals-faster-projects-a-new-agreement-will-restore-provincial-approvals-on-projects-within-the-provinces-jurisdiction-reduce-duplication-and-further-unlock-alberta/