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In Canada, a “project of national interest” is a project the Governor in Council formally lists in Schedule 1 of the Building Canada Act. The designation starts a streamlined process for specified federal regulatory decisions; it does not mean every review or requirement disappears, or that the project is automatically built.
What makes a project national interest?
Section 5 of the Building Canada Act sets out five factors the decision-maker considers. They are a framework, not a single pass-or-fail threshold:
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- Whether the project can strengthen Canada’s autonomy, resilience and security.
- Whether it can provide economic or other benefits to Canada.
- Whether it has a high likelihood of successful execution.
- Whether it advances the interests of Indigenous Peoples.
- Whether it contributes to clean growth and Canada’s climate objectives.
The Major Projects Office (MPO) evaluates projects against these factors. Its work is informed by engagement with Indigenous Peoples, provinces and territories, and federal departments and agencies. Government of Canada: Major Projects Office
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The government’s published process proceeds through review, consultation and a formal decision. The Governor in Council means the Governor General acting on Cabinet’s advice and recommendations.
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- A project is submitted to the MPO.
- The MPO conducts an initial review.
- Consultations take place with Indigenous Peoples, provinces and territories, and federal ministers.
- The minister recommends whether the project should be listed to the Governor in Council.
- A 30-day notice is posted in the Canada Gazette, Part I.
- The Governor in Council decides by Order in Council. If listed, the project and its description are added to Schedule 1.
- Regulatory review and the development of project conditions follow.
Government of Canada process overview
What happens when a project is designated?
The government describes the change as shifting regulatory review from “whether” a listed project should proceed to “how” it can proceed. Specified federal approvals are deemed granted subject to conditions, and a consolidated conditions document can set out enforceable requirements. Responsible ministers can enforce that document and adapt it as circumstances require. Government of Canada: Major Projects Office
Designation does not end project scrutiny. Proponents still provide information to federal agencies, including the Impact Assessment Agency, and agency reviews inform how the project proceeds. The streamlined framework concerns specified federal decisions; it should not be read as a blanket exemption from information requirements, conditions or other applicable reviews. Government of Canada: Major Projects Office
Consultation and Indigenous interests remain part of the process
Advancing the interests of Indigenous Peoples is one of the Act’s five factors. Consultation is required in the designation process and when project conditions are developed or amended. The Indigenous Advisory Council does not replace the Crown’s duty to consult. Government of Canada: Major Projects Office
How to interpret the stated timelines
Government materials describe maximum review timelines of up to two years for the streamlined process, compared with a previous maximum of five years. These are stated process limits and objectives, not a guarantee that every project will be completed within two years. Government of Canada: Major Projects Office
Does an MPO referral mean the project is approved?
No. MPO referral, assessment or support is not the same as designation under the Act. The MPO works with a wider portfolio of projects and strategies, and a project can receive MPO attention without being formally added to Schedule 1. The government FAQ explicitly distinguishes projects referred to the MPO for further assessment from projects designated under the Act. Government of Canada: Major Projects Office FAQ
| Question | Formal designation under the Act | MPO referral or support |
|---|---|---|
| Has Schedule 1 been amended? | Yes. The listed project and description appear in Schedule 1. | Not necessarily; referral or support alone does not add a project to Schedule 1. |
| Who makes the decision? | The Governor in Council, by Order in Council. | MPO assessment or support does not itself constitute the Governor in Council’s designation decision. |
| Do the Act’s upfront conditional approvals apply? | Specified federal approvals are deemed granted subject to conditions. | Not on the basis of referral or support alone. |
| What review or conditions remain? | Agency information and review, applicable conditions, and Indigenous consultation continue. | The project’s applicable regulatory path is not established by MPO referral alone. |
A dated example shows why the distinction matters: a Transport Canada briefing modified June 19, 2026 said the High-Speed Rail project had not been designated under the Act at that time, even as the MPO and Transport Canada worked together on an advancement strategy. That statement describes its status on that date, not its status after it. Transport Canada briefing, June 2026
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What is a current example of a designated project?
Order in Council 2026-0925, dated October 1, 2026, added the West Coast Oil Pipeline project—also called Pacific Link in current government announcements—to Schedule 1. Its explanatory note describes a proposed interprovincial pipeline with capacity of approximately 1 million barrels per day, running from Bruderheim, Alberta, to a deepwater port near Delta, British Columbia. This is a proposed project description, not evidence that the pipeline has been built or is operating. Order in Council 2026-0925
Put the economic forecast in context
The Order in Council explanatory note reports an ATB Economics and Studio.Energy estimate of a C$31.4 billion average annual real-GDP increase through 2035, 112,000 average additional jobs and a peak of 136,100 jobs. Those figures are forecasts for a modeled scenario: a 1.5-million-barrel-per-day expansion of pipeline capacity, including a new west-coast pipeline, and associated investment. The proposed West Coast Oil Pipeline represents approximately two-thirds of the modeled capacity expansion. The figures are not observed results or a forecast attributable to this pipeline alone. Order in Council 2026-0925 explanatory note
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