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Federal government drops plan to exempt major projects from species-at-risk protections
Ottawa still plans fall legislation to speed major-project approvals, but has abandoned a proposed limited exemption from the Species at Risk Act’s jeopardy test.
The federal government is abandoning plans to exempt certain major projects from laws intended to protect species at risk, though environmental groups say Ottawa may still bypass the Species at Risk Act through other means.
The government plans to introduce legislation this fall to speed approvals for major projects. Its initial proposal included giving cabinet ministers limited authority to exempt projects from the species-at-risk “jeopardy test.”
The Toronto Star first reported that Ottawa was dropping the proposal. A senior government source confirmed to The Canadian Press that more than 26,000 submissions had been received and that the feedback overwhelmingly raised concerns about species-at-risk protections.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2026.