Letter to the President and CEO: Getting Major Projects Built in Canada

September 21, 2026

Pierre Tremblay
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)

Dear Pierre Tremblay:

Following the Government of Canada’s decision to streamline and accelerate the delivery of major projects, Building Canada Strong Act was introduced on September 21, 2026.

As the Bill outlines new authorities for the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), I write to provide the CNSC the objectives of the changes proposed in the IAA regime. The purpose of sharing the objectives is to support the CNSC in its planning for implementation of the new proposed authorities. A follow-up letter will be shared once the Bill comes into force and will reflect any necessary changes from the legislative process.

Getting Major Projects Built in Canada

The Government of Canada has committed to making federal impact assessment and permitting decisions on projects in no more than one year after a proponent provides the required information and studies, while maintaining strong safety and environmental protections and respecting Indigenous rights. The Government is proposing to improve regulatory efficiency through improved Crown consultation and federal permit coordination, while assigning responsibility and authority for the assessment of projects to the relevant federal regulator. In doing so, the Government can achieve clear and predictable processes, which will increase confidence among Canadians, Indigenous Peoples, project proponents and investors that Canada’s regulatory system will allow for sustained economic growth while upholding strong environmental protections and respecting Indigenous rights.

This letter outlines the CNSC’s anticipated role as the single project authority for nuclear and uranium projects under the proposed legislative changes to the IAA. It also communicates the Government of Canada’s focus for advancing this shared objective and supporting the CNSC as a proposed Responsible Authority under the IAA, while continuing to uphold its mandate as Canada’s independent nuclear regulator.

The CNSC will continue to exercise its authority as an independent, arm's-length regulator under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA). It would continue to complete nuclear licensing decision under this Act. Under the proposed legislation, CNSC will also fulfill responsibilities for assessing nuclear projects under the IAA, aligning with Government’s priorities to ensure one project and one review and accelerate major project development. In doing so, the CNSC can draw on its longstanding regulatory expertise and the strong relationships it has built with federal departments and agencies, provincial and territorial governments, industry, and Indigenous Peoples.

I would acknowledge the significant work as well undertaken by the CNSC in collaboration with the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) to date. I also welcome the CNSC's continued commitment to advancing reconciliation and fostering meaningful engagement and consultation with Indigenous rights holders in a manner that upholds the honour of the Crown and contributes to informed decision-making. These efforts contribute to a coordinated regulatory system while maintaining high standards for safety, environmental protection, and respect for Indigenous rights. The Building Canada Strong Act intends to build on this, and integrate even greater predictability and certainty, which is needed for economic growth in Canada.

Building on the CNSC’s reputation as a world class nuclear regulator, these new authorities provide an opportunity for the CNSC to further enhance clarity, transparency, and predictability for Indigenous Peoples throughout licensing and impact assessment processes for nuclear and uranium projects. Strong relationships and partnerships with Indigenous Peoples are critical to building a stronger Canadian economy, and consultation and engagement will be pivotal to the success of future projects. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act should continue to inform the CNSC’s approach and responsibilities in fulfilling its duties.

Accordingly, in anticipation of the proposed legislative changes and to support the objective of delivering major project assessments and decisions the CNSC is expected to help advance this goal by:

Coordinating federal permitting and Crown consultation for CNSC-regulated projects

i. As the Responsible Authority for designated nuclear and uranium projects under the IAA:

• Complete impact assessments under the IAA while also completing the nuclear licensing under the NSCA;
• Coordinate federal permitting authorities to enable decisions on relevant permits to be made concurrently with impact assessment decisions under the IAA and licensing decisions under the NSCA;
• Coordinate Crown consultation activities for nuclear or uranium projects under review, by working with departments, agencies and other federal authorities to support the early identification of concerns raised by Indigenous Peoples and coordinating the appropriate recommendations to decision-makers to resolve, mitigate, accommodate or otherwise address the impacts identified;
• Develop and implement the processes needed to carry out these coordination roles in a timely manner, and work collaboratively with the IAAC and other federal authorities to align approaches to coordination wherever possible, while respecting other federal authorities' decision-making mandates; and
• Work with provinces, territories, Indigenous governments and organizations to identify opportunities to reduce duplication and improve coordination across permitting and consultation processes, including through existing authorities, where appropriate.

In carrying out this coordination role, the CNSC will respect the statutory authorities and discretionary powers of other federal authorities, whose respective decision-making responsibilities remain unchanged as an independent regulatory agency.

Support a fit-for-purpose assessment and permitting framework

ii. When designing its regulatory review and hearing processes, the CNSC should ensure efficient procedural workflows while adjusting its processes based on the size and complexity of the project and implement a risk-based approach.

Report on progress

iii. Report progress through existing reporting mechanisms on results achieving the objectives and timelines in this letter, including the number of federal assessment, regulatory and permitting decisions related to nuclear project impact assessments issued in no more than one year from the Proponent providing the required information and studies, and the number of Crown consultation processes coordinated by the CNSC to Parliament on an annual basis.

Governance and Oversight

The Government of Canada recognizes and respects the important roles of provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous governments, and modern treaty-based co-management boards in reviews and decisions related to all major projects. As the CNSC advances the approach outlined above for impact assessments once the relevant legislative changes come into force, should challenges or uncertainty be presented regarding permitting or impact assessments, the CNSC will be provided support from the Deputy Ministers’ Federal Review Group, chaired by the Federal Review Coordinator (the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada).

Finally, CNSC shall remain and independent regulator and exercise its functions outlined above in a spirit of cooperative federalism, collaboration and reconciliation, with a view to supporting efficient, predictable and inclusive decision-making, while at all times maintaining strong safety and environmental protections and respect for Indigenous rights.

Yours sincerely,

The Honourable Tim Hodgson, P.C., M.P