Is Ottawa really committed to new resource development?
The federal government recently announced its plan to “improve” the National Energy Board. The language of the announcement is all “sunny ways,” promising to be all things to all stakeholders. But the promises are incompatible.
The announcement says the new approval process for major energy projects will be rigorous and science-based, but also based on Indigenous traditional knowledge. It says it will be faster and easier for developers, even as it vastly widens the scope of reviews, including new requirements to include “gender-based analysis.” It’s intended to cut red tape for resource development, even as it asks the public to suggest ways to expand the list of projects requiring review.
In short, the announcement promises a leaner, more efficient approvals process, and a denser, more complex review system. It’s a safe prediction that only one of these promises will be fulfilled.
Our informal motto at the Fraser Institute is: “If it matters, measure it.” We’re all for the empirical, measurable and meaningful analysis of proposed activities. To the extent the government is serious about transparent, science-based decisions, it’s all to the good.