In Canada, a project of national interest is a project formally added to Schedule 1 of the federal Building Canada Act by the Governor in Council. The designation uses five statutory factors and starts a streamlined framework for specified federal regulatory decisions. It does not mean every review, information request, condition or Indigenous consultation is waived.
What makes a project national interest?
Section 5 of the Building Canada Act directs decision-makers to consider how far a project can:
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- Strengthen Canada’s autonomy, resilience and security.
- Provide economic or other benefits to Canada.
- Have a high likelihood of successful execution.
- Advance the interests of Indigenous Peoples.
- Contribute to clean growth and Canada’s climate objectives.
The Act sets out factors, not a single pass-or-fail threshold. The Major Projects Office (MPO) evaluates projects against them, with its work informed by consultation with Indigenous Peoples, provinces and territories, and federal departments and agencies. Government of Canada: One Canadian Economy FAQ.
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How does a project get designated?
The published federal process moves from an MPO review to a decision by the Governor in Council. In this context, 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, which 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.
- A 30-day notice is posted in the Canada Gazette, Part I.
- The Governor in Council makes the decision by Order in Council. If approved, the project and its description are added to Schedule 1.
- Regulatory review and the development of project conditions follow.
This is the government’s published process, not a promise that every project will follow an identical practical timetable. See the Government of Canada’s Major Projects Office process graphic.
What happens when a project is designated?
Designation changes how specified federal decisions are handled. The government describes the aim as shifting review from whether a listed project should proceed to how it should proceed. For the specified federal approvals covered by the Act, approvals are deemed granted subject to conditions. The project still goes through review: proponents must provide information to federal agencies, including the Impact Assessment Agency, and those reviews inform how it proceeds. Government of Canada FAQ.
A consolidated conditions document sets out requirements for the project. Responsible ministers can enforce it and adapt it as circumstances require. The government describes maximum review timelines of up to two years under the streamlined process, compared with a previous maximum of five years. Those are stated process limits, not a guarantee that every project will be completed within two years. Government of Canada FAQ.
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Consultation with Indigenous Peoples is required during designation and when project conditions are developed or amended. Advancing Indigenous interests is also one of the Act’s five factors. The Indigenous Advisory Council does not replace the Crown’s duty to consult. Government of Canada: Indigenous Advisory Council.
Is an MPO referral the same as designation?
No. The MPO works with a broader portfolio of projects and strategies; it may assess or support a project without that project being formally designated under the Act. Formal designation requires a Schedule 1 listing. The government’s FAQ distinguishes projects referred to the MPO for further assessment from projects designated under the Act. Government of Canada FAQ.
| Question | Formal Act designation | MPO referral or support |
|---|---|---|
| Has Schedule 1 been amended for the project? | Yes; the project is listed by Order in Council. | Not necessarily. |
| Who makes the designation decision? | The Governor in Council, following the published process. | An MPO referral or support is not itself that decision. |
| Do the Act’s upfront conditional approvals apply? | Specified approvals are deemed granted subject to conditions. | Not solely because the MPO referred to or supports the project. |
| Do review, consultation or conditions remain? | Yes; reviews inform the project’s path, and conditions and consultation remain. | The project’s applicable process depends on its status; referral alone does not establish Act designation. |
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, while the MPO and Transport Canada worked together on an advancement strategy. That statement describes status only as of that date. Transport Canada briefing, modified June 19, 2026.
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Which project is currently listed?
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. The order describes a proposed interprovincial pipeline with approximate capacity of 1 million barrels per day, running from Bruderheim, Alberta, to a deepwater port near Delta, British Columbia. That is a proposed project description; it is not evidence that a pipeline has been built or is operating. Order in Council 2026-0925; Government of Canada project announcements.
How to read the economic forecast attached to the order
The order’s explanatory note reports an ATB Economics and Studio.Energy forecast 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. These are modeled estimates for an expansion of 1.5 million barrels per day of pipeline capacity, including a new west-coast pipeline, and associated investment—not observed results or forecasts attributable to the proposed pipeline alone. The proposed pipeline accounts for approximately two-thirds of the modeled capacity expansion. Order in Council 2026-0925 explanatory note.
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