Rental GST waiver eases financing costs
October 20, 2023
Chris Gardner,. ICBA President | ICBA
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled October 13, 2023 that the Impact Assessment Act, formerly known as Bill C-69, as unconstitutional. The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) is calling the decision an unequivocal victory for Canada’s economy and workers.
“We are thrilled with this decision,” said Chris Gardner, ICBA President. “The Impact Assessment Act was an overreach by the federal government, and damaged Canada’s economy and prosperity, by driving away investment and creating uncertainty.”
ICBA supported the Province of Alberta as an intervenor in the case during Supreme Court hearings.
The Impact Assessment Act (or "No-Pipelines Act" as critics referred to it) inserted the federal government into environmental assessment processes for major energy projects, even though those powers are assigned to the provinces under the Constitution.
It replaced the National Energy Board with the bureaucratic Canada Energy Regulator and replaced the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency with the Impact Assessment Agency. The changes resulted in institutionalized jurisdictional duplication, uncertainty on time limits, and expanded discretionary practices—causing vague and uncertain timelines for projects.
“Twenty-five proponents have submitted projects for review under the new regime since it came into force less than four years ago—and all of these projects remain bogged down in the first two phases of a four-step process,” said Gardner. “The speedy review process promised by Ottawa was an illusion. And today, it has been rightly struck down by the courts.”