GVBOT Support for Bill C-5

The Senate of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
K1A 0A4

RE: Greater Vancouver Board of Trade's Support for Bill C-5

Dear Senators,

On behalf of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and our 5,000+ members, thank you for the opportunity to share our views on Bill C-5: An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building in Canada Act.

Canada's economic resilience is being tested like never before. Rising tariffs and trade barriers, inflationary pressures, and growing global competition are straining businesses across sectors. The second administration of President Trump is causing great uncertainty for businesses across Canada. In this environment, Canada must focus squarely on attracting and retaining capital — the foundation of innovation, productivity, and sustainable public services. Every policy decision must be viewed through this economic lens to ensure our country remains a competitive and reliable destination for investment.

Yet, as it stands, our permitting and approval systems are too often a barrier to progress. The Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project in British Columbia, for example, is a critical initiative for trade and the environment but has taken over a decade to advance, illustrating the high costs of delay and uncertainty.

We are seeing other provinces creating legislation designed to streamline major project approvals, such as B.C.'s Bill 15, which provides tools to expedite provincially significant projects while maintaining strong environmental and Indigenous commitments.

Given this context, we are pleased to see the federal government's introduction of Bill C-5. This is a timely, ambitious, and necessary step towards improving Canada's permitting systems and advancing a national approach to major project delivery. Bill C-5 aligns with the renewed momentum we are seeing at the provincial level and provides the federal leadership required to restore confidence that Canada can get projects built while meeting high standards for environmental stewardship and community engagement.

In particular, we welcome Bill C-5's provisions supporting internal trade and labour mobility — both of which are essential to unlocking growth and opportunity across Canada. Removing barriers within our own borders is long overdue and will help ensure businesses and workers can succeed in a changing economic landscape.

We are also encouraged that Bill C-5 provides an opportunity to strengthen Indigenous partnerships in major project development. Indigenous-led and equity-owned initiatives we are seeing here in B.C., such as Cedar LNG and Enbridge's natural gas equity partnership, demonstrate that Indigenous ownership and leadership can drive reconciliation, innovation, and economic growth. The federal Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program is a critical tool to enable these partnerships, and we urge the government to expand and promote its use alongside this legislation.

Looking ahead, we encourage the federal government to ensure Bill C-5 is accompanied by:

• Clear, transparent criteria for national interest designations.
• A level playing field across sectors and regions.
• A commitment to improving permitting timelines for all major projects, not only those designated as nationally significant.
• Ongoing collaboration with Indigenous communities and a robust Indigenous loan guarantee framework.

Bill C-5 represents an important part of meeting the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade's Agenda for Growth: The 3% Challenge — our call for the B.C. government to commit to 3% real annual GDP growth. Achieving this target would generate billions in new revenue to fund critical public services like healthcare and education and create tens of thousands of jobs across Canada. With the right implementation, Bill C-5 can help get B.C. and Canada building again and ensure our economy is positioned for growth.

Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to working in partnership as this legislation advances.

Sincerely,
Bridgitte Anderson
President and Chief Executive Officer
Greater Vancouver Board of Trade