Provincial labour groups blast sweeping federal bill

Posted on October 22, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

By Patrick Wachter
Southern Alberta Newspapers

The federal government has passed second reading of the Building Canada Strong Act, also known as Bill C-39, omnibus legislation aimed at speeding up industrial permitting and changing federal labour rules.

The proposed legislation would set a 12-month limit for environmental assessments of major resource, infrastructure and clean energy projects.

Under the proposed single-window assessment system, one primary authority, such as the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, the Canadian Energy Regulator or the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, would oversee each assessment. The government claims the approach would reduce duplication between departments while maintaining Indigenous consultation obligations.

The bill would also create a Transportation Projects Office within Transport Canada to speed up approvals for key trade routes, ports, rail corridors and border infrastructure.

Bill C-39 also introduces new collective bargaining requirements for federally regulated employers and unions. Parties covered by long-term agreements, post-strike settlements or binding arbitration would have to begin negotiations 180 to 200 days before agreements expire.

The legislation also expands powers of the office of the federal labour minister under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code. It would require a 21-day special mediation period before a work stoppage and allow either party to request binding arbitration from the Canada Industrial Relations Board after nine months of unsuccessful negotiations for a first collective agreement.

Other proposed changes include expanding successor contractor protections and strengthening enforcement measures against worker misclassification and wage theft.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees has condemned the legislation, describing the more than 200-page bill as an attack on workers’ right to strike and bargain collectively.

“Attacks Canadians’ right to strike and meaningfully engage in collective bargaining,” AUPE president Sandra Azocar said in a news release.

Although Bill C-39 would apply to federally regulated industries, Azocar warns that allowing Ottawa to halt strikes based on a broad “national-interest” threshold sets dangerous precedent.

“Giving one person the ability to arbitrarily deny a Charter-protected right is not in the national interest,” she said.

Azocar also accuses the government of allowing difficult negotiations to be sent to arbitration while limiting workers’ ability to strike.

Although AUPE members are not federally regulated, Azocar says the union would use its collective power to support workers affected by the legislation.

The Alberta Federation of Labour has also criticized the bill, warning its approach to labour relations could undermine support for national trade initiatives.

“By favouring investors over workers, Prime Minister Carney risks fracturing the coalition needed to stand up to Donald Trump,” AFL president Gil McGowan said in a statement.

McGowan says labour organizations support diversifying Canada’s trade relationships and speeding up development. However, he says workers’ bargaining power, wages and living standards should not be weakened in the process.