Canada Energy Regulator – 2026–27 Departmental Plan – Regulatory and Permitting Efficiency for Clean Growth Projects
The Cabinet Directive on Regulatory and Permitting Efficiency for Clean Growth Projects focuses on the federal efforts needed to accelerate regulatory efficiency for clean growth projects. It is intended to help get clean growth projects built faster by accelerating decision-making related to these projects.
Section 1. Overview of the Canada Energy Regulator’s Role in Supporting Regulatory and Permitting Efficiency
Making decisions or recommendations to the Governor in Council on applications that pertain to pipelines and related facilities, international power lines, offshore renewable energy, tolls and tariffs, compensation disputes, energy exports, and oil and gas exploration and drilling in certain northern and offshore areas of Canada. Decisions and recommendations use processes that are fair, inclusive, transparent and efficient.
Section 2. Results for Thematic Areas of the Cabinet Directive
The Canadian Energy Regulator Act (CER Act) establishes the Commission of the Canada Energy Regulator and sets its mandate to exercise adjudicative functions in an independent manner. The Commission decides these matters in a predictable and timely manner to provide certainty to investors and stakeholders, drive innovation and support sound projects that create jobs for, and provide energy to, Canadians.
Theme 1: Strengthening service standards
Planned Results:
The CER is committed to processing applications efficiently and respecting procedural fairness. The CER Act mandates specific legislative timelines for various types of applications, once an application is deemed completed. In addition, the CER has established service standards to guide expectations and measure performance. These are not legally binding but are tracked and reported annually. Further information can be found on the CER website. As part of its ongoing commitment to regulatory excellence, the CER launched the Regulatory Optimization Project in April 2025 to enhance the efficiency, clarity, and consistency of its adjudicative processes. Under this project, the CER will continue to explore opportunities to strengthen existing service standards and introduce new service standards for categories of projects for which none currently exist.
The CER will continue to implement and refine a risk-based approach to streamline the assessment of low-risk applications while maintaining quality and thoroughness of reviews. New Streamlining Orders were published in October 2025, which provide more predictable, efficient and timely regulatory decision-making processes for negligible-risk projects. Over the next year, the CER will continue to refine guidance and internal processes to reflect these important changes.
The CER is working with other regulators to reduce red tape and improve how energy projects are reviewed. Through memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and fora like the Western Regulators’ Forum, the CER is streamlining processes, sharing best practices, and clarifying roles. These efforts help reduce duplication, shorten timelines, and improve coordination across jurisdictions. Over the coming year, the CER will be updating its MOU with the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada for Integrated Impact Assessments and will finalize Operational Annexes to the recently updated MOU with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Theme 2: Providing timely guidance to proponents
Planned results:
The CER’s Filing Manuals provide guidance regarding the information the CER would typically expect to see included in complete filings. The CER updates this guidance to reflect changing requirements, conditions, regulations, industry practices, and feedback received from regulated companies, Indigenous Peoples and other interested persons or groups. The CER will continue to work with other federal departments to ensure its guidance is aligned to the extent possible.
In 2026-27, the CER intends to issue draft revisions to sections A.2 and A.4 (Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment and Lands) of its Filing Manual. These forthcoming updates will be informed by comprehensive consultations with Indigenous Peoples and stakeholders and will offer greater clarity and transparency regarding application information requirements. Other updates to reflect the publication of the updated Export Import Regulatory Framework and the Streamlining Orders will also be undertaken over the coming year.
The CER continues to hold pre-application meetings with prospective applicants, to promote a better understanding of the CER’s application process and regulatory requirements.
The CER will work with Transport Canada to publish a guidance document for proponents that clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of both departments regarding the assessment of navigation and navigation safety for a variety of projects.
Theme 3: Coordinating consultation with Indigenous Peoples
Planned results:
Early engagement is a cornerstone of the Canada Energy Regulator’s approach to facilitating inclusive participation in its regulatory processes. In 2026-27, the CER plans to enhance its early engagement process and requirements for proponents based on the findings and recommendations of its internal evaluation on early engagement. Improvements to the CER’s early engagement process will support greater involvement of impacted stakeholders and rights holders, early in an application process.
The CER is also currently reviewing its processes around the early identification of potentially impacted Indigenous Peoples and the establishment of Crown Lists for CER-regulated projects. The objectives of this review are to ensure that these processes are more transparent and that impacted rights holders are consulted early and throughout CER adjudication processes. The CER will continue to offer Participant Funding to facilitate the participation of the public, and in particular, Indigenous Peoples, in CER adjudicative processes.
The CER, when conducting supplemental Crown consultation, will continue coordinating with federal and provincial authorities to support a whole of government response to concerns and potential impacts identified by Indigenous communities, as appropriate. As the Crown Consultation Coordinator, the CER will look for opportunities to coordinate Crown consultation on permitting as part of its whole of government approach.
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