Note: this is an action that we ran in June 2025. It is no longer active.

The Building Canada Act proposed in Bill C-5 is a dangerous step backward, and the federal government is trying to rush it through Parliament without proper scrutiny and debate. If passed by the Senate in its current form, it will strip away critical environmental protections and silence public participation in decisions that impact nature, wildlife, and communities. 

Bill C-5 would give the federal cabinet sweeping powers to designate “national interest” projects, give them upfront approval, and weaken or bypass critical reviews under environmental or even health and safety laws — all without democratic oversight or public input.

This means dangerous projects such as pipelines and mines could go ahead — even if they’d normally be reviewed or stopped under federal law. 

Why we’re so concerned about the Building Canada Act: 

  • Weakening environmental oversight: The Building Canada Act would expedite approvals for major projects without robust environmental assessments, potentially leading to irreversible harm to endangered species, ecosystems and the health of our communities.   
  • Undermining Indigenous rights: The Building Canada Act lacks provisions to ensure the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous communities or meaningful consultation about potential infringements upon their rights and traditional territories.   
  • Eroding of democracy: The Building Canada Act says the federal Cabinet decides what projects are in the “national interest” based on “any factor”, with no transparent public process required — this risks a boom in political horse-trading and closed-door corporate lobbying. The Act also gives Cabinet massive and unjustified new power to decide whether and how federal laws apply to those projects, sidelining Parliament.

For more information, read our quick analysis of Bill C-5 here. 

Bill C-5 has already been passed by the House of Commons with limited amendments and goes to vote at the Senate this Friday. The Senate can still fix Bill C-5. Your voice has power — use it to demand action!  

Don’t let the federal government bulldoze our democracy and environment without a fight.  

View the email that was sent by 2,980 supporters

Dear <Recipient name>,

I am writing as a concerned member of the public to urge you to fix the Building Canada Act proposed in federal Bill C-5, which poses a serious threat to environmental protection and democratic transparency in Canada.  

In a time of climate crisis and biodiversity loss, we cannot afford to weaken the laws designed to protect our environment, uphold Indigenous rights, and include communities in decisions that shape our future. 

We also cannot accept normalizing democratic erosion in our laws and government decision-making. I am especially alarmed by the reckless and rushed Senate and parliamentary process that is being used to advance this troubling bill. 

Why I’m so concerned about the Building Canada Act:

  • Weakening environmental oversight: The Building Canada Act would expedite approvals for major projects without robust environmental assessments, potentially leading to irreversible harm to endangered species, ecosystems and the health of our communities.   
  • Undermining Indigenous rights: The bill lacks provisions to ensure the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous communities or meaningful consultation about potential infringements upon their rights and traditional territories.   
  • Eroding of democracy: The Building Canada Act says the federal Cabinet decides what projects are in the “national interest” based on “any factor”, with no transparent public process required — this risks a boom in political horse-trading and closed-door corporate lobbying. The Act also gives Cabinet massive and unjustified new power to decide whether and how federal laws apply to those projects, sidelining Parliament.

I urge you to: 

  • Fix Bill C-5: Make the critical amendments put forward by environmental and legal experts to protect democracy, the environment, and ensure consistency with the Constitution. 

Our communities deserve laws and policies that prioritize health, justice, and safe environments.

I urge you to stand up for environmental responsibility and democratic values. Please vote to fix the Building Canada Act in Bill C-5 as part of a legislative process that prioritizes transparency, Indigenous participation, environmental protection, and public input. 

Sincerely, 

<Sender name>