BC Chamber Reacts to C-69: Bill will increase economic uncertainty and impede critical infrastructure projects
VANCOUVER June 12, 2019–The BC Chamber of Commerce has long advocated for a balanced approach to protecting the environment and ensuring economic growth and prosperity for Canadian businesses and families. The Federal Government’s decision today to reject many of the amendments to Bill C-69 does not live up to its similar core commitment—an environmentally responsible path to economic growth.
As proposed, Bill C-69 will discourage investment in BC and the country overall. It will prevent or severely delay resource project development at a time where BC businesses are lacking confidence in the economy, and many communities are already being impacted by project cancelations or delays. C-69 lacks clarity on key issues that will make an already complex process infinitely more complicated, increase the chance of litigation, and impede investments in Canada—putting jobs at risk.
“According to our 2018 Collective Perspectives survey, 80% of businesses want government to prioritize foreign investments. Bill C-69 as it stands today will create uncertainty and unpredictability in both foreign and domestic investment, and further challenge the development of trade-enabling infrastructure projects,” says Val Litwin, CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce.
The BC Chamber of Commerce is asking the Federal Government to accept all Senate amendments to C-69 or for Parliament to defeat the bill.
Read the Canadian Chamber of Commerce response.
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For further details, please contact:
Alexandra Skinner
Director of Communications, BC Chamber of Commerce
[email protected]
604 209-4399
