Business and Industry Call For Changes To Bill C-69

Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Manufactures and Exporters & Tenaris Calling for Changes to Federal Bill C-69

Today, Dave McHattie, Vice-President, Institutional Relations, Canada of Tenaris, Dennis Darby, CEO of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and Ashley Challinor, Vice President of Policy of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce came together for a press conference to call for changes on Bill C-69, An Act to enact the Impact Assessment Act and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, to amend the Navigation Protection Act.

Dave McHattie, Vice-President, Institutional Relations, Canada of Tenaris explained: “If we cannot develop our Canadian energy resources and get them to market, we are losing an opportunity for our manufacturing sector supply chain.  The energy and manufacturing sectors go hand in hand”

“Bill C-69 impacts the entire Canadian economy, including that of Ontario. We stand alongside the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and other industry stakeholders with the message that, unless this legislation is amended, Canada will become a nation of builders that can’t get anything built,” said Ashley Challinor, Vice President of Policy of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

“We can’t seem to get things built in Canada and we’ve failed to build on the wealth of our vast natural resources. Our regulatory system must do far more to facilitate economic growth and competitiveness. Bill C-69 does not do that,” continued Dennis Darby, CEO of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.

There is growing consensus among industry groups and business leaders that changes to Bill C-69 are needed to ensure clear and concise rules for the development of future projects. Lack of clarity has already cost Canada billions of dollars in investment that Ontario manufacturers rely on for their businesses.  “Nobody wants to see bad projects proceed. We simply want the good ones to move forward as quickly, amicably and predictably as possible,” explained Darby.

“In Sault Ste. Marie we must be concerned about the impact that this Bill can have on the development of the NORONT processing facility as well as the development of the Ring of Fire. The unintended consequences could result in the abonnement of the needed infrastructure to develop the Ring of Fire which will ensure that both economic and social prosperity is not realized by our northern communities.” states Ring, CEO of the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce.