2026-27 Regulatory and Permitting Efficiency for Clean Growth Projects
Regulatory and Permitting Efficiency for Clean Growth Projects
Section 1. Overview of Indigenous Services Canada's Role in Supporting Regulatory and Permitting Efficiency
ISC has regulatory and permitting responsibilities for projects under the Impact Assessment Act and under the Indian Act. ISC is a federal regulator for projects, or portions of projects, that are located on reserve lands if the project requires a land authorization or other permit from the Minister of Indigenous Services under the Indian Act.
For major projects that are designated under the Impact Assessment Act regardless of whether they are located on reserve lands, ISC provides expert advice to inform the assessment of effects on the health, social, and economic conditions of Indigenous peoples, and the assessment of impacts to rights. Expert advice that ISC provides in a federal environmental assessment is published on the Impact Assessment Registry.
For non-designated projects that are on reserve lands, ISC conducts an Environmental Review Process for all projects that it proposes, funds, or authorizes, in order to determine whether the project will result in adverse environmental effects.
Section 2. Results for Thematic Areas of the Cabinet Directive
Theme 1: Strengthening service standards
Planned results:
For projects designated under the Impact Assessment Act, ISC will continue to meet timelines for the impact assessment process by ensuring coordinated information gathering and synthesis across the department. To support efficient processes for projects referred to the Major Projects Office, ISC will remain engaged in intergovernmental committees to reflect opportunities and implications for ISC's programs and regulations. Ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration and efficiency will include building awareness of ISC's responsibilities and expertise for designated and major projects.
For projects on reserve lands, not designated under the Impact Assessment Act, ISC will continue to complete updates to guidance and procedures for its Environmental Review Process (under sections 81 to 91 of the Impact Assessment Act) to align with best practices and meet established targets. The department will focus on: improving internal consistency, coordination, and awareness; enhancing communication with proponents; and developing tools to tailor the level of review to the level of project risk. Additionally, ISC will continue to lead a sub-working group of departments involved in federal lands reviews to optimize coordination of impact assessment, regulatory, and funding processes when multiple federal authorities have responsibilities for a project on federal lands.
Theme 2: Providing timely guidance to proponents
Planned results:
ISC will continue to fulfill its role as a federal regulator when projects include physical activities on reserve lands that require land authorizations or permits from the Minister of Indigenous Services under the Indian Act. Most projects on reserve lands are non-designated projects. The department will work closely with First Nations and proponents to ensure all impact assessment and regulatory requirements are met efficiently and in a timely manner. ISC will continue to pilot its climate change assessment tool for new projects on reserve lands, which supports proponents in identifying climate risks and developing adequate mitigation measures. The department will also continue to strengthen collaboration with other federal authorities involved in projects on reserve lands to ensure information requirements are coordinated and non-duplicative.
Although IAA-designated and other major infrastructure and resource development projects rarely occur on reserve lands, ISC will continue to participate in federal review teams for major projects when required. In such cases, the department will work with proponents and potentially affected First Nations to support timely and meaningful completion of regulatory requirements and consultation. ISC will contribute to permitting plans and provide early advice on Indian Act requirements to facilitate efficient project reviews. For designated projects, ISC will continue to provide publicly posted comments on impact assessment documents.
Theme 3: Coordinating consultation with Indigenous Peoples
Planned results:
ISC will remain actively engaged as an expert department and potential regulatory authority in the review process for all projects requiring, or potentially requiring, a federal impact assessment. The department will participate in the impact assessments and associated consultations from the earliest stages; ISC will actively seek opportunities to support Crown consultations coordinated by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and will engage as appropriate directly with First Nations on matters within ISC's mandate. As such, ISC contributions will complement information provided directly by impacted Indigenous communities in engagement and consultation.
ISC will provide advice on potential adverse effects that projects may have on the social, economic, and health conditions of Indigenous peoples, as well as on mitigation and complementary measures to address these effects. ISC brings unique insights based in its existing relationships with and delivery of services to First Nations, such as building capacity for health impact assessment, funding housing and on-reserve infrastructure, and fostering economic opportunity readiness.
ISC will continue to encourage proponents to engage early with Indigenous communities that may be affected by a project. For non-designated projects on reserve lands, ISC will ensure that consultation requirements are met in a coordinated manner with other federal authorities involved, promoting efficiency and consistency in the consultation process.