On December 9, 2025, Quebec’s Minister of Finance, Éric Girard, introduced Bill 5, An Act to accelerate the granting of the authorizations required to carry out priority national-scale projects (Bill 5), before the National Assembly. Bill 5 aims to simplify the authorization process for priority strategic projects of collective interest in the province.
Inspired by its federal counterpart (Bill C-5), Bill 5 aims to foster Quebec’s economic prosperity and autonomy by creating a fast-track for the implementation of certain large-scale infrastructure projects.
Contrary to Quebec’s Act respecting the acceleration of certain infrastructure projects, which applies to a list of specific projects in the province that benefit from accelerative measures, Bill 5 is aimed at proponents from both the public and private sectors. Proponents must apply to the Quebec government to have their projects designated as a “priority national-scale project”. Each project is then assessed according to applicable criteria set out in section 4 of Bill 5, namely: (i) the prosperity it would generate for Quebec; (ii) its value in fostering Quebec’s autonomy; (iii) its consideration of the interests of local and Indigenous communities; (iv) its contribution towards achieving the Quebec government’s energy transition targets; and (v) its potential for short-term implementation. This assessment will also consider comments received following the publication of a notice of the intended designation in the Gazette officielle du Québec.
Once a project obtains a designation as a priority national-scale project, the Quebec government would grant the project’s proponent a single authorization (Authorization), subject to certain conditions, allowing the proponent to carry out the project without having to obtain any other permission. Schedule I of Bill 5 sets out the list of Quebec statutes whose permissions may be replaced by an Authorization, with the goal of allowing greater legislative flexibility with respect to the environment, natural resources, lands in the domain of the State, agricultural zones and the municipal domain.
Quebec’s Minister of Finance would then establish a timeline for the various steps and conditions required to carry out the authorized project, in collaboration with the project proponent as well as the relevant ministers and public entities.
Bill 5 also provides that, prior to an Authorization being granted for a project, the Minister of Finance may allow for preparatory work to be carried out in respect of that project, as well as any other activity that may be of use or related to the implementation of the project. The Minister of Finance may also require the restoration of the premises where such preparatory work was executed.
Through Bill 5, a direct line of communication is established between stakeholders and the Quebec government, thereby facilitating the implementation of important projects for Quebec by proponents.
Bill 5 is intended to be a transparent mechanism of exception, notably by providing access to information on projects for which an Authorization was requested.
An Act to accelerate the granting of the authorizations required to carry out priority national-scale projects would have effect for a period of five years following the date of its assent.
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