Liberals table bill to amend labour code, speed up project approvals

The Liberal government has introduced legislation it believes will help unions and employers get to deals faster and reduce labour disruptions in the economy.

The Building Canada Strong Act includes changes to streamline project approvals across the country as well as adjustments to the Canada Labour Code.

The government says in a news release that it’s making changes to the federal labour framework to keep pace with a rapidly changing economy while protecting workers’ rights to strike.

In addition to the legislation, the Liberals plan to hire 100 new health and safety officers to boost inspection capacity.

The government will also hire an additional 26 workers at the Canada Industrial Relations Board to help clear the backlog of workers’ complaints against employers.

The Liberals say these changes will help promote labour stability at a critical time for the economy but union leaders are wary that changes could impede workers’ rights.