In October 2025, the Minister of Energy and Minerals was mandated to develop an expedited 120-day provincial approval process for priority projects designated to be in the provincial interest. In response to this mandate, Bill 30: Expedited 120-Day Approvals Act was passed on May 6, 2026 and comes into force on proclamation.
According to the Government of Alberta, the Act is intended to improve coordination among government agencies and regulators to accelerate approval timelines for qualified energy, mining and industrial projects that meet certain criteria. The qualified project criteria set out in the Act include:
- Strategic alignment with the Government’s priorities, goals and outcomes
- Strategic importance to Alberta’s economy
- Benefits outweigh any residual impacts
- Minimum capital spend of $250 million
- Advances national and provincial security by recognizing provincial autonomy and areas of jurisdiction
- Any other factor the Minister considers relevant.
Alberta Energy and Minerals (AEM) is currently engaging on policy, process and regulation design to support application and operationalization of the Act. Details are likely to be finalized by the end of the year. RMA participated in a virtual information session hosted by AEM on July 29, 2026 and provided written input. RMA’s focus is on ensuring that the expedited review process is structured in a manner that requires transparency on why certain projects are expedited, protects municipal approval powers and public input in an expedited process, requires that projects approved through an expedited process align with municipal planning documents, fulsomely and transparently considers cumulative impacts, and that the high level of discretion granted to the Minister is properly scoped through a regulation.
RMA will continue to engage with AEM staff to seek clarity on how the Act and related regulations will intersect with municipal approval processes and advocate for greater transparency around how the Minister will evaluate proposed projects against the qualified project criteria.
For more information, please contact RMA’s Policy and Advocacy Team at advocacy@rmalberta.com or 825.319.2383.