Western Business Coalition outlines additional measures on regulatory reform and economic immigration during joint trip to Ottawa

OTTAWA, Ont. — Sept. 22, 2026 — As Parliament resumes, leaders of the Western Business Coalition (WBC) are in Ottawa to welcome major federal reforms aimed at strengthening Canada’s competitiveness and advocate for measures as outlined in an open letter shared with all Members of Parliament earlier this month.

This week’s trip to the nation’s capital by the WBC, comprised of the Business Councils of British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba, and the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, builds on the Coalition’s May 2025 call to restore Canada as a competitive place to base, build and grow businesses.

While WBC leaders are in the capital, the federal government introduced new legislation, Building Canada Strong Act, which advances several of the Coalition’s priorities. The move is a welcome step toward improving Canada’s competitiveness, attracting investment and supporting economic growth. The WBC urges Parliament to pass the legislation quickly and continue to prioritize the remaining barriers.

Coalition leaders are also advocating for the federal government to build on its momentum by reducing federal regulatory requirements by 25 per cent over three years and increasing Provincial Nominee Program allocations within existing immigration levels. These measures would help reduce the cost of doing business and better connect qualified people with available jobs and regional workforce needs.

Among the many changes tabled in Bill C-39, the WBC welcomes the one-year timeline for federal review and decision-making and the proposed creation of a special mediator to help resolve difficult federally regulated labour disputes.

Combined with the recently announced Productivity Mega Deduction aimed at spurring new investment in Canada, and the recent shifting of project approvals to the appropriate lifecycle regulator, these reforms address some of the most significant barriers to Canada’s competitiveness and closely reflect recommendations the WBC has advocated for since its inception last year.

Quotes

“We are thankful that the government has listened and acted on removing some of the significant priorities Western Canadian businesses have raised for years. We applaud the Prime Minister and his government for this progress and urge Parliament to move quickly so businesses have the certainty to invest, build and grow in Canada even during this time of strained trade relationships and unstable geopolitics.”

— Adam Legge, President, Business Council of Alberta

“Canada is meeting this moment with a bold vision for a stronger, more resilient economy. We are focused on the right things, including attracting investment, building major projects, diversifying our markets and labour stability. But we need to keep pushing forward. Western Canada has an enormous role to play in turning that ambition into reality by helping Canada become a global energy and natural resources superpower and strengthening our reputation as a reliable partner for the world.”

— Laura Jones, President and CEO, Business Council of British Columbia

“Western Canada businesses compete globally, and they need reliable trade corridors, efficient approvals, and stable labour relations to get products to market. Bill C-39 shows that sustained, coordinated advocacy from western businesses is helping move these priorities onto the legislative agenda. This is meaningful progress, and we will remain focused on ensuring the legislation delivers the certainty, competitiveness, and measurable results our businesses need to invest, grow, and reach global markets.”

— Prabha Ramaswamy, CEO, Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce

“These are important and welcome steps from the federal government that respond directly to priorities the business community has been advocating for. The Productivity Mega-Deduction and newly introduced Building Canada Strong Act help create the conditions businesses need to invest with confidence, boost productivity, and strengthen Canada’s competitiveness. We appreciate the government’s continued focus on long-term economic growth and look forward to working together on additional priorities that will keep Canada’s economy moving forward.”

— Bram Strain, President and CEO, Business Council of Manitoba

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Fast Facts

• Through its member and chamber networks, the WBC represents over 10,000 of Canada’s largest businesses, hundreds of thousands of jobs, and hundreds of billions of dollars of major projects in review or planning stages across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, spanning sectors in energy, agriculture, technology, transportation, manufacturing, and more.
• Natural Resources Canada describes Western Canada as the “powerhouse of Canada’s natural resources economy.”
• It is estimated that together, Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan together accounted for approximately 62 per cent of Canada’s natural resources GDP.
• A recent survey by the Business Council of Alberta shows that 45 per cent of Alberta CEOs identify domestic regulatory burden as the single most important factor influencing investment decisions. A similar, March 2025 survey by the Business Council of Canada showed domestic regulatory burden was identified as the single most important factor influencing investment decisions by 41 per cent of Canadian CEOs.
• The World Bank Business Ready initiative ranks Canada’s regulatory framework 33rd out of roughly 100 countries. Canada ranks closer to China (34th) than to the United States (5th).
• By 2021, the federal regulatory system contained more than 130,000 requirements — up 37 per cent since 2006 — despite multiple red-tape reduction efforts.

About the Western Business Coalition

The Western Business Coalition (WBC), is comprised of the leaders of the Business Council of British Columbia, Business Council of Alberta, Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, and Business Council of Manitoba. Through its member and chamber networks, the WBC represents over 10,000 of Canada’s largest businesses, hundreds of thousands of jobs, and hundreds of billions of dollars of major projects in review or planning stages across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, spanning sectors in energy, agriculture, technology, transportation, manufacturing and more.

The WBC advances shared priorities that support economic growth, competitiveness and prosperity in Western Canada.

Media contacts

Business Council of British Columbia
Braden McMillan
Senior Director, Communications & Public Affairs
braden.mcmillan@bcbc.com | 236-999-6979

Business Council of Alberta
Lauren Stewart
Vice President, Communications  & External  Relations
lauren.stewart@businesscouncilab.com I 403-560-6968

Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce
Josie Fries

Vice President, Marketing & Operations 

jfries@saskchamber.com  | 306-781-3125

 

Business Council of Manitoba
Kate Doer
Vice President, Policy & Communications
kdoer@businesscouncil.mb.ca I 204-250-6819