Upcoming federal budget skins bureaucracy surrounding natural resource industry

The Conservative Party is set to introduce their next federal budget this Thursday.

Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver confirmed the budget will lighten the regulatory load surrounding Canada’s resource industry.

According to the Globe & Mail duplicative environmental reviews completed by all levels of government will be passed on to the provinces. Two-year time limits will be imposed in cases where federal departments are involved to avoid the six-year wait endured by the Joslyn oil sands project.

Opposition parties accused the Conservatives of excessively catering to major oil and mining interests.  Conservatives insist changes are necessary to maintain Canada’s competitive advantage.

Flickr photo by BC Gov Photos