Energy Superpower in Waiting: New Pipeline Developments in Canada, Social Licence, and Recent Federal Energy Reforms

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Volume 53, No 2 ISSN: 1925-8356   |   Courtesy of Canadian Energy Law Edition   |    View Original

Authors: Peter Forrester, Kent Howie, Alan Ross

A growing lack of public confidence in governmental regulation of business has created a climate in which industry must go beyond obtaining mere regulatory approvals for new projects: a “social licence” must also be acquired from stakeholder groups. This article explores the concept of social licence in the context of current pipeline project proposals. Governments play a significant role in this debate, as social licence is intertwined with the Canadian regulatory scheme. The authors address different models of regulatory reform, and explore how recent federal amendments have altered the social licence and regulatory landscape.

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