Weekly Roundup - March 27, 2026
Top Federal Stories
The federal government introduced a pair of major bills this week. The first was Bill C-25, which intends to address foreign interference and overall election security. If passed, it will criminalize AI-generated deepfakes of candidates and ban hard-to-trace political donations made through cryptocurrency or prepaid cards. Maximum fines for election offences would jump from $1,500 to $25,000 for individuals and from $5,000 to $100,000 for organizations. The bill also extends protections to nomination and leadership contests and takes aim at the long ballot tactic that protest groups have used in recent elections to flood specific ridings with dozens of independent candidates.
The other bill introduced was Bill C-26, which proposes a $1.7 billion fund to help provinces and territories bring down the cost of homebuilding by reducing development fees and other levies on new construction. The fund can also be used to boost productivity in the construction sector and reduce internal trade barriers between provinces. This bill came one day after Ontario announced it would be working with Ottawa to temporarily remove HST from some newly built homes for one year.
Housing Minister Gregor Robertson also signalled this week that a response is coming to the City of Markham after the mayor cancelled a commitment to permit zoning that was a condition of the city’s nearly $59 million Housing Accelerator Fund deal with Ottawa. Markham follows Toronto in walking back promised housing reforms tied to the Housing Accelerator Fund. Minister Robertson will now have to consider possible penalties for municipalities that don’t fulfill their end of housing agreements.
As the Middle East conflict continues, Prime Minister Carney said Canada is in talks with NATO partners about helping ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz if a ceasefire takes hold. The UAE’s ambassador to Canada praised the government as a “vital partner for regional stability” for its diplomatic support. Global Affairs officials told a Senate committee that Canada could play a role in eventual mediation under different Iranian leadership.
NATO’s annual report confirmed that Canada met the alliance’s two per cent of GDP defence spending benchmark for 2025. It is the first time Canada has hit the target since the end of the Cold War.
Federal New Democrats are gathering in Winnipeg this weekend to choose their next leader. New West CEO Monte Solberg joined CBC's The Eyeopener to share his perspective on the stakes and choices facing New Democrats. Listen to his thoughts on perceived frontrunner Avi Lewis and what a win for him could mean for the party’s direction here.
Top Alberta Stories
Premier Danielle Smith and Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean were in Houston this week for the CERAWeek conference. Widely considered to be one of the world’s most influential gatherings on energy, it’s no surprise the government’s announcements throughout the week centred around energy development.
On Monday, the government announced it will introduce legislation to accelerate approvals for major projects, including a proposed 120-day timeline for regulatory decisions. The move is aimed at improving competitiveness and responding to global demand for energy development.
British Columbia, Alberta and Ottawa are one step closer to aligning on the regulatory and policy framework needed to move major energy infrastructure forward. The provincial and federal governments reached an agreement-in-principle this week that would give Alberta primary responsibility for regulating methane emissions, with final rules expected by the end of the year. The deal is aimed at eliminating duplication between federal and provincial regulations. Under the proposed framework, federal rules would be set aside in favour of equivalent provincial measures, while both governments continue to work toward a shared target of reducing methane emissions by 75 per cent from 2014 levels by 2035. Other key elements of the Alberta-Ottawa MOU - such as industrial carbon pricing and major carbon capture projects - remain unresolved.
Alberta also introduced legislation this week aimed at reducing internal trade barriers by allowing more goods from other provinces to be sold with fewer regulatory hurdles. The move aligns with a broader interprovincial trade agreement expected to take effect this summer, which would see jurisdictions recognize each other’s standards to avoid duplication. While the changes are intended to make it easier for businesses - particularly small and medium-sized firms - to expand into new markets, the province will maintain its own rules for certain products tied to health and safety, as well as exclusions outlined in the national agreement.
At the same time, the government is looking to strengthen how it attracts and coordinates major investments. Alberta has announced the creation of a new Premier’s Investment Council aimed at improving alignment across ministries and provincial agencies. The advisory body will bring together senior government officials and leaders from key economic organizations to provide strategic advice, share market intelligence and advance large-scale projects. The council is intended to streamline decision-making as part of a broader effort to refine the province’s approach to economic growth, investment attraction and trade diversification.
Alberta’s New Democrats also leaned into the energy conversation this week, with Leader Naheed Nenshi releasing an initial framework for the party’s energy policy. The plan outlines a mix of traditional and emerging priorities, including expanding pipeline capacity, exploring new export routes, increasing natural gas exports and revisiting major national projects, alongside investments in renewables, energy storage and critical minerals. Nenshi said the approach will continue to evolve through consultation with industry, Indigenous communities and other stakeholders.
Top Ontario Stories
Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy tabled Budget 2026 on Thursday with a $244 billion spending plan and a $13.8 billion deficit. The Ford government is betting big on growth, choosing to spend more and tax less, wagering that private-sector expansion will carry the province through U.S. trade pressure and global instability.
The centrepiece is a nearly $1.4 billion package that eliminates provincial HST on purpose-built rental constructions and new homes up to $1 million. Beyond housing, the budget provides tax relief to small businesses, adds to the province's primary care action plan, pumps $6.4 billion over four years into a new post-secondary funding model, and lays out a $210 billion, ten-year capital plan. Permanent fuel tax cuts, the lowest WSIB premiums in over 50 years, and $3.5 billion in accelerated write-offs round out a budget that amounts to a pitch for business competitiveness.
The political logic is pragmatic but exposed. Bethlenfalvy projects a return to balance by 2028-29, but those projections depend entirely on growth showing up. In response, the NDP gave the budget a failing grade across its five priority areas, the Liberals pointed out the government had rejected an identical HST proposal six months earlier, and the Greens criticized the tilt toward corporate interests over frontline services.
Looming large in the background is the province's relationship with the federal government. The budget's asks of Ottawa on development charge reform, clean energy investment tax credits, and regulatory streamlining represent the broader federal-provincial negotiations that will shape whether the growth bet pays off.
For the full breakdown of Budget 2026, read our in-depth analysis here.
The New West Team is ready to guide clients through this uncertain time in Canadian politics.
