The Government Watch Report: Live Intelligence Wire

Governor General in Council authorities issued Order in Council P.C. 2026-0335 on the recommendation of the Minister of Industry, exercising statutory review authority under subsection 12(1) of the Telecommunications Act to decline petitions seeking to vary, rescind, or refer back Telecom Decision CRTC 2025-154. The disposition formally dismisses filings submitted by Bragg Communications Incorporated, Cogeco Communications Inc., Saskatchewan Telecommunications, and the Competitive Network Operators of Canada. This leaves intact the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s regulatory framework that mandates network operators provide wholesale broadband access to third-party competitors at regulated rates.

Governor General in Council authorities issued Order in Council P.C. 2026-0925 on October 1, 2026, acting on the recommendation of the President of the King's Privy Council for Canada under subsection 5(1) of the Building Canada Act. The statutory order amends Schedule 1 of the Act to designate the West Coast Oil Pipeline project—advanced by Trans Mountain Corporation, the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission, and Pembina Pipeline Corporation—as a project of national interest. This designation formally places the proposed 1,200-kilometre interprovincial crude pipeline under the Major Projects Office framework to proceed through a consolidated federal assessment and approval regime.

Transport Canada published supplementary letters patent in the Canada Gazette, Part I, on October 3, 2026, issued by the Minister of Transport on September 25, 2026, pursuant to subsection 46(2.1) of the Canada Marine Act. The instrument amends Schedule C of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority's letters patent to incorporate licensed real property interests encompassing 13.17 hectares of untitled Crown waterbed land in the Strait of Georgia and the Westham Island Canoe Passage. This administrative modification formally integrates the specified parcels into the port authority's active real property management portfolio.

Governor General in Council authorities published Order in Council P.C. 2026-0138, appointing the Honourable Janice Charette to the position of Chief Trade Negotiator for Canada to hold office during pleasure, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. The measure is executed under paragraph 127.1(1)(a) of the Public Service Employment Act, which authorizes the Governor in Council to appoint and fix the remuneration of special advisers across the federal public administration, establishing a compensation range of $357,600 to $420,600.