Ontario is taking a legal route to get the federal government to recognize a Supreme Court ruling that declared the Federal Environment Impact Assessment Act mostly unconstitutional.

The feds have indicated they still plan to enforce the act.

Attorney General Doug Downey says that only creates confusion for the provinces and developers.

“Federal ministers have stated that even though the act was ruled unconstitutional, they’ll continue to enforce it and apply it to the provinces. And in the meantime, they claim they’re going to, quote, work on it. This is not acceptable,” says Downey.

Downey adds the delay hinders projects that would be impacted by a federal assessment.

He says those projects have already been reviewed through the province’s environment assessment process.

“We need the federal government to respect these processes and not stand in the way of critical projects. By getting certainty that these projects can proceed, we’ll be able to continue our vital work building the strongest possible province. And it’s what the people of Ontario need and expect and deserve,” says Downey.

Downey is open to having a face-to-face meeting with federal officials.

“We can certainly still have the conversation, but we’re not going to wait and have our projects held up.”