Canada sets December 31 start for new federal regulatory directive
The Cabinet directive announced October 21 will require regulators to reduce burden costs by two dollars for each dollar added.
What the record says
Canada’s Treasury Board announced a Cabinet Directive on Regulatory Competitiveness and Red Tape Reduction on October 21, 2026. It takes effect December 31, replacing the 2018 directive. Regulators will have to offset each dollar of added regulatory burden costs with two dollars in reductions. The directive also calls for competitiveness assessments, removal of outdated rules, regular regulatory reviews and use of recognized national or international standards by default. The announcement says obligations to First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities continue, alongside assessments of costs, benefits, risks and impacts on diverse groups.
Source details and supporting locations.
Practical next step
Affected organizations should consult the directive and forthcoming supplementary resources for detailed requirements.
Limits and what is not established
The two-for-one requirement concerns regulatory burden costs, not a count of rules. The announcement does not establish savings already delivered, automatic repeal of specific protections or enactment of the separately introduced Bill S-7.
Sources checked October 22, 2026. Later notices may change instructions or arrangements.
Original sources
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat: original information