Federal plans to expand Canadian Exploration Expense eligibility to engineering, feasibility and technical work, alongside a broadened Mineral Exploration Tax Credit, are projected by an EY assessment for AME to add up to C$33 billion in economic growth from at least three to five new mines and increased exploration. The report estimates C$1.6 billion per year in extra exploration spend, around 34,000 full-time jobs over 10 years, and a 5:1 GDP return on each public dollar. AME says 171 mines awaiting commercial production could be kickstarted if the CEE changes are enacted in Budget 2026.

Conservative Party leaders are preparing an election pledge to abolish the Environment Agency and Natural England, removing the current statutory regulators for flood risk management, main river consents, environmental permits and protected habitats. Scrapping these bodies would affect technical approvals for flood defences, reservoir safety oversight, abstraction licences and environmental impact assessments on major road, rail and energy schemes. Engineers could face a restructured or entirely new permitting regime, with uncertainty over design standards, programme risk and long-term asset maintenance responsibilities.

The Office of Rail and Road has reduced the charges that third parties pay to fund upgrades and maintenance on the UK rail network, aiming to cut project costs for developers and investors. Lower access and investment charges are expected to make it more viable for ports, freight terminals and property-led schemes to finance track, signalling and station enhancements tied to their own developments. For civil and rail engineers, the change could unlock more privately backed schemes and require closer early-stage coordination on asset standards, possession planning and long-term maintenance responsibilities.