Environmental Planning and Assessment Caucus

Environmental Assessment Resources:

New documents are in bold.

• Comparison of the British Columbia and Federal Environmental Assessments for the Prosperity Mine - July 2011 (843KB)
• Environmental Assessment in the Climate Century - April 2011 (Presentation, 351KB)
• Preparing a Sustainability-based Argument for Environmental Assessment Proceedings in Canada - March 2011 (28KB)
• Use and Abuse of Adaptive Management in Environmental Assessment Law and Practice: A Canadian Example and General Lessons - December 2010 (241KB)
• Amendments to the Exclusion List Regulations and new Infrastructure Projects Environmental Assessment Adaptation Regulations - March 2009 (50KB)
• Law and Policy Options for Strategic Environmental Assessment in Canada – December 2008 (595 KB)
• ENGO Concerns for the Review of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act – March 2008 (86KB)
• Harmonization in Environmental Assessment in Canada: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – March 2008 (316 KB)
• Backgrounder on Scoping under CEAA – May 2007 (153 KB)
• Final Substitution Paper - Environmental Assessment Process Substitution: A Participant’s View – May 2007 (112 KB)
• Strategic Environmental Assessment: A Discussion Paper for Capacity-Building Purposes – May 2007 (178 KB)
• Addressing Species at Risk Act Considerations under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act: A Federal Policy and Procedures Guide – August 2005 (668 KB)
• Funding Options, Organisational Models, & Potential Sources of Funding for Legal Actions Relating to Environmental Assessment for Canadians – Spring 2005 (97 KB)
• Climate Change and Environmental Assessment – September 2004 (158 KB)
• Potential Funding Sources for Environmental Assessment Challenges – March 2004 (78 KB)
• Basic Principles of Environmental Assessment – 1989 (14 KB)

Statutory Review of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (7-year Review) 2011-2012

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development has been charged with undertaking the 7-year Parliamentary Review of CEAA. It held hearings from October 20 to November 25, 2011, and accepted written submissions until November 28, 2011. Transcripts and other documentation related to those sessions are available on the Committee's web page. We have compiled here as many of the written submissions as possible:

• West Coast Environmental Law Association Submission re: Statutory Review of CEAA – November 28, 2011 (173KB)
• David A. Campbell Submission re: Statutory Review of CEAA – November 28, 2011 (94KB)
• MiningWatch Supplementary Submission re: Statutory Review of CEAA – November 28, 2011 (691KB)
• MiningWatch Submission re: Statutory Review of CEAA – November 24, 2011 (238KB)
• Peter J. Usher Supplementary Submission re: Statutory Review of CEAA – November 25, 2011 (87KB)
• West Coast Environmental Law Association Letter to Standing Committee with attachment – November 18, 2011 (245KB)
• Peter J. Usher Submission re: Statutory Review of CEAA – November 15, 2011 (429KB)
• Arlene Kwasniak Submission re: Statutory Review of CEAA – November 15, 2011 (169KB)
• Robert Gibson Supplementary Submission re: Statutory Review of CEAA – November 28, 2011 (185KB)
• Robert Gibson Submission re: Statutory Review of CEAA – November 3, 2011 (161KB)
• John Sinclair Submission re: Statutory Review of CEAA – November 3, 2011 (121KB)
• CELA/Richard Lindgren Submission re: Statutory Review of CEAA – October 27, 2011 (56KB)
• Ecovision Submission re: Statutory Review of CEAA – October 25, 2011 (438KB)
• RCEN-EPA Caucus Letter to Standing Committee – October 25, 2011 (183KB)
• Environmental Law Centre Submission re: Statutory Review of CEAA – March 21, 2011 (53KB)
• Ecojustice Submission re: Statutory Review of CEAA – March 14, 2011 (553KB)

Discussion Documents for the 7-year Parliamentary Review of CEAA:

• Assessing the Smaller Projects: An Essential Step Toward Sustainability – March 2012 (75 KB)
• Environmental Assessment Law for a Healthy, Secure and Sustainable Canada: A Checklist for Strong Environmental Laws – February 2012 (123KB)
• Reforming the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act: A Suggested Framework for an EPA Caucus Submission to the CEAA Seven‐year Review – October 2010 (209KB)
• Improving The Effectiveness Of Environmental Assessment In Addressing Federal Environmental Priorities – October 2010 (493KB): This discussion paper explores the extent to which the CEAA has been used effectively to address the federal government’s stated environmental priorities. Three recent joint panel reviews are used as case studies to determine whether environmental assessment has been applied effectively to address identified environmental priorities. Recommendations are proposed for reforming the CEAA and related regulations and policies to afford more effective use of EA by the Government of Canada.
• Inter-jurisdictional Coordination of EA: Challenges and opportunities arising from differences among provincial and territorial assessment requirements and processes – November 2010 (602KB): This paper provides an initial examination of the key categories of assessment requirements and process that may affect the potential for improving inter-jurisdictional coordination; in each of these categories, the actual assessment provisions of the provincial and territorial processes with which federal assessment law and process would be coordinated; the key resulting challenges and opportunities for improving inter-jurisdictional coordination; and possible responses to these challenges and opportunities.
• Considering Small Project EA – March 2009 (352KB)
• Moving Away from Self-Assessment: A Discussion Paper – March 2009 (122KB)
• Adaptive Management in Environmental Assessment and Environmental Management: A Legal and Policy Analysis – March 2009 (100KB)
• Environmental Assessment Process Substitution: Is Meaningful Public Participation Possible? – March 2009 (115KB)

In response to recent proposed changes to the CEAA, the EPA Caucus prepared the following documents to help groups take action on this issue. Please share widely.

• Suggested Letter to Environment Minister - March 2009
• Sierra Club of Canada Press Release
• Briefing Note: Weakening Canada’s Environmental Protection Law

Additional Resources

• Alphabet Decoder (EA Definitions)
• Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
• Environment Canada
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): A Guide for Reviewers
• Canadian Arctic Resources Committee
• Health Canada
• International Association for Impact Assessment
• Resource Centre
• Provincial/territorial EA information:
• • British Columbia
  • Alberta
  • Saskatchewan
  • Manitoba
  • Ontario
  • Quebec
  • New Brunswick
  • Nova Scotia
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Nunavut
  • Northwest Territories
  • Yukon