Impact assessment and regulatory regime implementation at Environment and Climate Change Canada

A review of expected environmental effects attributed to the implementation by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) of the Government of Canada’s new impact assessment system.

The Impact Assessment Act and associated regulations came into force on August 28, 2019, putting in place a more robust process to protect the environment, respect Indigenous rights and rebuild public trust in how decisions about resource development are made. ECCC supports the implementation of the new impact assessment (IA) and regulatory regime by:

1) participating in federal impact assessments, giving expert information and advice during project assessments on subjects within the department’s mandate, including: climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, water quality, wildlife, biodiversity, environmental preparedness and emergencies

2) leading a new approach to considering and understanding cumulative effects, through:

•  participating in regional assessments by giving expert information and advice to guide work addressing cumulative effects, identifying potential impacts on the rights of Indigenous peoples, and informing project assessments
• participating in an open science and data platform to provide publicly-accessible environmental science, knowledge and data, and tools to help users understand the potential impacts of projects
• participating in strategic assessments to give guidance on how federal policies, plans, programs or issues relevant to IA should be considered in project reviews, starting with one on climate change
• participating in national environmental frameworks to integrate science and provide guidance regarding acceptable levels of impacts

ECCC’s work is expected to benefit the environment in the following ways:

• environmental issues within ECCC’s mandate and how environmental issues interact with economic, social, health and sustainability factors will be considered
• proponents, decision-makers, Indigenous peoples and the public will better understand the cumulative effects of development on the environment which leads to better decisions to protect ecosystems

ECCC’s work will help achieve the following Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) goals and related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from the United Nations 2030 Agenda:

• Effective action on climate change and SDG 13 Climate Action: by giving expert information, advice, and guidance related to climate change impacts and its consideration in IA
• Clean growth and SDG 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: through GHG-related best available technologies and environmental practices into IA
• Clean energy and SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy: by giving a review of clean energy projects
• Pristine lakes and rivers, SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 14 Life Below Water: by giving expert information to support decision-making and environmental protection, and making science and data related to water quality publically available
• Healthy wildlife populations and SDG 15 Life on Land: by giving expert information relating to wildlife and biodiversity and working to make science and data publically available
• Safe and healthy communities and SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being: by giving information and advice on matters such as wildlife, air quality and climate change