Bill C-69, An Act to enact the Impact Assessment Act and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, to amend the Navigation Protection Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, is a piece of legislation that seeks to overhaul environmental impact assessment processes and legislation in Canada.
On December 12, 2019, Bill C-69, passed second reading in the Senate and was referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources. The Government of Canada is now working to develop regulations that will support the proposed Impact Assessment Act ("IAA")
On May 1, 2019, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency ("CEA Agency") released two discussion papers and is inviting comments from the public that will inform the development of regulations.
The Discussion Paper on the Proposed Project List outlines the proposed list of project types to be included in the Regulations Designating Physical Activities. These regulations would define projects considered "designated projects," which would be subject to the proposed IAA.
The Discussion Paper on Information Requirements and Time Management Regulatory Proposal, outlines the proposals relating to new Information Requirements and Time Management Regulations. These regulations would set out information requirements during the planning phase of an Impact Assessment, as well as requirements to support accessibility of information that is provided by proponents. The regulations would also set out time limits for decisions during an impact assessment and criteria under which time limits could be suspended.
Comments can be submitted online until May 31, 2019. For more information or to access the discussion papers, please visit www.impactassessmentregulations.ca.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.