Frequently Asked Questions

What do you mean by environmental assessment?

Environmental assessment (EA) also known as environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a planning and decision-making tool used to help decision-makers make informed decisions. Often, this planning and decision-making process is applied to projects although there is a provision for the application of environmental assessment principles to programs, policies and plans undertaken by the federal government.

In this case, EA is not the same as the environmental (risk) assessment of substances carried out under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). The assessments carried out under CEPA are for the purpose of determining whether a substance is "toxic" or capable of becoming "toxic" (as defined in the legislation) in the Canadian context. If a substance is determined to be toxic, it is considered for risk management measures. For additional information on CEPA, please contact Environment Canada or visit their website at www.ec.gc.ca.

What is the purpose of the Agency's R&D; Program?

The purpose of this Program is to help the federal government meet future challenges and improve the practice of environmental assessment in a manner which is relevant, credible, efficient, and encourages innovation and excellence.

The research program is intended to focus on improving the practice and methods of EA rather than the scientific information that is part of the environmental assessment of various projects. If you are seeking funding for science-based research, please contact one of the relevant science-based federal departments, such as Environment Canada, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Natural Resources Canada, etc.

The research projects proposed for funding under the Program must be unbiased (i.e., does not advocate a particular point of view), and balanced (looks at both sides of an issue).

The program is intended to stimulate new research in environmental assessment by individuals and organizations that are identified below. New research means research that is not already underway or completed.

Who can apply for funding under this Program?

Canadian individuals or organisations from the following categories, either singly or in partnership with others, can submit research proposals to be considered for funding by the R&D; Program:

• educational institutions;
• provincial, municipal, local or Aboriginal governments and public agencies;
• professional associations;
• environmental non-governmental organisations (ENGOs);
• for-profit organizations, such as small businesses, companies, corporations and industry associations.

The above list does not include research led by federal departments since this Program is not intended to replace existing federal research initiatives. However, not-for-profit research institutes can apply, even if they are partially funded by the federal government.

Applicants must be a legal entity, such as an individual or an incorporated group or body; otherwise, they cannot sign the Contribution Agreement should their project be selected for funding by the Agency.

If a proposal is submitted on behalf of more than one organization, then it must be signed by a representative of each organization on whose behalf it has been submitted. If the project is selected for funding, the Contribution Agreement must also be signed by the all organizations who had submitted the proposal.

How many projects will be funded by the R&D; Program this year?

There is no set number of projects to receive funding each year. The number depends on the total funding for research projects available in the Program and the projects selected for funding by the Agency.

Is there a maximum or minimum funding level per proposal?

There are neither maximum, minimum, or average funding levels set by the Agency for funding awards. As part of the research proposal, the researcher(s) must indicate the resources required to carry out the research. The Agency will only fund those expenses considered to be eligible expenses (please see next question or the Eligible Expenses section in the Contribution Agreement).

If a proposal is selected for funding, the Agency will review the proposed budget and determine whether the costs set out in it are reasonable. The Agency may choose to re-negotiate the budget with the researcher(s) prior to signing the Contribution Agreement. The re-negotiated budget then becomes part of the Contribution Agreement.

What are the eligible expenses I can include in the budget portion of my proposal?

You can claim the following as eligible expenses from the Agency's R&D; Program:

• salaries, wages and related expenses such as employee benefits;
• operating expenses such as rent, utilities, materials and supplies;
• management, finance, administration and other overhead costs;
• professional editing costs;
• travel and accommodations, in accordance with Treasury Board and Agency policies and guidelines; and
• other costs that the Agency considers to be necessary in order for the Recipients to carry out the activities required of it under this Agreement.

GST or HST is an eligible expense only if, as a result of carrying out the activities described in the proposal, you are charged either tax by a third party.

Please note that the contribution paid by the Agency is not subject to GST or HST because the Agency does not receive either property or a service in return for its contribution.

What are the considerations I should take into account when developing the project time line?

There are a few points you must take into account when developing your timeline:

1. Your timeline must begin after the Agency announces the funding recipients.
2. Be realistic regarding how long it will take to gather and analyze the necessary information. Please take into account certain times of the year in terms of availability of individuals, such as Christmas and summer.
3. Take into account that your research report will undergo a peer review process which usually requires one month. This is to provide reviewers with sufficient time to review the research report and prepare their comments.
4. The researcher will require an additional 3-4 weeks to address the peer review comments, and respond appropriately to all the issues and comments raised in the review.
5. Once the content of the document has been finalized, the researcher is responsible for ensuring that the document undergoes a stylistic edit by a professional editor (this is further defined in the "Author's Guidelines" document), and the researcher is responsible for making the appropriate changes. This will normally require an additional one or two weeks. The document is now ready to be submitted to the Agency as the final document.

In developing your timelines, please note that the date for the final document must address the steps listed above, including: the process of peer review, responding to the peer review comments, submitting the document for a stylistic edit by a professional editor, and making the appropriate changes.

One of the requirements of the proposal is the signature of "a person with signing authority for the organization". What do you mean by this?

In some organizations, the lead researcher may not have the legal authority to sign documents that make commitments on behalf of the organization.

For example, in universities although professors lead the research team which conducts the research described in the proposal, they do not have the authority to sign contribution agreements; most often, it is the university's Office of Research that can do so. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the Office of Research is aware of the submission of the proposal, and is willing to sign the contribution agreement with the Agency if the proposal is selected for funding. This ensures that for each project the Agreement is signed and the research is underway as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the research can be significantly delayed for administrative reasons, affecting timelines and perhaps forcing the researcher to produce the same research within a significantly shorter time period.

What is the procedure for submitting my proposal?

Please ensure that seven (7) copies of the complete proposal together with any supporting documents, such as letter(s) confirming a partnership with another organization with respect to the project described in the proposal, are received at the Agency by 5:00 p.m. on the due date indicated on the Call for Proposals. You can send your complete package by courier, addressed to Diane Kaiser at the address indicated on the Call for Proposals.

How are the proposals evaluated?

The first step involves reviewing each proposal to determine whether it meets the following criteria:

• was it received at the Agency by 5:00 p.m. EST on the due date identified in the Call for Proposals;
• does it address one of the priority issues identified in the Call for Proposals;
• does it clearly address an issue with respect to the practice and methods of environmental assessment (see question 1 in Frequently Asked Questions); and
• does it contain all the information requirements identified in the Call for Proposals

Proposals which pass this test are then passed on to the Evaluation Committee for their review. The Evaluation Committee is formed of experts in EA from both inside and outside the federal government. Their role is to review the proposals and recommend to the Agency the projects to be funded.

The Committee will evaluate the proposals based on the following criteria:

• The suitability or quality of the statement of the problem or issue to be addressed
• The extent to which the objectives are clear, relevant and realistic
• The suitability of the methodology to the stated objectives
• The extent to which the project will contribute to an improved understanding of the issue
• The extent to which the proposed research will contribute towards the improving the practice of environmental assessments
• The quality or extent of the lead researcher's past research experience
• The quality of the business plan
• Extent to which the proposed budget is in keeping with methodology
• The extent to which the research project includes collaboration with other stakeholder groups
• The extent to which the project will contribute to capacity building with respect to EA in Canada

Who owns the intellectual property developed as a result of my research?

The intellectual property developed as a result of the research funded by the Agency's R&D; Program remains the property of the recipient as defined in the contribution agreement. This is because the funding provided by the R&D; Program is a contribution to a research project rather than a contract for the production of a research product (such as a report, seminar, electronic tool, etc.).