Managing Cumulative Effects in the North

Canada's North is blessed with an abundance of valuable natural resources—from diamonds to forests to oil and gas. The rapid development of these resources is putting significant pressures on the environment, highlighting the need to take a broader regional approach to managing the potential impacts of all development.

Even seemingly minor stresses caused by human activity can result in unexpected changes in an ecosystem. To prevent or mitigate such changes, scientists and those with traditional knowledge gather baseline information on the current state of the environment, and try to predict the short- and long-term effects of a proposed project. It is also important to consider how the impact of stresses from other human activities would combine with these effects.

Cumulative effects assessments are a common requirement for resource planning and management in the North. However, the current process has several shortcomings. Since they are specific to each individual project, the assessments are unable to consider adequately the combined effects of all of the developments in an area of interest. In addition, a lack of standard protocols for the collection and storage of baseline and monitoring data, combined with multiple project reviews, can lead to capacity limitations and consultation fatigue—particularly in small northern communities.

Determining how the addition of a project to other projects in an area will affect the region over time is especially important when the footprint of that project covers a vast area. A Cumulative Effects Management Framework can help to establish and maintain baseline information for an entire region, and identify important ecosystems and natural resources. This information can then be used to assess and manage the potential impacts of all present and future developments in the area.

Such a framework has proven a useful tool for dealing effectively and efficiently with multiple proposals for hydrocarbon developments in the Athabasca Oil Sands of northern Alberta. A multi-stakeholder body developed a Regional Sustainable Development Strategy, which provided a framework and process for addressing the area's growing number of environmental issues.

Environment Canada and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, in partnership with other northern organizations, are working to develop a Cumulative Effects Assessment and Management Framework for the Northwest Territories. Environment Canada has also developed a generic regional management framework for the North that promotes the principle of best practices.

According to both frameworks, several key components are required to effectively manage cumulative environmental effects. In addition to thorough cumulative effects assessments of all proposed projects, these include: a regional steering body made up of all affected and interested groups; a regional monitoring program to provide feedback on ecosystem health and change; consultative land-use and watershed planning; an accessible central database; and a research body to address questions about environmental thresholds and impact predictions.

In parts of the North, some of these components are already in place as requirements of comprehensive land-claim agreements. As a result, the completion of a framework in those areas would only require identifying and filling in any gaps.

As progress is made in the development of regional cumulative effects management frameworks in northern Canada, the effort required to establish each framework will bring benefits. The end result will not only help to make the cumulative effects assessment process more efficient, but also ensure that better, more forward-looking management plans are in place to protect the vulnerable northern environment.

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