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Human activity changes the environment. The significance of these
changes is best understood when they are obvious and catastrophic but many
are subtle changes that only prove to be important over time. In its roles
as advisor and decision maker, Environment Canada assesses a wide range
of human activities to ensure their long and short term consequences do
not cause irreparable damage to the ecosystem.
Explore this site to learn about the legislative process by which Environment
Canada conducts reviews of activities that vary from small environmental
enhancement projects to major developments such as oil and gas pipelines,
nuclear facilities, mining operations, highways, urban development, landfills
and electricity generation. Discover opportunities for participating in
the Department’s environmental assessment process and link to relevant
legislation, guidelines and environmental assessment reports.
Environmental assessment is
a powerful planning tool that provides decision makers with the information
they need to ensure the projects they approve are compatible with a healthy,
sustainable environment for present and future generations. Environmental
assessment is now part of public decision-making at all levels of government
in Canada and is used world wide in over 100 countries, in many international
organizations and funding agencies and, increasingly, by private business.
At the federal level, environmental assessment is governed by the
Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, which
obliges the federal government to carefully consider the environmental effects
of projects before taking any actions that enable these projects to proceed.
The Act promotes sustainable development by ensuring that the proposed works
and activities do not cause significant adverse environmental effects within
and outside the jurisdictions in which they are carried out. The Act also
ensures there is an opportunity for public participation in the assessment process.
Under the Act, Environment Canada is required to conduct environmental assessments
of projects for which it has a decision-making role, either as a proponent, a funder,
a land manager or, in some cases as a regulator, and we are committed to doing so in
an exemplary manner. Environment Canada also plays a strong advisory role by
providing its broad science-based expertise on environmental matters to assist other
government departments in anticipating, preventing or mitigating adverse environmental
effects of projects, and by advocating environmental policies and programs of the
Department and the federal government. We also play this advocacy and advisory role
outside the federal government through participation in provincial, municipal and
aboriginal assessment processes.
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For more information please contact:
Environmental Assessment Section
Environment Canada - Ontario Region
ea-ee.ontario@ec.gc.ca
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