Our commitment to effective consultations

May 27, 1996

Our Pledge

Environment Canada shares its responsibility to protect the environment and to promote sustainable development with all sectors of society and with individual Canadians. This warrants their meaningful participation in the decisions related to the development and amendment of policies, legislation, programs and services. Environment Canada has a rich tradition of consultations and is committed to providing opportunities for public involvement in all relevant facets of its mandate. This policy is designed to respond to the growing public demand for effective consultations and to describe how Environment Canada intends to meet this commitment. Environment Canada's commitment to public consultations is directly related to our priority to make sustainable development a reality in Canada. Simply put, we believe that meaningful public consultations will help Environment Canada and the government as a whole make better decisions.

At Environment Canada, consultation is an interactive and iterative process that elicits and considers the ideas of people and provides opportunities to influence decisions before they are made.

Guiding Principles

The following principles will guideEnvironment Canada's approach to consultations:

1. Building relationships and trust - Open channels of communications and constructive working relationships with organizations, partners and clients are valued as a key foundation for effective consultations.
2. Influencing decisions - Consultations will be designed as an integral part of the decision making process. The process will be transparent and consultations will take place while options are still open.
3. Balancing listening with leadership - Environment Canada information, knowledge and positions will be shared openly and in a timely fashion with those being consulted. Consultations will be balanced with getting things done.
4. Tailoring our approach - Consultations will be tailored to reflect the particular circumstances and variables of the decisions at hand.
5. Striving for greater effectiveness - Consultations led by Environment Canada will be designed with a view to make the most efficient use of existing mechanisms and internal resources while maximizing the contribution of participants.
6. Adhering to high quality and performance standards - Consultations will be planned, carried out and assessed based on the best practices in the field. Environment Canada has adopted the Guide to Public Involvement, a national standard of Canada published by the Canadian Standards Association (March 1996), as its benchmark for effective consultations.

Making Consultations Work

Consultations led by Environment Canada will incorporate the following characteristics:

• provide a clear context within which decisions will be made, including links to other related issues and consultation tracks (e.g. provinces);
• have well defined and understood purposes and goals;
• set clear and reasonable timelines;
• provide people who have an interest, the opportunity and the means to participate;
• ensure participation through the use of an appropriate mix of consultation activities or techniques (including electronic means);
• have a budget corresponding to the nature and scope of the process;
• set clear ground rules as to:
  • how decisions will be made during the process;
  • the roles and responsibilities of Environment Canada and other participants (e.g. other departments, provinces, NGOs, etc.);
  • what information will be shared and how;
  • how the different values, interests, knowledge and contribution of participants will be recognized and respected; and
  • how communications will be managed within and outside the process.
• incorporate measures to assess progress, to evaluate and to communicate the success and results of the process; and
• ensure that decisions take into account the results of the consultations and are fed back to participants.

Converging Efforts

Environment Canada's policy onpublic consultations provides a framework to support theongoing activities of the department (see Business Lines). Commitments to public consultation and the related issues of access to information and public right to know are also reinforced by relevant provisions of legislation such as the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA). Environment Canada will seek to improve the application and relevance of public consultations in legislation under its responsibility. Environment Canada will promote its commitment to effective public consultations in its joint initiatives with other federal departments, other levels of government and, the non-governmental sectors. This policy also provides the basic framework for consulting aboriginal peoples on environmental policy, program or legislative issues where Environment Canada plays the lead federal role.

Environment Canada: Our Business

Environment Canada activities are described in our Business Plan (available on request) as follows:

a healthy environment

• atmospheric change
• toxics
• compliance and enforcement
• biodiversity/wildlife
• conserving Canada's ecosystems

safety from environmental hazards

• weather & environmental predictions
• emergency prevention & preparedness

a greener society

• information products and services
• technologies, jobs and capacity building
• partnerships for sustainable development

Organizing for Consultations in Environment Canada

Environment Canada is committed to the principles, practices and applications of this policy on public consultations. Line managers and staff in Environment Canada Services and Regions are accountable for the development and management of individual consultation initiatives. The Consultations Division in Policy & Communications has been created to advise and support them in these efforts.

This new policy has led to the introduction of the following measures aimed at increasing the quality and effectiveness of consultations within Environment Canada:

• the assignment by senior management of a high priority to training and the development of skills related to consultations when consistent with operational needs;
• the development of plans, where appropriate, prior to undertaking new consultation initiatives; and
• the approval of guidelines for dealing with participant funding requests in Environment Canada consultation processes (available on request).

In addition to this policy, a number of tools are available to assist departmental practitioners in planning and managing their consultations activities. They include:

• an electronic network facilitating the sharing of knowledge and intelligence on consultation practices, issues and activities; and
• the Guide to Public Involvement prepared under the auspices of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) to assist with the planning and implementation of consultation initiatives.

Participant Funding Guidelines

1. Resourcing

1. Travel & Accommodation

   Environment Canada can provide, under specific circumstances, funding for travel and accommodation expenses of people invited to participate in public consultations. These expenses will be paid by the responsible manager in accordance with Treasury Board Policy and Guidelines on Travel and the following criteria:

   1. participants are volunteers or represent a not-for-profit organization;
   2. travel and accomodation expenses will not be reimbursed by the organization they represent; and
   3. participants have specific expertise or knowledge to contribute to the process.
2. In-kind Support

   Requests for in-kind support (e.g.access to information, expertise, facilities) will be considered when they can result in more cost-effective participation in the consultation.

2. Honoraria

Honoraria will not be paid to individuals involved in consultations with Environment Canada unless such compensation is provided under the terms of reference of a board or agency under departmental authority.

3. Contracts

A contract with a consultation participant may be considered when well-defined and pre-established deliverables are identified and when it is determined that there is value for money. Contracts are subject to Treasury Board guidelines and regulations.

4. Exceptions

Exceptions to these guidelines must be approved by the Assistant Deputy Minister or Regional Director General of Environment Canada responsible for the initiative. Written requests which justify the exception are to be submitted by the sponsoring manager.