Minister of the Environment Welcomes Proclamation of Renewed Federal Environmental Assessment Legislation

OTTAWA – October 30, 2003 – The Honourable David Anderson, Minister of the Environment, today welcomed the proclamation into law of amendments to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

“Changes to the Act mean higher quality assessments, a process that is more predictable and timely, and more opportunities for meaningful public participation, making it an important step in the evolution of environmental assessment in Canada,” said Minister Anderson. “The renewed Act will allow both the promotion of a prosperous economy and a healthy, sustainable environment.”

Input from Canadians, through an open and comprehensive review of the Act, helped the government to focus on finding practical solutions to identified problems. The government will inject $51.2 million in new funding over the first five years and another $8 million each year afterwards to support the strengthened federal process.

Canadians wishing to take part in the environmental assessment of projects in their communities will now have easy access to a new Internet Registry of project information and opportunities to participate. The Registry can be found on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency’s Web site.

Project proponents can look forward to more consistent information requirements and more timely decisions for their projects through, for example, the role of a federal environmental assessment coordinator. These coordinators will assist federal departments in working together and with other jurisdictions.

Several changes in the Act will strengthen the inclusion of Aboriginal perspectives into assessments, including the formal recognition of Aboriginal traditional knowledge. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency’s role will also be strengthened, allowing it to promote compliance, resolve disputes and coordinate federal involvement in assessments conducted in cooperation with other jurisdictions.

“I welcome new opportunities to continue working with provinces, Aboriginal communities, industry and environmental groups to implement these progressive changes,” said Minister Anderson. “The revitalized legislation goes a long way in helping to deliver on Canada’s key environmental priorities for clean air, clean water and the protection of Canada’s natural spaces and species.”

The federal government also responded today to a report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development on the future of environmental assessment. The government response outlines how the current revitalized federal process will go a long way to yielding positive environmental results and supporting decisions that promote sustainable development. Environmental assessment follow-up studies and the creation of a quality assurance program will provide the Standing Committee with important information for their review of the Act in 2010.

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The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency administers the federal environmental assessment process, which identifies the environmental effects of proposed projects and measures to address those effects, in support of sustainable development.

For more information, media may contact:

Josée Morais
Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Minister of the Environment
Tel.: (819) 997-1441

Gordon Harris
Senior Communications Advisor
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Tel.: (819) 953-5045