Seminar Series

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In 2001-2002, the Agency hosted a seminar series on key issues in environmental assessment as part of its R&D Program. Each seminar featured presentations by researchers of Agency-funded projects on various topics related to environmental assessment and the five priorities of the R&D Program. The day-long seminars provided an opportunity to exchange ideas with the researchers, meet colleagues and discuss the practical and policy implications of the findings, as well as potential for future research in these areas.

The R&D seminar series brought together environmental assessment researchers, practitioners, policy-makers and decision-makers for stimulating discussions on the research findings and their implications for the future of environmental assessment in Canada.

• Follow-up in Environmental Assessment
  Montréal, October 23, 2001
• Climate Change and Environmental Assessment
  Toronto, January 25, 2002
• New Perspective in Significance
  Vancouver, March 1, 2002

Follow up in Environmental Assessment

The Agency's R&D Program sponsored a seminar on follow-up in environmental assessment. The seminar program included the presentation of two research projects that had received funding from the Agency.

"Follow-up", as defined in the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, means a program for verifying the accuracy of the environmental assessment of a project, and determining the effectiveness of any measures taken to mitigate the adverse environmental effects of the project. This concept is different from compliance monitoring.

Summary

Slide Presentations

• Analysis and Operational Evaluation of Ten Environmental Follow-up Committees in Quebec: Tracking Study, Gilles Côté and Mario Gauthier
• Development of a Distribution Strategy of the Environmental Follow-up Findings, Yves Comtois

Climate Change and Environmental Assessment

Global climate change is currently one of the hottest topics being discussed in Canada and internationally. Subsequently, the incorporation of climate change considerations into environmental assessments has become one of the R&D Program's main priorities. The purpose of the Vancouver seminar was to discuss the issues surrounding the incorporation of climate change into environmental assessments. Four presentations were held during this seminar.

Summary

Slide Presentations

• Incorporating climate Change into Environmental Assessment: A Review of Selected Case Studies, Rick Lee
• Addressing Uncertainties About Climate Change in Environmental Assessment: A Review of Past Practices, Philip Byer and Melanie Murph

New Perspective in Significance

It is required by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act that a responsible authority and/or the Minister of the Environment determine whether a project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects after the implementation of appropriate mitigation measures. What does "significant" mean and how does one determine significance? These questions were addressed in the Vancouver seminar.

Summary

Slide Presentations

• Significance When Sustainability Matters, Robert Gibson
• Sustainability-based Criteria and Significance Judgments, Robert Gibson
• Current versus Sustainability-based Approaches, David Lawrence
• Case Experience with Sustainability and Significance, Selina Hassan