Entering the Next Generation of Impact Assessment in Canada

• Author: A John Sinclair an d Meinha rd Doelle
• Pages: 513-526

513

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Entering the Next Generation of Impact

Assessment in Canada

A John Sinclair and Meinhard Doelle

A. INTRODUCTION

Chapter 2 established a next-generation assessment framework that

incorporated international learning, as well as key themes in Canadian

deliberations surrounding the assessment law and policy reform pro-

cess that led to the Impact Assessment Act (IAA).1 The framework recog-

nizes both global learning and Canadian considerations captured in

fourteen components. As noted in previous chapters, a basic package

of the components and various congurations of each were very much

in play during the federal government’s assessment reform discussions.

In fact, the report of the Expert Panel for the Review of Environmental

Assessment Processes (Expert Panel) reects many of the components.2

Our purpose here is to consider each component in relation to

the IAA evaluations made by the authors contributing to Part II of this

book. We have taken their analysis and conclusions in developing our

own assessment of what the IAA achieves and where further reform is

needed. In addition to the work of the authors contributing to Part II,

1 SC 2019, c 28, s 1.

2 Expert Panel for the Review of Environmental Assessment Processes, Building Common

Ground: A New Vision for Impact Assessment in Canada (Ottawa: Canadian Environ-

mental Assessment Agency, 2017), online (pdf): Government of Canada www.canada.ca/

content/dam/themes/environment/conservation/environmental-reviews/building-

common-ground/building-common-ground.pdf.