Environmental Assessment Office
Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Performance Measures
The Environmental Assessment Office has established goals, objectives and related strategies that focus on the completeness and thoroughness of environmental assessment reporting and the clarity of the environmental assessment process. These goals will move the organization towards its vision of excellence in environmental assessment and support its mission to report the outcome of environmental assessments to government.
Goal 1: The environmental assessment process is clear and streamlined
The process managed by the Environmental Assessment Office is continually evaluated and refined to ensure that it is easy to understand, provides effective tools to assist the development of assessment applications and streamlines regulatory requirements wherever possible. To meet the goal of an environmental assessment process that is clear and streamlined, the Environmental Assessment Office set two objectives: (1) an environmental assessment process that is easy to follow and (2) harmonization with the federal government.
Objective 1.1: The environmental assessment process is easy to follow
The Environmental Assessment Office seeks to continually enhance the environmental assessment process by developing tools to improve proponents’, First Nations’, and the public’s understanding of the environmental assessment process and assist with the preparation of assessment documentation. Efforts are also made to enhance public information about the environmental assessment process and to provide access to information about project reviews as they proceed.
Strategies
Key strategies for this objective include:
- continuing to develop and improve guidelines such as the Proponent Guide to the Environmental Assessment Review Process and sector-specific guidelines;
- continuing to seek ways to increase public and stakeholder awareness of the environmental assessment process, including the use of the electronic Project Information Centre (e-PIC); and
- conducting surveys to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the environmental assessment process.
Performance Measure 1: Satisfaction with the assessment process
| Performance Measure | 2007/08 Baseline | 2008/09 Target | 2009/10 Target | 2010/11 Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proponents’ overall level of satisfaction with the assessment process | 8 out of 10 | Maintain or exceed | Maintain or exceed | Maintain or exceed |
| Data Source: Environmental Assessment Office. |
Discussion
This measure addresses the level of proponent satisfaction with the environmental assessment process by asking proponents to rate the Environmental Assessment Office on its delivery of a timely and effective environmental assessment process. This is measured through a survey asking proponents to rate their overall experience with the Environmental Assessment Office on a scale of 1 to 10, regardless of where they are in the process. The survey is undertaken every two years. The results of our next survey will be available March 2008. The Environmental Assessment Office also seeks proponents’ views on the delivery of the environmental assessment process through periodic telephone interviews and meetings with all proponents actively engaged in, or who have recently completed, the environmental assessment process.
Feedback from other interested parties is obtained through other means, including the Environmental Assessment Office’s Environmental Assessment Advisory Committee. This multi-party committee provides advice and feedback to the Environmental Assessment Office on a range of environmental assessment issues.
Objective 1.2: Harmonized federal/provincial assessment processes
In 2004, British Columbia and Canada renewed the Canada/British Columbia Agreement on Environmental Assessment Cooperation. The agreement is designed to enhance governmental cooperation and harmonization when a project is subject to both provincial and federal environmental assessment. By doing so, its helps ensure efficient and effective use of public and private resources, and provides procedural certainty for participants in the environmental assessment process.
Strategies
Key strategies for this objective include:
- continuing to work cooperatively with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency to ensure joint federal/provincial environmental assessments meet all requirements of the Canada/British Columbia Agreement on Environmental Assessment Cooperation; and
- promoting and facilitating negotiations, on a project-by-project basis, for each harmonized environmental assessment.
Performance Measure 2: Applications completed within provincial timelines
| Performance Measure | 2007/08 Baseline | 2008/09 Target | 2009/10 Target | 2010/11 Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of applications in harmonized review completed within provincial timelines | 80% | Maintain or exceed | Maintain or exceed | Maintain or exceed |
| Data Source: Environmental Assessment Office. |
Discussion
The Environmental Assessment Office and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency anticipate and resolve problems through the Environmental Assessment Office/Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency Harmonization Working Group. This group is working to strengthen the harmonized process by creating an action plan for improving information and communications; making a stronger commitment to early and co-ordinated engagement; and sharing additional efforts to identify and achieve greater efficiencies on cooperative assessments. This performance measure demonstrates whether the majority of harmonized project reviews are meeting provincial timelines.
In addition to harmonizing joint review processes, the Environmental Assessment Office seeks to pursue creative opportunities to minimize duplication under existing legislation, and participates in federal/provincial discussions concerning the potential for legislative changes to further reconcile federal and provincial interests in environmental assessment.
Goal 2: Environmental assessment reports and recommendations are comprehensive and timely
Ministers require timely, high quality information, analysis and recommendations about the potential effects of a project to decide whether to issue an environmental assessment certificate. Environmental assessment reports are based on a thorough review of all relevant issues and include representation of the interests of those affected by a proposed project, which is supported by formal public comment periods. This provides the basis for balanced decisions by government on whether a project should proceed and results in decisions that also consider the broader public interest. To meet the goal that environmental assessment reports and recommendations are comprehensive and timely, the Environmental Assessment Office set two objectives: (1) applications for environmental assessment certificates are complete and thorough; and (2) meaningful consultation with First Nations.
Objective 2.1: Applications for environmental assessment certificates are complete and thorough
The Environmental Assessment Office works closely with government agencies, First Nations and proponents to identify the information required from a proponent (known as an application for an environmental assessment certificate) to assess the potential for environmental, economic, social, health and heritage effects of a project. The Environmental Assessment Office also assesses the adequacy of proponents’ proposed plans for consulting the public and First Nations during the application review. These measures help ensure the proponent’s application is complete so the process can proceed in a timely manner.
Strategies
Key strategies for this objective include:
- providing clear, consistent and effective guidance to proponents regarding information requirements for environmental assessment certificate applications;
- convening multi-disciplinary working groups to engage in meaningful project-related discussions; and
- ensuring applications for environmental assessments contain the required information before they are accepted for review.
Performance Measure 3: Applications in the B.C. environmental assessment process completed within 180 days
| Performance Measure | 2007/08 Baseline | 2008/09 Target | 2009/10 Target | 2010/11 Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of applications in the B.C. environmental assessment process completed within 180 days B.C. Environmental Assessment Process only Joint B.C./Canada Environmental Assessment Process |
80% |
| Data Source: Environmental Assessment Office. |
Discussion
The British Columbia environmental assessment process has legislated timelines, and the Environmental Assessment Office monitors whether these timelines are being met. The Environmental Assessment Office is proactive in anticipating and scheduling activities. It also encourages consultation during the pre-application stage to ensure that applications contain all required information so that projects are more likely to stay on track to meet schedules and remain within legislated timelines once they enter the application stage. With a detailed and good quality application, the assessment of the potential impacts of the project and the adequacy of proposed measures to address potential adverse impacts can readily be determined, which assists the Environmental Assessment Office in meeting the legislated time limits. It is recognized that projects subject to comprehensive studies under the Canadian Environment Assessment Act can prove challenging to fully harmonize with the British Columbia environmental assessment process in 180 days.
Objective 2.2: Meaningful consultation with First Nations
Where projects have the potential to adversely affect asserted or established aboriginal rights and title, the Crown has an obligation to consult with First Nations and, where appropriate, accommodate First Nations interests. The Environmental Assessment Office engages and consults First Nations in the assessment process through working groups, as well as through separate means as necessary. These steps help ensure that environmental assessment decisions are fully informed in terms of First Nations interests and perspectives, and that the Crown’s duties of consultation have been met in respect of environmental assessment decisions.
Strategies
Key strategies for this objective include:
- ensuring proponents develop comprehensive plans that result in timely and meaningful consultation with First Nations;
- continuing to seek active First Nations involvement in the early stages of project reviews;
- providing opportunities for First Nations to review and comment on key environmental assessment documents, through working groups and otherwise;
- promoting open and regular communication with First Nations communities to identify, understand and address project related issues; and
- providing resources to assist the First Nations Environmental Assessment Technical Working Group.
Performance Measure 4: First Nations engaged in project assessment working group(s)
| Performance Measure | 2007/08 Baseline | 2008/09 Target | 2009/10 Target | 2010/11 Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of impacted First Nations engaged in project assessment working group(s) | 75% | Maintain or exceed | Maintain or exceed | Maintain or exceed |
| Data Source: Environmental Assessment Office. |
Discussion
A key tool for ensuring thorough and comprehensive environmental assessments is the establishment of technical working groups. To this end, the Environmental Assessment Office actively seeks representation from federal, provincial and local government agencies as well as First Nations potentially affected by a project. Although the working group is not the only means of engaging First Nations during the course of an environmental assessment, participation in working groups is seen as an effective and efficient means of ensuring First Nations interests and perspectives are duly incorporated into environmental assessment.
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