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The original version was signed by
The Honourable Jim Prentice
Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
As Minister responsible for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, I am pleased to present the 2009-2010 Report on Plans and Priorities for the Agency.
The Government of Canada recognizes that a healthy economy and a healthy environment are interdependent objectives that must be pursued in a balanced manner for the benefit of present and future generations of Canadians.
To gain a better appreciation of our objectives and direction, I encourage parliamentarians and Canadians to read the 2009-2010 Report on Plans and Priorities for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency.
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The Honourable Jim Prentice, P.C., Q.C., M.P.
Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for the
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency provides leadership and serves as the centre of expertise for federal environmental assessment. The Agency's mandate is to provide Canadians with high-quality environmental assessments that contribute to informed decision making in support of sustainable development. |
Led by the President, who reports directly to the Minister of the Environment, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) delivers its mandate within the framework of the following instruments:
Consistent with the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals, the Agency also supports the Minister of the Environment in promoting the application of environmental assessment processes in strategic-level decision making by providing training and guidance to federal authorities.
As well, the Agency works with federal authorities on the application of the Cabinet Directive on Implementation of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and its Memorandum of Understanding. The Agency provides advice and guidance on the Directive's expectations, and leads interdepartmental efforts to advance the Directive's goal of delivering high-quality environmental assessments in a predictable, certain and timely manner.
The Agency is responsible for managing the federal environmental assessment process for most major resource projects and for integrating the Government of Canada's Aboriginal engagement and consultation activities into the environmental assessment process for these projects as mandated under the Cabinet Directive on Improving the Performance of the Regulatory System for Major Resource Projects and its Memorandum of Understanding.
The President of the Agency has been designated by Order in Council as the federal administrator of the environmental and social protection regimes set out in Chapters 22 and 23 of the 1975 James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.
In order to effectively pursue its mandate, the Agency aims to achieve the following strategic outcome:
Environmental considerations are taken into account in federal government decisions respecting policies, plans, programs and projects. |
The chart below illustrates the Agency's framework of program activities which contribute to its Strategic Outcome.
Program Activity Architecture: Long Description
The financial resources table below provides a summary of the total planned spending for the Agency for the next three fiscal years.
Financial Resources | 2009-2010 | 2010-2011 | 2011-2012 |
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($ thousands) | 32,049 | 27,431 | 26,931 |
The human resources table below provides a summary of the total planned human resources for the Agency for the next three fiscal years.
Human Resources | 2009-2010 | 2010-2011 | 2011-2012 |
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Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) | 244 | 231 | 231 |
Strategic Outcome:
Environmental considerations are taken into account in federal government decisions respecting policies, plans, programs and projects. |
Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes:
Strong economic growth |
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Performance Indicators | Targets | ||||
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Program Activity | Expected Results | Forecast Spending ($ thousands) | Planned Spending ($ thousands) | ||
2008-2009 | 2009-2010 | 2010-2011 | 2011-2012 | ||
Environmental Assessment Development Program |
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4,350 | 3,887 | 3,678 | 3,678 |
Environmental Assessment Support Program |
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19,206 | 20,653 | 16,254 | 15,714 |
Total Planned Spending | 24,540 | 19,932 | 19,392 |
The above table does not include spending for Internal Services.
Operational Priorities | Type | Description |
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1. Build a Framework for More Integrated Environmental Assessment | Ongoing | In order to foster a more effective, efficient, predictable and timely environmental assessment process for Canadians, the Agency will continue to consult and work with its federal partners, provinces and territories, and stakeholders; define policy direction; develop cooperative environmental assessment arrangements; provide guidance on federal environmental assessment; pursue regulatory improvements; and lay the groundwork for legislative reform. |
2. Play an Active Leadership Role in Federal Environmental Assessment | Ongoing | Timely, high quality environmental assessments help ensure environmental considerations are taken into account in federal decision making. Through playing an active leadership role, the Agency will implement approaches that enhance efficiency and consistency in the delivery of federal environmental assessment and facilitate predictable management of the process. Agency leadership will help ensure the successful implementation of the Government's initiative to improve the regulatory process for major resource projects, including fulfillment of associated requirements for Aboriginal consultation. As well, Agency leadership will enhance collaboration and cooperation with other jurisdictions. |
3. Build Capacity and Organization to Deliver on Existing and New Responsibilities | Ongoing | The Agency will continue its efforts to build and maintain an organization that can deliver the broader environmental assessment mandate entrusted to it in the 2007 Cabinet Directive on Improving the Performance of the Regulatory System for Major Resource Projects. This will require ensuring new staff are successfully integrated into the organization and continued investment in employee training and development. |
The Government recognizes that prosperity cannot be sustained without a healthy environment. The federal environmental assessment process, at both the strategic and project level, is a key tool for ensuring that while Canada strives to maintain a healthy economy, it also protects the Canadian environment.
The economic expansion of recent years, driven by high prices for energy and metals, resulted in a significant increase in the number of resource sector projects. While the current economic downturn may result in relatively fewer projects of this kind in the near term, there will be increased investment in public sector infrastructure projects.
The Agency will be an active partner in improving the performance of the regulatory system for public infrastructure and major resource projects, in particular with respect to more effective and efficient environmental assessments. It will actively investigate and develop innovative ways to ensure environmental considerations are taken into account in federal decision making and that federal environmental assessment is applied in a way to maximize benefits to Canadians. Integrating environmental considerations in planning and decision-making processes in a manner that promotes sustainable development will be at the root of these efforts.
The Government has made big strides in improving regulatory system capacity and processes for major resource projects. Much of the Agency's focus has been on putting in place the organizational structure, tools and people necessary to deliver its commitments towards this initiative. The Agency is now turning towards implementation and is assuming a more comprehensive leadership role in the management of the environmental assessment process for most major resource projects. The Agency is continuing to develop its capacity to deliver on its expanded responsibilities while working collaboratively with the Major Projects Management Office and other federal departments to ensure the overall success of this initiative.
The Crown may have a duty to consult and, if appropriate, accommodate Aboriginal groups when it contemplates conduct that may adversely impact potential or established Aboriginal or treaty rights. The Government of Canada has set out responsibilities under the Memorandum of Understanding to the Cabinet Directive on Improving the Performance of the Regulatory System for Major Resource Projects regarding Aboriginal consultation. Specifically, the Agency has responsibility for leading the integration of Aboriginal-Crown consultation into the environmental assessments it manages under this initiative and for all review panel processes.
As the Government intends to expedite the funding of public infrastructure as a means to stimulate the Canadian economy in the context of the current economic slow down, all aspects of the overall federal review and approval process for these projects, including environmental assessment, have to be reconsidered. The Agency works closely with other federal authorities in support of this important Government commitment.
The development of these short term sector-specific initiatives highlights the fact that the current federal environmental assessment legislative framework may not be optimal for maintaining a healthy economy while protecting the environment. Over the coming months, the Agency will identify options to improve the legislative framework to ensure it is well aligned with this important objective.
Protecting the environment while securing a strong economy and prosperity for Canadians is an important challenge. Environmental assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act responds to this challenge by ensuring that the potential environmental effects of development proposals are carefully considered in the federal decision-making process. More specifically, federal authorities must complete an environmental assessment before they:
In addition, federal policies, plans and programs are subject to strategic environmental assessment under the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals. The Agency continues to lead the government's efforts to explore means of improving the contribution of strategic environmental assessment and strengthening its relationship to project-level assessments and regulatory decision making.
The following activities illustrate some of the risks the Agency faces in the delivery of its mandate and responsibilities.
Under the Canadian Constitution, environmental management has emerged as an area of shared jurisdiction between the federal and provincial governments. Many projects, including major resource projects, are subject to both federal and provincial, territorial or Aboriginal, environmental assessment requirements.
In addition, federal environmental assessment legislation is based on the principle of self-assessment, which means that several federal authorities may have environmental assessment responsibilities in relation to the same project. As a result, coordinating the federal requirements is a challenge which calls for strong leadership and management.
To minimize duplication and delays, the Agency works with provinces and territories to undertake cooperative environmental assessments and promote consistent and predictable environmental assessment across Canada. Under the Act, the Agency acts as federal environmental assessment coordinator (FEAC) for the environmental assessment of certain large-scale and multi-jurisdictional projects. The Agency also acts as environmental assessment manager for the review of most major resource projects.
Projects subject to environmental assessment often raise many sensitive issues and competing interests related to economic development, community and public expectations, environmental protection, concerns of Aboriginal groups, and federal-provincial-territorial relations. Considering the issues and addressing the underlying interests, while maintaining productive relationships and delivering high-quality assessments that meet the expectations of Canadians in a timely and predictable manner, is an ongoing challenge.
To address this challenge, the Agency works to coordinate and facilitate meaningful opportunities for all potentially affected parties to participate in the environmental assessment process. This includes the provision of funding to Aboriginal groups and the public to support their participation in the review of large-scale projects.
Spending Trend: Long Description
For the 2009-2010 fiscal year, the Agency plans to spend its $32M authority to achieve the expected results of its program activities and contribute to its strategic outcome.
For the 2005-2006 to 2008-2009 periods, total spending includes all Parliamentary appropriation and revenue sources. It also includes carry forward adjustments. For the 2009-2010 to 2011-2012 periods, the total spending corresponds to planned spending and revenues. Supplementary funding and carry forward adjustments are unknown at this point and therefore are not reflected.
As a result of the Budget 2007 initiative to improve Canada's regulatory framework for major resources projects, the Agency has increased its spending trend. The Agency was also granted funding for review panel support as well as to address the Aboriginal consultations for environmental assessment programs, which are scheduled to sunset by 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 respectively.
This table illustrates the way in which Parliament approved Agency resources and how funds are allocated.
Vote or Statutory Item (S) | Vote or Statutory Wording | 2008-2009 Main Estimates ($ thousands) | 2009-2010 Main Estimates ($ thousands) |
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15 | Program expenditures | 31,514 | 29,199 |
(S) | Contributions to employee benefit plans | 2,942 | 2,850 |
Total | 34,456 | 32,049 |
The decrease in Main Estimates funding from 2008-2009 to 2009-2010 is due to the sunset of the temporary portion of the funding received to improve the performance of the regulatory system for major resources projects as well as the sunset of the funding received for the Aboriginal consultations for review panel environmental assessment processes.
Environmental considerations are taken into account in federal government decisions respecting policies, plans, programs and projects. |
This section describes the expected results of the Agency's program activities and their performance indicators and targets. This section also presents the financial and non-financial resources that will be dedicated to each program activity, a summary of each program's activities, planning highlights and benefits for Canadians.
The programs:
Expected Results of Program Activity:
Federal organizations have the instruments they need to meet their environmental assessment responsibilities |
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Performance Indicators | Targets |
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Expected Results of Program Activity:
Federal departments have access to the training and information they need to implement the Cabinet Directive on Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals |
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Performance Indicators | Targets |
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Expected Results of Program Activity:
Key issues are addressed, contributing to an improved federal environmental assessment framework consistent with the purposes of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act |
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Performance Indicators | Targets |
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Financial Resources ($ thousands) | Human Resources (Full Time Equivalents) | |||||
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2009-2010 | 2010-2011 | 2011-2012 | 2009-2010 | 2010-2011 | 2011-2012 | |
3,887 | 3,678 | 3,678 | 45 | 44 | 44 |
The Environmental Assessment Development Program activity aligns most closely with the Agency's first priority - to build a framework for more integrated environmental assessment. Its aim is to develop, maintain and continuously improve an effective, efficient and integrated environmental assessment process at the federal level which can contribute to the Government's efforts to maintain a secure Canadian economy.
Pursuing these objectives involves consulting with partners and stakeholders; monitoring and evaluating emerging issues and challenges; developing appropriate legislative, regulatory and policy responses to key issues; strengthening environmental assessment coordination; and exploring linkages between different forms of assessment. By establishing and maintaining the policy and legislative foundation for the practice of environmental assessment federally, this program activity also supports the Agency's second priority to take on a leadership role in federal environmental assessment.
In 2009-2010, this program activity will focus on ways in which environmental assessment can contribute to building a more dynamic and sustainable economy. The Agency will identify options to improve the current legislative framework to ensure it is optimal to achieve the important objective of maintaining a healthy economy while protecting the environment. The Agency will engage in discussions with federal and provincial partners and with the Minister of the Environment's multi-stakeholder Regulatory Advisory Committee in developing these options.
Through this program activity, the Agency will also continue to deliver in key areas such as:
In order to achieve the expected results for this program activity, the Agency plans to undertake the following activities:
This program activity contributes to sustainable development by ensuring that environmental considerations are taken into account in federal decision making related to plans, programs, policies and projects. As the Government focuses on stimulating the economy by investing heavily in infrastructure and supporting the development of cleaner energy sources, timely and efficient environmental assessment will ensure that decisions are made taking into full account potential environmental impacts. This approach is based on the principles that protecting the environment and the health of Canadians is essential to economic growth and that it is important to ensure that our actions contribute positively to the prosperity of future generations.
Expected Results of Program Activity:
Agency contributes to a reduction in time to complete the EA of major resource projects |
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Performance Indicators | Targets |
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Expected Results of Program Activity:
A single environmental assessment report produces the necessary information to support federal and provincial EA decisions when both jurisdictions require EAs of a project |
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Performance Indicators | Targets |
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Expected Results of Program Activity:
Responsible authorities and proponents understand the Agency's role in implementing the major resource projects process |
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Performance Indicators | Targets |
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Expected Results of Program Activity:
Interests of Aboriginal groups in relation to the EA of projects where the Agency is EA manager are documented and presented to support decision making |
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Performance Indicators | Targets |
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Expected Results of Program Activity:
Agency facilitates meaningful public participation in federal EAs by providing funding to support certain activities |
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Performance Indicators | Targets |
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Expected Results of Program Activity:
Agency provides high-quality EA training courses that are effective in providing practical skills and knowledge |
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Performance Indicators | Targets |
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Financial Resources ($ thousands) | Human Resources (Full Time Equivalents) | |||||
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2009-2010 | 2010-2011 | 2011-2012 | 2009-2010 | 2010-2011 | 2011-2012 | |
20,653 | 16,254 | 15,714 | 142 | 130 | 130 |
The Environmental Assessment Support Program activity aligns most closely with the Agency's second and third strategic priorities: to play an active leadership role in federal environmental assessment; and to build the capacity and organization to deliver on existing and new responsibilities. The EA Support Program contributes to these operational priorities by:
The Program Activity includes:
Through a number of sub-activities the Agency will foster:
To achieve the expected results, the Agency plans to undertake the following activities:
Through facilitating delivery of a timely, high-quality federal environmental assessment process, this program activity contributes to Canada's sustainable development and energy objectives, which in turn contribute to economic security and prosperity for Canadians.
Financial Resources ($ thousands) | Human Resources (Full Time Equivalents) | |||||
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2009-2010 | 2010-2011 | 2011-2012 | 2009-2010 | 2010-2011 | 2011-2012 | |
7,509 | 7,499 | 6,999 | 57 | 57 | 57 |
Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Material Services; Acquisition Services; and Travel and Other Administrative Services. Internal Services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not those provided specifically to a program.
Internal Services support the operating programs and activities of the Agency and include many administrative activities normally performed outside program areas and cannot otherwise be allocated as program support overhead. The objective of the Agency's Internal Services is to support the core program activities by providing modern, timely and responsive services that are effective and efficient.
The major elements of Internal Services are:
Finance and Administration |
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Legal Services |
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Human Resources |
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Communications |
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Information Management/Information Technology |
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The following tables are located on the Treasury Board Secretariat web site:
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
160 Elgin Street, 22nd Floor
Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3
Tel: 613-957-0712
Fax: 613-957-0946
E-mail: info@ceaa-acee.gc.ca