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Section 2: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

In this section:

• 2.1 Strategic Outcome
• 2.2 Program Activity: Environmental Assessment Development Program
• 2.3 Program Activity: Environmental Assessment Support Program
• 2.4 Program Activity: Internal Services

2.1 Strategic Outcome

This section describes the expected results of the Agency's program activities and their performance indicators and targets. It also presents the financial and non-financial resources that will be dedicated to each program, a summary of its activities, planning highlights and benefits for Canadians.

The programs are:

• the Environmental Assessment Development Program; and
• the Environmental Assessment Support Program.

2.2 Program Activity: Environmental Assessment Development Program

Program Activity Summary

The Environmental Assessment Development Program activity aligns most closely with the Agency's priority to build a framework for more integrated environmental assessment (EA). By establishing and maintaining the policy and legislative foundation for the practice of EA at the federal level, the program activity also supports the Agency's priority to play an active leadership role in federal EA.

The Environmental Assessment Development Program activity aims at ensuring an effective, efficient and integrated EA process at the federal level, taking into account interactions with other EA, consultative and regulatory decision-making processes in Canada, as well as environmental assessment within a transboundary context. Pursuing this objective involves consulting with partners and stakeholders; monitoring and evaluating emerging issues and challenges; developing appropriate legislative, regulatory and policy responses to key issues; strengthening EA coordination mechanisms; and exploring linkages between different forms of assessment.

In 2010-2011, this program activity will continue to focus on identifying options for improving the current legislative framework to support the important objective of building a more dynamic and sustainable economy while protecting the environment. The Agency will engage in discussions with federal and provincial partners and with members of the multi-stakeholder Regulatory Advisory Committee in developing these options.

The Agency will prepare for and participate in the comprehensive review of the provisions and operation of the Act by Parliamentary Committee, scheduled to begin by June 2010, which will lay the groundwork for possible legislative reform. The Agency will conduct research and analysis in order to be well prepared to assist the Parliamentary Committee in its work, including identifying interests and issues of concern to federal and provincial partners, Aboriginal groups and stakeholders.

Through this program activity, the Agency will deliver on the following key areas:

• strengthening environmental assessment harmonization and coordination with other jurisdictions in order to reduce duplication, streamline the process for stakeholders, and improve the timely delivery of high-quality environmental assessments;
• enhancing the framework for strategic environmental assessment (SEA), and its effective implementation, in order to better use the potential of SEA to play a key role in improving the timeliness of environmental impact assessments by dealing with public policy issues and decisions up front rather than at the project level;
• exploring and promoting the role of and opportunities presented by regional EAs, particularly in supporting cumulative effects management;
• working collaboratively with foreign governments to share information and best practices, and contributing to the international EA community through active participation in international committees and conferences;
• supporting and implementing the horizontal initiative led by Natural Resources Canada's Major Projects Management Office, which aims to improve the performance of the regulatory system for major resource projects;
• improving procedures for the environmental assessment component of the regulatory system for major resource projects; and
• further defining and supporting the Agency's role with respect to Aboriginal consultation on major resource projects.

Planning Highlights

In order to achieve the expected results for this program activity, the Agency plans to undertake the following activities:

• In October 2009, the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) endorsed a report recommending that jurisdictions consider a range of environmental assessment tools and models in their legislation aimed at achieving the goal of "one project — one assessment". The Agency will work with provincial partners through the EA Administrators Committee to further discuss potential models to improve federal-provincial harmonization.
• Based on the results of the evaluation of the Canada-Alberta Agreement on Environmental Assessment Cooperation, the Agency will work with provincial officials to update the Agreement as required to ensure that it continues to provide timely and effective cooperative environmental assessments.
• Informed by the results of an evaluation of the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals, the Agency will lead a government-wide strategy to strengthen Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).
• The Agency will ensure that existing regulations remain relevant. The need for new regulatory proposals to address emerging issues will be identified and evaluated for action, in consideration of the forthcoming review of the Act by Parliament.
• The Agency will continue working with major airport authorities to establish an EA regime that is compatible with the Act.
• The Agency, in accordance with its response to the November 2009 report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, will enhance the implementation of the quality assurance program, with a focus on key practices and implementation issues that will inform the 2010 parliamentary review of the Act.
• The Agency will continue to develop innovative solutions for dealing with smaller projects that are unlikely to cause significant adverse environmental effects, including the use of class screenings.
• The Agency is continuing development of a map-based Web service using a geographic information system (GIS) to assist Agency staff in the management of environmental assessments and the delivery of Aboriginal/Crown consultation activities. Based on the results of a pilot application in the Pacific and Yukon region, the Agency will explore options for rolling out this tool throughout the organization.
• The Agency will continue to support Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) in the negotiation of EA provisions in land claims and self-government agreements, as well as in various INAC-led regulatory initiatives.
• The Agency will use the Regional Environmental Assessment Committees to address identified key issues relating to the environmental assessment process.
• The Agency will develop policy and procedures to support its role in Aboriginal consultation and ensure that lessons learned are documented and that the role is applied consistently across the country.

Benefits for Canadians

The Environmental Assessment Development Program activity seeks to maintain and improve federal environmental assessment so that it remains effective, efficient and integrated. A sound EA process is vital to ensuring that environmental considerations are integrated into federal government decision making, thereby supporting quality of life for Canadians, environmental sustainability, and economic competitiveness.

2.3 Program Activity: Environmental Assessment Support Program

Program Activity Summary

The Environmental Assessment Support Program activity focuses on delivering the Agency's responsibilities under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and related policy direction. As a result, this program activity aligns most closely with the Agency's priority to play an active leadership role in federal environmental assessment. The Agency demonstrates leadership in its responsibilities as Federal Environmental Assessment Coordinator, managing review panels and providing participant funding as set out in the Act. In addition, the Agency supports implementation of the Cabinet Directive on Improving the Performance of the Regulatory System for Major Resource Projects by assuming the role of project manager for most major resource projects, ensuring that the environmental assessment process is administered in a manner that will meet timelines set out in project agreements and leading the integration of federal Crown consultation activities.

Through this program activity, the Agency will also continue to facilitate public participation in federal environmental assessments by providing funding to support certain activities. The Agency will provide EA training and learning to its own staff, as well as providing training and guidance to stakeholders and partners involved in environmental assessments. Through the delivery of training and guidance in support of federal EA, the program activity contributes to building the capacity of the organization to deliver on existing and new responsibilities.

The Agency will routinely examine and document lessons learned as it employs new approaches and will apply these lessons when developing systems and tools for delivery of EA management responsibilities. In all of these activities, theEAEA Support Program activity supports a whole-of-government approach to addressing strategic and project-specific environmental assessment issues and developing appropriate responses.

Through this program activity, the Agency will deliver on the following key areas:

• ensuring a more effective, efficient, predictable and timely environmental assessment process for Canadians by coordinating federal involvement in the EA of large projects and projects undergoing a cooperative EA with another jurisdiction, such as a province, and by managing the federal EA process for major resource projects;
• supporting meaningful consultation with Aboriginal groups in relation to federal environmental assessment by providing funding to Aboriginal groups to support their participation in federal EAs and related consultation activities, and by integrating, to the extent possible, Aboriginal consultation into the EA of the major resource projects the Agency manages;
• facilitating meaningful public participation in the review of projects by providing funding to individuals and not-for-profit organizations;
• promoting a sound understanding of federal EA requirements by interested parties, including developing and delivering relevant and up-to-date training and guidance in relation to federal environmental assessment to support compliance with the Act;
• maintaining and managing the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry Internet site;
• establishing and managing mechanisms to support an improved federal EA process; and
• maintaining good working relations with stakeholders and partners, including provinces, territories and Aboriginal groups.

Planning Highlights

To achieve the expected results, the Agency plans to undertake the following activities:

• The Agency will apply effective management practices in planning and delivering its statutory and policy-based responsibilities in support of federal environmental assessment.
• The Agency will develop and implement service standards, best practices and guidance to support its staff in the delivery of its responsibilities.
• The Agency will ensure that the environmental assessment and Crown consultation elements of project agreements for major resource projects provide clear and robust project management expectations and direction.
• The Agency will continue to lead interdepartmental committees (e.g. Environmental Assessment Programs Committee and Regional Environmental Assessment Committees) to facilitate exchange of information and best practices, and to develop and implement strategies to improve consistency and timeliness in federal environmental assessments.
• The Agency will work with provinces to resolve impediments to preparing a single cooperative environmental assessment report that contains the information required to support both federal and provincial decision making.
• The Agency will apply and evaluate new ways of meeting both federal and provincial EA requirements; this will include monitoring and evaluating the delegation of the conduct of the environmental assessment of the proposed Northwest Transmission Line project to the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office in accordance with the Act.
• As Crown Consultation Coordinator for most EAs of major resource projects, the Agency will work with federal authorities to efficiently and effectively apply a whole-of-government approach to consultation with Aboriginal groups potentially affected by those projects.
• The Agency will improve the administration of review panels by conducting an examination of lessons learned in relation to the Mackenzie Gas Project and identifying recommendations for future panel processes.
• The Agency will implement improvements to the delivery of the Participant Funding Program in response to the evaluation of the program conducted in 2008-2009 and the renewal of the program's terms and conditions in 2009-2010.
• The Agency will deliver a comprehensive program of training events to both Agency staff and outside parties, including understanding the Agency's role in implementing the major resource projects initiative.

Benefits for Canadians

The Environmental Assessment Support Program activity supports a transparent and rigorous EA process that encourages and enables meaningful public participation. By promoting a process that respects legislative requirements, is conducted in a cost-effective manner, avoids duplication and delays, and is clear and transparent to all participants, this program activity provides Canadians with a federal environmental assessment process that makes a value-added contribution to sustainable development.

2.4 Program Activity: Internal Services

Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support program needs, as well as an organization's corporate obligations. 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; Materiel Services; Acquisition Services; and Travel and Other Administrative Services. Internal Services are only responsible for 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 that 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:

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