VICTORIA – The provincial government is reviewing British Columbia’s environmental assessment process to ensure the legal rights of First Nations are respected and the public’s expectation of a strong, transparent process is met, says Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy George Heyman.
The newly formed Environmental Assessment Advisory Committee will review and make recommendations on the environmental assessment process. Revitalization of the environmental assessment process will focus on three key outcomes:
- Enhancing public confidence, transparency and meaningful participation;
- Advancing reconciliation with First Nations; and
- Protecting the environment while supporting sustainable economic development.
“We are working to ensure First Nations, local governments and the general public can meaningfully participate in all stages of a revitalized environmental assessment process,” said Heyman. “Our government wants to ensure we have a process that’s transparent, science-based, timely and provides early indications of the likelihood of success.”
The Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) is working directly with the First Nations Energy and Mining Council (FNEMC), on behalf of the First Nations Leadership Council, to ensure a revitalized environmental assessment process advances reconciliation. Initial engagement will run through April.
Complementing the work of the advisory committee, the FNEMC is leading a series of regional workshops with First Nations. The EAO will also be leading government to government meetings with First Nations and inviting key stakeholders, including industry, environmental non-governmental organizations, local governments, labour and others, to gather specific feedback about their views, experiences and proposed measures to revitalize the environmental assessment process.
Following the initial engagement phase, a discussion paper will be developed to capture feedback, including recommended changes to the process. The discussion paper will be available for public comment in the spring, with changes to the environmental assessment process expected in late fall 2018. Environmental assessments already underway will continue under the current process.
