Process Overview

Select the arrows to navigate through the steps you should take.

Step 1 — What are the Steps?

James is a proponent whose company has proposed a project and is wondering if his project needs to undergo an impact assessment. Silvia, who is familiar with the impact assessment process, will guide him.

Step 2 — Project List (the *Physical Activities Regulations*)

**James:** Silvia, I have a project that may require an impact assessment. Could you help guide me through the process?

**Silvia:** I’d be happy to James. First, you need to see if your project is listed in the *Physical Activities Regulations*.

**James:** The *Physical Activities Regulations*?

**Silvia:** Yes, the *Physical Activities Regulations* identify the types of projects that are subject to the federal *Impact Assessment Act* and may require an impact assessment. People often call the contents of these regulations the “Project List”.

**James:** Silvia, my project is described on the Project List, can you describe what happens next?

Step 3 — Initial Project Description

**Silvia:** I’d be happy to explain James. If the project is described on the Project List or the Minister has designated the project, it is considered a “designated project”. If you have a designated project, you must submit an Initial Project Description to the Agency.

**James:** What is the Agency looking for in the Initial Project Description?

Step 4 — *Information and Management of Time Limits Regulations*

**Silvia:** You must prepare an Initial Project Description that meets the requirements of the *Information and Management of Time Limits Regulations* and submit it to the Agency. Once received, the Agency determines whether it conforms to these Regulations and, if it does, the Agency informs you, the Proponent, and posts it on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry site.

Step 5 — Engagement on the Initial Project Description

**James:** What are the next steps that the Agency takes?

**Silvia:** The Agency then:

Contacts and consults with federal authorities who may be in possession of specialist or expert information or knowledge.

Consults with provincial, territorial, and Indigenous jurisdictions that may have responsibilities in relation to the assessment of the project in order to prepare for a possible impact assessment.

Engages with Indigenous peoples and the public to identify issues of relevance and concern, including potential impacts on the rights of Indigenous peoples, related to proposed projects.

Step 6 — Summary of Issues

**James:** Why does the Agency engage with federal authorities, public and Indigenous peoples?

**Silvia:** The Agency summarizes the issues raised through the initial engagement processes and provides this Summary of Issues to the project proponent.

Step 7 — Detailed Project Description and Response to the Summary of Issues

**James:** What should I do then?

**Silvia:** Well, then you prepare and submit a Detailed Project Description that meets the requirements of the *Information and Management of Time Limits Regulations*. This Detailed Project Description will include a Response to the Summary of Issues that addresses the issues raised through the initial engagement processes.

Step 8 — *Information and Time Management Regulations*

**James:** I have to meet all of the requirements, right?

**Silvia:** That’s right! And your submission must meet the requirements of the *Information and Management of Time Limits Regulations*.

Step 9 — Canadian Impact Assessment Registry

**Silvia:** The Agency then determines if an impact assessment is required and posts this decision, including reasons for the decision, on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry.

Step 10 — Impact Assessment

**James:** Ok. So what happens if an impact assessment is needed?

**Silvia:** If an impact assessment is required, the Agency continues to engage with federal authorities, Indigenous groups, the public, and other jurisdictions, including Indigenous jurisdictions, in order to develop the Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines (Guidelines), Indigenous Engagement and Partnership Plan, Public Participation Plan, Cooperation Plan, and Permitting Plan.

Step 11 — Canadian Impact Assessment Registry

**James:** What do these documents look like?

**Silvia:** You can take a look at examples for projects that have already gone through the process. The Agency posts draft and final versions of these documents on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry.

Step 12 — Notice of Commencement

**James:** What happens next?

**Silvia:** The Agency will finalize the plans and the Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines, then provide them to you, the proponent, and post them with the Notice of Commencement to the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry.

Step 13 — **James:** This has been really helpful Silvia. Thank you!

On the web: Physical Activities Regulations, Information and Management of Time Limits Regulations, Planning phase – Step by Step

Glossary: Definitions for select terms

Designated project

Project that is subject to the Impact Assessment Act, and may require an impact assessment. Types of designated projects are set out in the Physical Activities Regulations (also known as the Project List). The Minister may also designate a project that is not on the Project List if he or she is of the opinion that the carrying out of the project may cause adverse effects within federal jurisdiction, or that public concerns related to those effects warrant the designation.

Detailed Project Description

Document prepared by the proponent containing information prescribed by the Information and Management of Time Limits Regulations about the designated project including information about possible environmental, social, health and economic effects of the designated project and any changes made in response to the Summary of Issues.

Indigenous Engagement and Partnership Plan

Document outlining how Indigenous groups may wish to participate in the impact assessment process, including, where available, information on proponent-led engagement activities. This document will be developed in collaboration with Indigenous groups.

Initial Project Description

Document prepared by the proponent that provides preliminary information about a designated project and includes the prescribed information set out in the Information and Management of Time Limits Regulations. It identifies the location, local communities and Indigenous groups that may be affected.

Cooperation Plan

Document describing how the Agency will work with other jurisdictions throughout the impact assessment process to harmonize timelines, consultation and engagement activities, where possible. This plan aims to satisfy the requirements and objectives of the Impact Assessment Act and the participating provincial, territorial and/or Indigenous jurisdictions to reduce duplication, increase efficiency and certainty, and draw on the best available expertise.

Notice of Commencement

Notice issued by the Agency before the end of the 180-day Planning phase that sets out the start of the Impact Statement phase and includes the Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines, that outlines the information and studies necessary to conduct the impact assessment, and plans relating to cooperation with other jurisdictions, Indigenous engagement and partnership, public participation and permitting.

Participants

The Agency needs to work closely with federal authorities, the public, Indigenous groups, other jurisdictions (provincial, territorial, and Indigenous), and, when applicable, lifecycle regulators as well as proponents.

Permitting Plan

Document outlining the anticipated permits, licenses and authorizations (regulatory instruments) that may be required for a designated project. The types of regulatory instruments integrated in the plan: federal instruments, including those under the authority of a lifecycle regulator; those of any jurisdiction that will undertake a Joint Review Panel impact assessment with the Agency under the Impact Assessment Act; those of another jurisdiction that may have responsibilities for an assessment with the agreement of the Agency and that jurisdiction; and any other permits, licences and authorizations that the Agency determines are appropriate to include.

Project List

The Physical Activities Regulations (also known as the Project List) identifies types of projects that are subject to the Impact Assessment Act and may require an impact assessment under the Impact Assessment Act. When the physical activity associated with carrying out a proponent's project is described in Physical Activities Regulations, the proponent must provide the Agency with an Initial Project Description.

Proponent

A person or entity – federal authority, government, or body – that proposes carrying out, or carries out, a designated project.

Public Participation Plan

Document outlining how the public will be engaged throughout the impact assessment process and preferred engagement tools and strategies.

Summary of Issues

Document prepared by the Impact Assessment Agency to summarize issues raised through the initial engagement processes during the Planning phase. This document provides the proponent, and other participants, with a summary of the comments received by the Agency in relation to the Initial Project Description and allows participants to see how their comments and concerns have been characterized.

Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines

Document that provides direction and requirements for the proponent in preparing an Impact Statement. The Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines detail all information and studies that the Agency or a review panel will require to conduct the impact assessment.

Language and Version selection

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Process Overview

What are the Steps?

Project List (the Physical Activities Regulations)

Initial Project Description

Information and Management of Time Limits Regulations

Engagement on the Initial Project Description

Summary of Issues

Detailed Project Description and Response to the Summary of Issues

Information and Time Management Regulations

Canadian Impact Assessment Registry

Impact Assessment

Canadian Impact Assessment Registry

Notice of Commencement