The federal Impact Assessment Act proposed in Bill C-69 mandates the government to weigh the positive and negative impacts of projects that affect the environment, considering factors such as climate change, potential harm to watersheds and endangered species, public safety, and Indigenous rights, in order to minimize harms and boost benefits.
Environmental groups have developed a comprehensive list of major projects that should be reviewed under Bill C-69 if Canada is to protect the environment, safeguard communities and meet its climate targets.
Highlighted project categories include:
- All projects that propose to emit more than 50,000 tonnes of GHGs per year until 2030, descending to 5,000 tonnes by 2040, including in situ oil sands projects, cement plants, and oil and gas pipelines;
- All projects requiring permits under the Fisheries Act and Canadian Navigable Waters Act, including hydroelectric dams;
- Projects located in National Parks, National Wildlife Areas or other federal protected areas, including new roads, ski hills and tourist attractions;
- Construction or installation of nuclear reactors, including small modular reactors;
- Projects that impact species at risk and their critical habitat; and
- Projects that will induce further development, such as roads and transmission lines into relatively undeveloped areas.
This document was prepared by: Stephen Hazell, Nature Canada; Anna Johnston, West Coast Environmental Law; Josh Ginsberg, Ecojustice; Karine Peloffy, Centre québécois du droit de l'environnement; Andrea Lesperance, Nature Canada; and Hugh Benevides, Legal Consultant