Environment committee  Thank you. I'll start, Chair, and others may jump in after. What I can tell you is that changes to the project list regulations were made to ensure that they cover those projects with the greatest potential for significant adverse environmental effects in areas of federal jurisd

Environment committee  I think a more accurate way of framing that would be that we are putting the resources we do have to those areas that have the highest potential for adverse effect. So rather than dealing with some that may have been more inconsequential, and that were subject to a federal EA sim

Environment committee  Thank you. Mr. Chair, I can first of all acknowledge the question in terms of the lapsing. There were really two portions to the lapse identified by the member, the $4.1 million lapse. Part of it was through grants and contributions, the dollars that were lapsed, and the other p

Environment committee  I think, Mr. Chair, the point with respect to the project list is that it focuses on those major projects that have the greatest potential for significant adverse environmental effects related to the project. That's not to say that the federal government writ large doesn't have a

Environment committee  I would not characterize it that way.

Environment committee  The minister has authority under the act.

Environment committee  What I can say is that in situ was not on the project list before and it continues not to be.

Environment committee  Often, the significance will also relate to impacts on aboriginal communities, and that is determined through discussions with the aboriginal communities and the proponent in terms of what the expected effect will be. I'm not an EA science practitioner, so I won't get myself int

Environment committee  I'm sorry. I'm having trouble hearing you.

Environment committee  It's not the act per se, but it's the transition in terms of what we were funding, and how. Now we focus participant funding on certain stages of the EA process. It's based on take-up and need when a proponent is moving through those different phases of a project. If it's at the

Environment committee  There was probably a little bit of a hiccup in terms of the transition at that time because of projects that were already in process or assessments that were in process were transitioned. However, I would like to make clear we do have with the participant funding program, and the

Environment committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency is requesting funding of $139,000 under the supplementary estimates, for a total budget of just over $31 million. If renewed, these funds will allow our Pacific and Yukon regional offices to continue supporting o

Environment committee  Thank you. Some of the new public engagement steps that arise with the new act include, first and foremost, a 45-day period wherein the agency reviews a proponent's project description to determine whether an EA is in fact required or not. Within this step, there's a public web

Environment committee  The agency's total 2015-16 main estimates is $17.3 million. The decrease that is currently reflected in the main estimates is funding for aboriginal consultation and the agency's portion of the major project management office initiative. Budget 2015 proposes renewing those funds

Environment committee  That is correct, subject to parliamentary approval.