Thank you, Madam Chair.
I would also like to thank the members of the committee.
Thank you to our amazing chair and also to the members of the committee. I really do appreciate all the hard work you do on this committee.
Of course I'm thrilled to be here with Jonathan Wilkinson, who, as you all know, is my parliamentary secretary; Stephen Lucas, who is the deputy minister of Environment and Climate Change; and Ron Hallman, president of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency.
I want to thank you again for the invitation to return to talk about Bill C-69. I know we all care greatly about how we do environmental assessments and about making sure we rebuild trust in them.
Before I start, I want to recognize that we're on the traditional territory of the Algonquin and Anishinabe peoples. In my job, it is extremely important that we partner with indigenous peoples—our first nations, our Métis, and Inuit peoples—who care greatly about our land, our waters, and our air. I think you will see that reflected in Bill C-69.
First of all, I really appreciate the hard work of all the committee members.
Reviewing a bill that is of interest to so many Canadians is not a small undertaking. I also want to reiterate the values that guided our work in getting to this point and share with you some perspectives from Canadians since my last appearance.
The legislation we introduced earlier this year aims to restore public trust in how the federal government makes decisions about major projects, like mines, pipelines, and hydro dams.
These better rules are designed to protect our environment, improve investor confidence, strengthen our economy, and create good middle-class jobs. They will also make the Canadian energy and resource sectors more competitive. With these better rules, we are working to build on Canada's strong economic growth and historic job numbers.
The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that Canada's major projects are developed in a way that is informed by rigorous science, evidence, and indigenous knowledge. They must also be consistent with Canada's climate plan, protect our rich natural environment, respect the rights of indigenous peoples, and support our economy.
Our priority remains to effectively advance both Canada's economic progress and our environmental responsibilities. These values are at the core of Bill C-69.
Ultimately, we want to restore the trust of Canadians in how major projects are reviewed. There will not always be unanimous views on the outcome of a project decision, but if the process and foundation on which those decisions are made is stronger, trust in the outcomes will be as well.
Bill C-69 was informed by the views and inputs of Canadians. For over 14 months we heard from Canadians from coast to coast to coast on the best ways to improve current environmental and regulatory processes.
I'm very proud of the balanced perspective we were able to achieve in the bill. I'm hoping that this balance also guides you in your work as you review the many submissions you've received and the testimony of witnesses who have appeared before you, each with a different perspective on what will work and where improvements are needed.
Since the bill was introduced in February I've also continued engaging with stakeholders, provinces, indigenous peoples, environmental groups, and citizens from across the country at every opportunity. I wanted to hear the views of those of you directly affected by the bill and explain how the new process would work.
As you know, not all elements of the new system are detailed in legislation. Regulations and policies are required to support and operationalize the legislation. We are currently consulting Canadians on the project list and information and time management regulations. I encourage all Canadians, from indigenous peoples to industry to environmental groups, to provide their input to inform these regulations.
I'd now like to share some of the views I have heard.
Overwhelmingly, Canadians want us to restore public trust in the way the federal government makes decisions about major projects such as mines, pipelines, and hydro dams. When it comes to resource development, you can't get very far if people don't trust the rules and the way governments make decisions. The same goes for companies. They need to know what's expected of them from the start and that the process will be predictable, timely, and evidence-based.
That's why our top priority, with the changes we're proposing, is to increase transparency and rebuild trust.
To rebuild this trust, we are creating better rules. The bill incorporates a number of transparency measures, from making more information available to the public to specifying factors to be considered in decision-making to clearly communicating the reasons behind decisions. Canadians and stakeholders have noted the importance of public participation and accessible, transparent information. This bill helps everyone understand and participate more fully in the process.
Stakeholders have told us that rebuilding trust requires clarity about what will be considered in assessments and in making decisions.
Bill C-69 restores robust oversight and thorough impact assessments that take into consideration not only the negative environmental effects of a project, but also the environmental, economic, health and social impacts.
Impact assessments will also consider how projects are consistent with our environmental obligations and climate change commitments, including with the Paris Agreement. A big part of this is better understanding the broader environment outside of individual project reviews. Some stakeholders were wondering if the government will ever conduct strategic or regional assessments, given this is possible under current legislation.
We will soon launch a public engagement process on our first-ever strategic assessment on climate change, which will provide guidance on how to consider greenhouse gas emissions in individual project reviews.
We also heard from companies that they are looking for more clarity and certainty about the process.
The proposed legislation provides a clear, timely process so that project proponents know what's expected of them and when. A predictable and timely process is key to getting good projects built and encouraging investment in Canada.
I also heard that companies need to know how the transition to the new system will work. Industry associations and companies with projects in the system would like clear rules and indications of which assessments currently under way would continue under former legislation and which would be subject to the new impact assessment act.
Legislated timelines will also provide regulatory certainty and ensure that the process is both faster and more efficient. We've heard from industry, indigenous peoples, and environmental groups that it's important that there is enough time to carefully consider science, evidence, and indigenous traditional knowledge. That's why this bill provides a predictable, time-bound process, from early planning through to the decision, to ensure that companies know what to expect and when, and that they are not held up in an impact assessment process.
With a goal of one project, one review, we will coordinate with provinces, territories, and indigenous jurisdictions to reduce red tape for companies and avoid duplication of efforts in reviewing proposed projects. The new impact assessment agency of Canada will work with other bodies, such as the Canadian energy regulator, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and the offshore boards to conduct reviews that will integrate both the impact assessment process and regulatory review requirements.
The new legislation also provides the offshore boards with a greater role in project reviews, which is consistent with other life-cycle regulators.
I also heard from many indigenous organizations that it is important that their rights are recognized and respected, and that we work in partnership from the outset.
This is exactly what Bill C-69 will accomplish.
I want to highlight that the bill makes it mandatory to consider indigenous knowledge, when provided, alongside science and other evidence. It also provides protection of that knowledge to build the trust needed to share such information. We will also increase the funding available to support indigenous participation and capacity development related to assessing and monitoring the impacts of projects.
Another significant advancement under this bill will be that indigenous jurisdictions will have greater opportunities to exercise powers and duties under the new impact assessment act. My discussions with indigenous peoples have confirmed to me how important this is, as is our commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
I look forward to the end result of this committee's work to consider ways to strengthen the bill even further. Better rules will restore confidence that good projects can move forward in a responsible, timely and transparent way, while also protecting our environment and building a stronger economy for Canadians.
Thank you again for inviting me, and for the important work you are doing.
