The bill currently reads, “of any significant modification”. Amendment NDP-35 proposes to leave out the word “significant”. This has to do with the commission being able to determine what is significant or not significant. The rationale for this is that it's the strength of the bill that sets out a process for adjusting to changes in project descriptions that happen during assessments in Nunavut where the typical project involves mining exploration or development. Project modifications during assessment are the rule rather than the exception. However, the process in the bill needs to be simplified, strengthened, and made systematic.
There's always a challenge with the word “significant”. Who gets to determine what is significant and what is not significant? By leaving out that word, the determination of whether a change is significant is properly left to the authority to decide.