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ARTICLE · 28 JANUARY 2016

Federal Government Releases Guiding Principles For Project Review

Lawson Lundell LLP
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Importantly, the Government of Canada has indicated that project reviews currently underway will not need to restart – apart from the extension of timelines, existing reviews will carry on under the existing regulatory framework.

CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
Toby Kruger
Toby Kruger
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In a set of press releases issued today (here and here), the Government of Canada announced 5 principles that it says it will guide its discretionary decision-making for projects being reviewed in environmental assessment, along with a set of interim measures it says will be implemented in two existing pipeline reviews.

While today's announcements will likely have an impact on the Government of Canada's approach to its participation in existing pipeline reviews conducted by the National Energy Board (NEB), as well as its approach to decision making once the NEB makes a recommendation to cabinet as to whether those projects should proceed, today's announcements do not change any of the regulations or legislation governing environmental assessments currently being conducted. One possible exception is that the Minister of Natural Resources has indicated he will seek an extension to the legislated time for the Government to make a discretionary and final decision on the

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