ARTICLE · 29 JANUARY 2016

Federal Government Releases New Interim Principles For Natural Resource Development Projects Currently Under Regulatory Review

Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP

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The Government of Canada has announced five "interim" principles to guide the review of a number of major resource projects while it undertakes a broader review of the federal environmental assessment process.

CanadaEnvironment

Charles Birchall

Giselle Davidian

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The Government of Canada has announced five "interim" principles to guide the review of a number of major resource projects while it undertakes a broader review of the federal environmental assessment (EA) process.¹ On January 27, 2016, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna and the Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr announced that the interim measures are intended to restore public trust and provide greater certainty in the EA process. The five principles are:

The views of the public and affected communities will be sought and considered;
Indigenous Peoples will be consulted and their rights and interests accommodated;
Both direct and upstream greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of projects under review will be assessed;

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