Local government officials and staff who would like to provide input on topics and areas of focus for a review of the Environment Assessment Act are encouraged to share their feedback by Wednesday, September 11, 2024. UBCM and local governments were recently notified by the Province that a legislative review of the Act is scheduled to begin in December 2024.
UBCM’s membership has endorsed several resolutions in recent years regarding the Act and the environmental assessment process. These resolutions highlight key challenges and issues of concern for local governments, including such how cumulative effects and health impacts are considered, financial support for local government participation, and the geographic scope of assessments. Many local governments have also expressed concerns with specific sections of the Act, and the role of local governments in various aspects of the environmental assessment process.
During its review preparation phase (May-December 2024), the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) is conducting targeted engagement and consultation with First Nations, local governments, industry associations and other stakeholder organizations. While it is anticipated that local governments will be engaged directly during the review to share specific experiences and detailed suggestions, at this stage the EAO’s engagement is narrowly focused on identifying priority topics for the review. This input will inform recommendations on the areas of focus of the EAO’s review of the Act, which will be submitted to the new Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy following the provincial election this fall.
UBCM has agreed to coordinate input from its membership for this initial engagement. UBCM staff will compile all feedback received and submit the results to the EAO.
If you have any questions or would prefer to provide feedback on this targeted engagement by email, please contact Stephen Roddick, UBCM Senior Policy Analyst.