TORONTO, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018 – The federal government has proposed changes to how it will do environmental assessments in the future through the creation of a single agency responsible for reviewing major energy projects, including pipelines.
Currently, three agencies do environmental assessments, but under the new legislation, those agencies would regulate projects over the long run and only do joint assessments with the single agency.
Faculty of Environmental Studies Professor Mark Winfield, Coordinator of the Joint Program in Law and Environmental Studies at York University, can comment on the implications of the new legislation for the review of major projects, the federal government's "duty to consult" with indigenous peoples, and Canada's climate change strategies.
Winfield has been involved in the federal Environmental and Regulatory Review Process since its beginning. He made submissions to the Expert Panel on Environmental Assessment Reform, and was the author of a discussion paper on the federal environmental approvals process for major projects, like pipelines, for the Metcalf Foundation.
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Media Contact:
Sandra McLean, York University Media Relations, 416-736-2100 ext. 22097, sandramc@yorku.ca
