Language selection

Government of Canada Gouvernement du Canada

Search

Technical Advisory Committee on Science and Knowledge
Terms of Reference

May 2025

On this page

1.0: Mandate

The Technical Advisory Committee on Science and Knowledge (TAC) provides the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) with independent expert advice on matters related to impact assessments as well as regional and strategic assessments. The Committee’s mandate is distinct from that of the Minister’s Advisory Council (MINAC) and the Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC).

The Committee is comprised of experts working in their personal capacity who provide advice to IAAC that is non-project specific (i.e., broader than individual assessments of designated projects). Topics that may be examined by the Committee include scientific, environmental, health, social, economic and gender issues. The TAC will defer to the Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC) for development of advice on issues directly associated with Indigenous Knowledge.

The Committee will operate in an open and transparent manner, with meeting summaries and Committee advice to IAAC published on the web, subject to confidentiality requirements under legislation or governmental policies.

2.0: Membership Selection and Nomination Process

Members of the Committee will serve as knowledgeable individuals and in their personal capacity in the best interests of Canadians. They will not represent their firms, organizations, or professional affiliations.

2.1: Membership Considerations

The Committee will be composed of members who have expertise in fields relevant to the Committee’s mandate. Two members are appointed as the co-chairs. Membership for the Committee will include at least one Indigenous person. IAAC’s Director General, National Programs, or the designated representative of the Director General, will participate in Committee meetings as an ex-officio non-voting member to represent IAAC, but will not be a member of the Committee.

Membership may be adjusted to ensure the appropriate representation of expertise and experience.

2.2: Invited Guests and Sub-Committees

Guests can be invited to participate in a meeting(s) of the Committee or Sub-Committee (see section 3.3) when additional or specific expertise is required.

2.2.1: Cooperation with Other IAAC Advisory Committees, the Indigenous Advisory Committee and the Minister’s Advisory Council

Cooperation will be facilitated by IAAC to ensure there is a productive exchange of ideas between the Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC), the Ministers Advisory Council (MINAC), and the TAC. Interaction could be encouraged through such mechanisms as may be considered beneficial by the members of both Committees and could include presentations by one Committee at the other’s meetings, sharing documents electronically for input, and sharing each other’s forward agendas. There are periodic meetings between the Chairs of all three Committees supported by the Secretariats of each Committee, to facilitate information sharing between all three advisory bodies.

3.0: Roles and Responsibilities

3.1: Members

Members of the Committee have a responsibility to offer their independent and expert advice. Other responsibilities include:

  • providing their short biography and a photo to publish on IAAC’s website to enhance the Committee’s visibility to the public;
  • being available and prepared to participate in meetings, including in-person meetings, conference calls, videoconferences, etc.;
  • participating in discussions to support the Committee in preparing its advice to IAAC;
  • maintaining professionalism and communicating respectfully in all forums, including in situations where opposing perspectives are shared;
  • notifying the Secretariat and Co-Chairs of any changes in the status of their assets, liabilities and outside employment/activities relevant to the mandate of the Committee that could be a real or perceived conflict of interest; and
  • adhering to the Committee’s Code of Conduct.

3.2: Appointed Co-Chairs

The two Co-Chairs of the Committee are selected and appointed by IAAC. In addition to all responsibilities of a member, the Co-Chairs are responsible for:

  • overseeing and chairing meetings;
  • facilitating discussions among Committee members;
  • providing input on the preparation of the Committee meeting agendas, including by participating in planning meetings with the Secretariat in advance of Committee meetings;
  • coordinating the development of Committee reports and other deliverables as well as ensuring delivery of Committee advice to IAAC;
  • providing input to the Secretariat on the approach for replacement of members and termination of appointments; and
  • supporting, in any other way, the fulfillment of the Committee’s mandate.

3.3: Champions / Subcommittees

The TAC may choose to work on priorities via smaller working groups of TAC members through subcommittees. One or more champions can be appointed to lead a subcommittee to advance the Committee’s work on a priority. Alternatively, a subcommittee that involves both Committee members and/or other invited guests may be established, based on the Committee’s advice. The subcommittee(s) and its champion(s), with the support of the Secretariat, will be responsible for:

  • advancing work on the priority;
  • keeping committee members informed about updates, progress and challenges;
  • engaging with contractors, stakeholders or relevant parties to gather input;
  • assigning responsibilities, setting deadlines, and tracking progress;
  • connecting with other committees, departments, or external organizations as needed;
  • identifying opportunities for collaboration and synergy;
  • presenting the work at relevant meetings, conferences, or workshops, if desired;
  • collecting feedback from committee members, and any stakeholders as relevant; and
  • ensuring successful completion of work on priorities, deliverables, and milestones.

3.4: Role of IAAC

IAAC will provide orientation to new members so that they can learn about IAAC’s mandate, applicable processes, and roles and responsibilities of Committee members. IAAC also provides a Secretariat to support the administration of the Committee. As the Committee will operate independently of IAAC, IAAC will not speak on the Committee’s behalf.

3.4.1: Secretariat

The Secretariat to the Committee is housed in the Operational Policy and Guidance Division of the Strategic Policy and Programs sector of IAAC. The Secretariat acts as the administrative liaison between Committee members and IAAC, and as a resource for members. The Secretariat provides advice on the management of the Committee and works closely with the Co-Chairs to support the Committee. Specifically, the Secretariat:

  • coordinates the member appointment process;
  • coordinates preparation of the meeting agendas, records of proceedings and reports;
  • assists the appointed co-chairs with reports on specific topics;
  • at the identification and request of the Committee, and depending on resource availability, considers and assists with engaging contractors and researchers in the development of a specified work product;
  • supports the Committee in organizing invited guests and subcommittees;
  • provides administrative support to Committee members;
  • supports public access to information about the Committee, as appropriate;
  • prepares information and conducts background research for the Committee;
  • maintains a list of forward agenda items and other information for future use;
  • organizes meeting logistics;
  • monitors and evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of the Committee;
  • identifies when information and discussions are considered confidential and clarifies expectations regarding this protected information; and
  • carries out any additional duties, as appropriate, in support of the Committee.

3.4.2: Ex-Officio Member

IAAC’s Director General of National Programs, Strategic Policy and Programs Sector will function as an ex-officio non-voting member of the Committee and a liaison between the Committee and IAAC. The Director General or their designated representative will:

  • function as IAAC’s official with lead responsibility for the Committee, including decision-making on Committee and Secretariat administration and operation;
  • ensure the Co-Chairs and Secretariat work closely in facilitating and coordinating meetings; and
  • ensure that the information and advice provided by the Committee is shared within IAAC.

The Director General or the designated representative of the Director General does not participate in formulating the Committee’s report and recommendations.

3.5: Conflict of Interest

To be considered for appointment, potential members of the Committee are required to complete a conflict-of-interest disclosure form which will be considered by IAAC. The completed declaration will be considered confidential, and IAAC will not disclose any information in the declaration without the member’s permission or otherwise required by the Privacy Act or the Access to Information Act.

Should their personal situation change, it is incumbent upon the member to update all information, including their disclosure of conflict of interests, in writing. The Committee’s Secretariat, together with IAAC’s Values and Ethics Advisor, will review reports prior to member appointments and as updates occur to determine whether any measures need to be taken to address perceived and real conflicts of interest. Should one of the measures involve a member recusing themselves from a TAC discussion on certain subjects, these will be brought to the attention of the TAC co-chairs and membership.

Lobbying for personal or professional gain through the TAC is considered to be a conflict of interest and is not permissible.

3.6: Travel and Expenses

An amount will be provided to all members to recognize their preparation for and participation in Committee meetings, as well as their participation in sub-committee meetings. IAAC will also reimburse members’ approved travel expenses in accordance with relevant Government of Canada policies including the National Joint Council Travel Directive. The Secretariat will supply members with a copy of the directive and aid as needed.

3.7: Tenure

Co-Chairs and members are appointed by IAAC for specified term lengths with the minimum being 2 years. Members may be re-appointed for additional terms at the discretion of IAAC. The Agency will endeavor to ensure that appointments of co-chairs and members are staggered to allow for continuity and systematic rotation of membership.

3.8: Resignation

Members should provide a minimum of two weeks’ notice of their intent to resign. The resignation notice must be in writing and be addressed to the TAC Secretariat. The letter should state the effective date of resignation.

3.9: Reasons for Termination

The IAAC retains the power to end a member’s appointment. A member’s failure to act according to the Terms of Reference, failure to adhere to the TAC Code of Conduct, failure to report real, potential, or apparent conflicts of interest, failure to participate or be prepared for meetings, or repeated failure to attend Committee meetings without satisfactory reason may give cause for termination.

4.0: Management and Administration

4.1: Transparency

IAAC is committed to transparency as an operating principle. All activities of the Committee are to be transparent except for confidential items that may arise.

To ensure that members feel that they can speak freely during Committee meetings and regarding the advice that they provide to IAAC, the Committee’s meeting records, and Committee reports will be non-attributable.

Meeting summaries, highlighting the key discussions and decisions, will be prepared by the Secretariat and circulated for review by Committee members with the Ex-Officio member granting final approval before publishing on the web.

Meeting summaries, Committee advice, and the President’s letters to the TAC will be published on the web.

4.2: Meeting Agendas

For each committee meeting the secretariat will prepare an agenda reflecting the direction of the Co-Chairs. The Secretariat will also prepare forward agenda with the Co-Chairs informed by Committee members’ views.

4.3: Meeting Notice and Invitations

All meetings are scheduled in consultation with the Co-Chairs. Depending on the nature of the topics to be discussed, the meeting may be open to observers, such as other federal departments, and invited guests based on an understanding between IAAC and the Co-Chairs.

The Secretariat is responsible for organizing, scheduling, and circulating all meeting materials. As a standard practice, barring exceptional circumstances, members will receive the agenda and background material approximately two weeks in advance of the Committee meeting.

If a Committee member is unable to attend a meeting in person or via conference call, the meeting will be carried out in their absence without alternate. At least 70% of the voting members need to be present or able to attend virtually for a meeting to proceed. If one Co-Chair is unable to attend, the other Co-Chair will chair the meeting, and another Committee member may be asked to take on a temporary Co-Chair role for the meeting. If both Co-Chairs are expected to be absent from a meeting, they will nominate one to two members to chair the meeting in their place.

4.4: Frequency, Type, and Location of Meetings

Meetings of the Committee as a whole will be held 4-6 times a year either in-person/hybrid in the National Capital Region or elsewhere within Canada on an occasional basis, or virtually via Microsoft Teams. Additional meetings and/or teleconferences may be held on an as-needed basis at the discretion of IAAC’s Director General, National Programs, Strategic Policy and Programs Sector, in consultation with the Co-Chairs.

4.5: Observers

Depending on the nature of topics being discussed, individuals, organizations, or other government departments may observe a meeting or parts of a meeting after consultation with the Co-Chairs. Observers do not provide input on agenda items and do not participate in the formulation of advice or recommendations to IAAC.

A limited number of federal employees may be permitted to observe a meeting of the Committee. Priority consideration will be given to those officials whose duties are of relevance to the mandate of the Committee.

If observers or federal employees are permitted to observe a meeting of the Committee, it will be noted in the meeting notes and meeting summary that they were in attendance.

4.6: Language of Work

Committee work will be performed in either official language in accordance with the Official Languages Act.

4.7: Deliberations, Decision-making, and Reports

Open dialogue will be actively encouraged by Co-Chairs and the Secretariat, to be supported by Committee members. Discussions that elicit the full range of perspectives held by Committee members will be encouraged as the Committee values diversity. While valued, achieving consensus by Committee members on any issue is not required. If members are not all in agreement with the advice and/or response being put forward by the Committee, this will be noted in the advice document that the Committee submits to IAAC. This notation will be non-attributional to the specific Committee members.

For clear and consistent messaging, members should direct any media inquiries to the Co-Chairs. The Co-Chairs may also seek assistance from the IAAC’s Communications team for engaging with the media. Members may speak about the Committee’s past and documented activities in their professional communities, being careful not to disclose any confidential or legally sensitive information.

4.8: IAAC’s Response to Committee Advice

IAAC will consider the Committee’s advice in its policies, operations, and decision-making. IAAC will report to members annually, at minimum, on how the Committee’s advice was considered by the IAAC and any actions that were taken in response to the Committee’s advice.

4.9: Review

A formal review may be conducted periodically to determine whether administrative, management or other improvements are required to ensure that the Committee’s mandate is being met. The review may be conducted by IAAC officials or by an external body. A review report may be shared with Committee members.

In addition, the Co-Chairs, in collaboration with IAAC’s Director General, Strategic Policy and Programs, may decide to review the management, activities and Terms of Reference for the Committee as needed. The Committee would be involved in the review.

Recommendations for improvement will also be considered on an ongoing basis.

Annex A: Code of Conduct

TAC Code of Conduct: Co-Chairs & Members

Guiding Principles:

  1. Respectful Discourse - the active participation of all Members is valued and members will remain respectful in their communications with each other and with IAAC representatives. Members recognize that active consideration of divergent viewpoints can strengthen TAC advice and outcomes.
  2. Professionalism - Members have a responsibility to IAAC, to Canadians and to each other to act in an effective, efficient and professional manner.
  3. Independence - Members are encouraged to offer their unique perspectives on all matters, reflecting their individual knowledge and experience.

Conduct:

All TAC Co-Chairs and Members shall conduct themselves in a manner that demonstrates:

  • Good faith;
  • Mutual respect and honour;
  • Kindness;
  • Adherence to high ethical standards;
  • Generosity;
  • Trust;
  • Humility;
  • Honesty and openness; and
  • Integrity.

In addition, Committee members are to:

  • Treat Secretariat members and IAAC staff with respect and integrity within written, verbal, and implied communication exchanges within and outside of Committee meetings.
  • Ensure that any statements about the workings of the Committee made in public are respectful of the Committee’s mandate and members and that they align with this Code of Conduct. Any statement judged to be in contravention of this Code of Conduct is subject to be challenged, withdrawn, and appropriate apologies are to be made by the member.
  • Not disclose critical and/or non-publicly available information concerning internal Committee discussions.
  • Arrive on time for scheduled meetings and calls and have the capacity to complete their duties in an effective, efficient, and professional manner.
  • Be advised that inexcusable lateness, absence or the inability to effectively participate in activities and work by employees will be subject to review by the Co-Chairs and IAAC.
  • Conduct themselves in an appropriate manner and provide advice exclusively in their personal capacity; the use of their positions cannot be construed to be for their private gain or that of any other person, company, or organization. Members are required to avoid real, potential, or apparent conflicts of interest and are expected to recuse themselves on issues where necessary.

If members have a concern or incident they want to bring forward, they can take it to the Co-Chairs, who are then responsible to report the case to the Secretariat to action the appropriate measures. If a TAC member does not abide by the TAC Code of Conduct, it is the responsibility of the Secretariat and IAAC to record the misconduct and abide by the appropriate response measures as below:

  • If there is a pattern of repeated behaviour that does not abide by the Code of Conduct, and the behaviour has not changed after a warning has been given by the Secretariat, a member may be terminated.
  • If there is an incident of severity that occurs by a member, and the Committee members, ex-officio, and Secretariat agree that the members’ behaviour in this incident does not abide by the Code of Conduct, the member may be terminated without warning. This may result in the immediate dismissal of said member, no matter if prior misconduct has occurred.
  • The Co-Chairs have a responsibility to bring forward the incident or member of concern to the Secretariat if the Secretariat is not already aware. The Co-Chairs are not responsible for ensuring the appropriate measures are taken; this responsibility lies with the Secretariat and IAAC if necessary.

Page details

2025-09-26