Mandate letter

Dear Council member,

I am pleased to appoint you to serve as a member of my Advisory Council for Impact Assessment (the Council) until August 31, 2023. I believe your contribution will be of great value to the discussions of the Council.

As outlined in the attached Terms of Reference, the mandate of the Council is to provide independent, non-partisan advice on implementation of the new impact assessment, regional and strategic assessment regimes as per the purposes set out in the Impact Assessment Act (the Act). The Council’s thoughtful study and advice will assist the Government of Canada with the implementation of this new legislative framework.

I look forward to speaking with you during our first meeting, scheduled to take place virtually the week of December 14, 2020. This will be followed by your first report, which is to be produced and submitted to me by June 2021, as required by the Act.

As we enter the second year of implementation of the Act, I would like to highlight for your consideration the following issues that have emerged as key areas that could benefit from your input and support, and allow you to focus your first round of advice to me, while laying the foundation for the Council’s future priorities:

  1. Governance – Advice and perspectives on the effectiveness of the structures and processes put in place by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada to support implementation of the Act, including service standards, outreach and engagement activities, and guidance and tools in place to support implementation.
  2. Regional and Strategic Assessment – Advice on the considerations developed by the Agency for prioritizing regional and strategic assessments, including perspectives on priority topics for strategic assessments to effectively consider relevant federal policies, plans or programs in impact assessment processes.
  3. Early Planning – Advice on how the Council will effectively evaluate implementation of the planning phase for impact assessments, to date, including how implementation is contributing to:
    1. increased predictability and transparency through effective planning for impact assessments; and
    2. meaningful public engagement and Indigenous collaboration in the planning process, and a plan for providing advice within one and two years after tabling of the June 2021 report.

David McGovern, President of the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, and an ex‑officio member of the Council, will be a resource for you and will provide support, where appropriate, for Council management and the development of the report.

I would like to express my gratitude again for your willingness to be part of the Council and for the critical work that you will do for the continued improvement of Canada’s impact assessment regime. I look forward to meeting you in the near future.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P.

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