Summary of the Meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee on Science and Knowledge May 5 and 6, 2021 Virtual Meeting

Meeting Objective

The first main objective of the March 9 and 11 meeting was for members to agree on advice to be provided to the Agency in the areas of positive, cumulative, and health, social, and economic effects. The second was to discuss TAC’s potential work plan for the coming year and decide future meeting dates.

Day 1

Agenda Item: Opening Remarks

• The Agency’s ex-officio member provided a territorial acknowledgement for the land on which the Agency representatives were located.
• The TAC co-chair in attendance provided an overview of the meeting agenda and the purpose of the agenda items.

Agenda Item: Sub-committee on Positive Effects Discussion

• The sub-committee champions provided an overview on the advice they prepared, and then led TAC members through a discussion on the advice.
• TAC members discussed elements of the advice including the meaning of the word “consultation” within the principles, the use of “information” vs “evidence”, and the characterization of “experts” as a concept. They refined language around these points to ensure that the principles reflected their intended meanings.
• Changes were made to the advice, after which it was approved as formal advice from the full committee.

Agenda Item: Sub-committee on Health, Social, and Economic Effects Discussion

• The sub-committee champions provided an overview on the advice they prepared, and then led TAC members through a discussion on the advice.
• TAC members discussed elements of the advice including the important linkages between Health Canada’s work on health impact assessment and the Agency’s responsibilities for assessing health effects under the IAA. Refinements to the draft advice were made to clarify the meaning of the text.
• After some changes were made to the advice, it was subsequently approved as formal advice from the full committee.

Day 2

Agenda Item: Sub-committee on Cumulative Effects Discussion

• The sub-committee champions provided an overview on the advice they prepared, and then led TAC members through a discussion on the advice.
• TAC members discussed elements of the advice including how to treat the consideration of cumulative health, social, and economics effects, and the approaches that should be taken in the advice for characterizing any exceptions to the general guidance.
• It was decided that changes to the advice, based on the discussion, would be made in the days following the meeting, and that approval from the full committee would be obtained via e-mail.

Agenda Item: Administrative Discussion

• The Agency’s ex-officio member described potential priority areas that the TAC could consider focusing on over the coming year. TAC members expressed general enthusiasm and interest in the areas. The ex-officio member also explained that the Agency was open to collecting member views on other possible priorities.
• Discussions were also held on renewing committee member mandates and the Agency’s ex-officio member committed to report back to the TAC on how its advice on positive effects, cumulative effects and health, social and economic effects, was considered and used by the Agency.

Agenda Item: Next Steps

• The TAC will next meet on June 2-3, 2021. Meetings for September and November are being considered, and the availabilities of TAC members are being canvassed.

Take Aways

• The sub-committee on cumulative effects will make final changes to the cumulative effects advice and circulate it to TAC members for final approval.
• If TAC members have any priority areas to suggest, they will e-mail the co-chairs and the Agency.
• The Agency will provide the final advice to senior management as well as publish it.
• The Agency is working to identify priorities for the TAC for the year to come.

Attendees

TAC Co-Chairs

• Kevin Hanna
• Darcy Pickard

TAC Committee Members

• Alistair MacDonald
• Bill Ross
• Colin Webster
• Gillian Donald
• Glennis Lewis
• Marie Lagimodiere
• Mark Shrimpton
• Meinhard Doelle
• Michel Bérubé
• Regrets

Absent

• Helga Shield

Impact Assessment Agency of Canada

• Brent Parker
• Robyn Whittaker
• Philip Seeto
• Steven Begg
• Aidan Wakely-Mulroney
• Joshua Boisvert
• Alana Green