Annex to the Memorandum of Understanding
Between the
Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
and the
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Annex 4 - Project Team and Panel Secretariat for Integrated Impact Assessments

Whereas the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (“the Agency”) and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (“the CNSC”) — together, “the participants” — have entered into an MOU on cooperation and collaboration with respect to implementing integrated impact assessment processes under the Impact Assessment Act (the IAA) for designated projects regulated under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA).

Therefore, the Agency and the CNSC will consult and work collaboratively, through efficient and effective cooperation, without unnecessary delays or duplication of effort, and in accordance with the provisions of the MOU and the procedures and guidance of this Annex with regard to the roles and responsibilities of a Secretariat and a Project Team for integrated impact assessments.

Definitions

In this Annex:

“Review Participant”, is defined broadly to mean anyone appearing at or participating in an integrated impact assessment process, including public hearings, consistent with the CNSC’s Rules of Procedures.

Purpose

This Annex sets out how the Agency and the CNSC will support project-specific integrated impact assessments that include physical activities that are regulated under the NSCA, including the following:

• a Project Team, to provide support to the conduct of the integrated impact assessment prior to the appointment of an Integrated Review Panel; and,
• a Panel Secretariat, to provide support to the Integrated Review Panel following its appointment.

Scope

This Annex will apply to the functions of the Project Team and Panel Secretariat during integrated impact assessments for designated projects that include physical activities regulated under the NSCA. The roles and responsibilities of the Agency and the CNSC relating to an integrated impact assessment process are in accordance with the IAA and the NSCA, respectively.

A Project Team and Panel Secretariat for joint integrated impact assessments with other jurisdictions will be governed by project-specific panel review agreements (refer to Annex 8). Terms described therein may provide guidance for the development of such agreements.

Project Team

A Project Team will be formed during the Planning Phase, consisting of professional, scientific, technical or other Agency and CNSC personnel necessary for the purposes of providing support to the conduct of the integrated impact assessment.

Panel Secretariat

A Panel Secretariat will be formed consisting of professional, scientific, technical or other Agency and CNSC personnel necessary for the purposes of providing support to an Integrated Review Panel. The CNSC Secretary and an Agency Panel Manager (or their respective designate) will act as co-managers to a Panel Secretariat.

Subject to the direction of the Integrated Review Panel, a Panel Secretariat’s advisory and administrative responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• coordinating logistical arrangements for the Integrated Review Panel including transcripts, simultaneous translation, travel arrangements, venue rentals, scheduling of oral presentations, drafting agendas, preparing public announcements;
• communicating with review participants including the proponent, government departments, Indigenous groups, media and the public;
• providing scientific and technical support as directed by Integrated Review Panel members;
• maintaining the project file and the internet site component of the Registry during the course of the panel review in a manner that provides for convenient public access and for the purposes of compliance with sections 104 and 105 of the IAA; and,
• acting as recording secretaries and assisting with the drafting of records of decision as directed by the Integrated Review Panel members.

The personnel who comprise a Panel Secretariat will not be considered to be participants in the assessment. Activities of these personnel in response to requests from the Integrated Review Panel are separate from the technical review during the Impact Assessment Phase being undertaken by the CNSC and the Agency.

The CNSC and the Agency will provide staff to be a part of the Panel Secretariat for the purposes of serving as advisors to the Integrated Review Panel and providing professional and administrative support. The Agency will also provide media relations / communications experts and staff to maintain the Registry to be part of the Panel Secretariat.

The Panel Secretariat activities are carried out under the exclusive and sole direction of the Integrated Review Panel.

Points of Contact

The CNSC and the Agency will each identify a point of contact to coordinate establishment and maintenance of the Panel Secretariat. These representatives will ensure coordination and communication from both organizations to ensure timely support to Integrated Review Panels.

The CNSC point of contact is the Commission Secretary or his/her delegate. The Agency’s point of contact is the Director, Review Panels Division or, once the Integrated Review Panel is established, the Panel Manager. Each participant will ensure that up-to-date contact information for the respective points of contact is made available to each other.