2021–2022 Departmental Plan: Disclosure of transfer payment programs

2018

Ongoing

Contribution

Appropriated annually through the Estimates

2019-20

Assessment that considers input from Indigenous peoples, the public and stakeholders

Assessment Administration, Conduct and Monitoring

Indigenous Relations and Engagement

Participant Funding Program: provides limited financial contributions to individuals, incorporated not-for-profit organizations and Indigenous groups to help prepare for and participate in key stages of impact assessments undertaken by the Agency or by review panels, as well as regional and strategic assessments.

Policy Dialogue Program: supports the provision of external advice and participation in the development of policies, methodologies, tools, and practices related to impact assessment, regional assessments, and strategic assessments, as well as advisory committees.

Indigenous Capacity Program: supports the development of Indigenous capacity to effectively participate in, or undertake project impact assessments, regional assessments, policy engagement, impact assessment monitoring and follow-up activities, and IAA-related activities.

Participant Funding Program: better informed decision-making through the active participation of the public and Indigenous groups with knowledge or expertise relevant to project impact assessments.

Policy Dialogue Program: effective engagement of the public and Indigenous peoples in the development of guidance, regulations and legislation that will contribute higher quality assessments, an expanded community of practice, and the development of policies, guidance, regulations, and legislation that will facilitate the implementation of the impact assessment system.

Indigenous Capacity Program: increased capacity of Indigenous communities to engage in, and lead consultations on, regional and strategic assessments, policy engagement, and monitoring and follow-up activities.

Not applicable, new program

Not applicable

To be determined. An evaluation will be conducted in accordance with the Treasury Board Policy on Results and section 42.1 of the Financial Administration Act, as part of the Agency’s annual risk-based evaluation planning exercise.

• Not-for-profit organizations
• Indigenous communities and organizations
• Individuals

PUBLIC

Participant Funding Program: public notices have been posted in various news outlets and on the Agency’s website. News releases were also provided to media outlets in regions relevant to the proposed designated projects, as well as regional assessment areas.

These public notices and news releases provide the following information:

• Brief description of the proposed project or assessment;
• Purpose of the participant funding;
• Phase or phases of the impact assessment for which funding will be made available;
• Deadline to submit applications;
• Process to obtain application forms; and
• How to obtain information on the Participant Funding Program.

Policy Dialogue Program: Stakeholders have been solicited about the availability of funding through targeted means based on the expertise of the stakeholder and the policy issue at hand, as well as the Technical Advisory Committee.

INDIGENOUS

Participant Funding Program: The Agency maintains regular contact with Indigenous communities, both formally (letters, meetings) and informally (telephone calls, emails), throughout the life of a project or assessment. Indigenous communities potentially affected by a project are contacted and notified of opportunities to participate in consultation and participation activities. Communities who believe they may be potentially affected by a project may also contact the Agency.

Consultation work plans are prepared jointly with potentially affected communities, and feedback is solicited at key points in the process. For example, during the planning phase, the Agency solicits feedback on the Impact Statement Guidelines, the draft Impact Assessment Report, and potential impact assessment conditions.

Feedback is also solicited in the case of review panels for the panel agreement and terms of reference, the assessment during public hearings, the panel report, and potential conditions.

In the case of regional assessments, Indigenous groups are provided with an opportunity to participate meaningfully in such activities relating to the planning and/or conduct of assessments, including follow-up programs (if applicable).

Indigenous communities who are not identified by the Agency as being potentially affected by a project may find information on the availability of participant funding on the Agency’s website and may choose to apply for funds made available for public participation.

Policy Dialogue Program: The Agency maintains regular contact with Indigenous communities and organizations, both formally (letters, meetings) and informally (telephone calls, emails) for policy collaboration and partnership. Indigenous communities and organizations are notified of opportunities to participate in policy collaboration and partnerships through targeted and general call outs, including the Indigenous Advisory Committee.

Feedback is solicited on key policy issues, such as Indigenous knowledge, collaboration and partnership, and capacity support.

Indigenous Capacity Support Program: The Agency maintains regular contact with Program partners, both formally (letter, meetings) and informally (telephone calls, emails). Indigenous communities and organizations are notified of funding opportunities to increase their capacity through targeted and general call outs.

1990

2022-23

Contribution

Appropriated annually through the Estimates

2018

Assessment that considers input from Indigenous peoples, the public and stakeholders

Assessment Administration, Conduct and Monitoring

Indigenous Relations and Engagement

The program provides financial contributions for recipients to participate in an environmental assessment by a review panel or by the Agency.

• Comments from Indigenous groups and the public are taken into account in an environmental assessment process
• Contributes to an open, balanced environmental assessment
• Strengthens the quality and credibility of an environmental assessment process

2015-16

Continuation

Not applicable.

An evaluation will be conducted for the contributions to support the participation of the public and Indigenous groups in impact assessment and policy dialogue, and to support the development of Indigenous knowledge and capacity related to impact assessments and related activities – Participant Funding Program, Policy Dialogue Program and Indigenous Capacity Program

• Not-for-profit organizations
• Aboriginal recipients
• Individuals

Public: The public is notified about the availability of funding through public notices posted in various news outlets and on the Agency’s website. News releases are also provided to media in the region relevant to the proposed designated project.

These public notices and news releases provide the following information:

• Brief description of the proposed project;
• Purpose of the participant funding;
• Phase or phases of the impact assessment for which funding will be made available;
• Deadline to submit applications;
• Process to obtain application forms; and
• How to obtain information on the Participant Funding Program.

Indigenous: The Agency maintains regular contact with Indigenous communities, both formally (letters, meetings) and informally (telephone calls, emails), throughout the life of a project. Indigenous communities potentially affected by a project are contacted and notified of opportunities to participate in consultation activities. Communities who believe they may be potentially affected by a project may also contact the Agency.

Consultation work plans are prepared jointly with potentially affected communities, and feedback is solicited at key points in the process, such as during the planning phase, on the Impact Statement Guidelines, the draft Impact Assessment Report, and potential impact assessment conditions.

Feedback is also solicited in the case of review panels for the panel agreement and terms of reference, the assessment during public hearings, the panel report, and potential conditions.

Indigenous communities who are not identified by the Agency as being potentially affected by a project may find information on the availability of participant funding on the Agency’s website and may choose to apply for funds made available for public participation.

1978

2022-23

Contribution

Appropriated annually through the Estimates

Most recent agreements (renewal) signed between Canada and Quebec in March 2002 outlining terms and conditions. James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (1975) establishes obligations for funding.

Science, evidence and fact based assessment resulting in mitigation measures that minimize adverse effects

Indigenous Relations and Engagement

Maintain and provide funding for the secretariats supporting the James Bay Advisory Committee on the Environment, and the Kativik Environmental Advisory Committee.

Each committee prepares a 5-year strategic plan with yearly actions. They each provide a year-end activity report with results.

2007-08

Continuation

Not applicable. Less than $5 million in average actual annual expenditures and there have been no changes in programming or context since last evaluation.

Other: James Bay Advisory Committee on the Environment, and the Kativik Environmental Advisory Committee

Not applicable

2019-20

Ongoing

Grant

Appropriated annually through the Estimates

2019-20

• Science, evidence and fact based assessment resulting in mitigation measures that minimize adverse effects
• Assessment that considers input from Indigenous peoples, the public and stakeholders

Assessment Administration, Conduct and Monitoring

Indigenous Relations and Engagement

Better informed decision-making through the active participation of the public and Indigenous groups with knowledge or expertise relevant to project impact assessments.

Provides grants for recipients to participate in an assessment conducted by a review panel or by the Agency, or regional assessments.

Promotes and disseminates new and innovative research that furthers the practice of impact assessment, including regional/strategic assessments

Stronger, evidence-based policy and guidance for impact assessment through an enhanced and more diverse knowledge base; and establishment of an impact assessment research network to foster continuous improvement and enable impact assessment to effectively serve as a tool for sustainable development.

Not applicable, new program

Not applicable

Not applicable. Less than $5 million in average actual annual expenditures.

• Not-for-profit organizations
• Research and academic institutions
• Indigenous communities or organizations
• Individuals

Grants under the Research Program:

The Agency’s new research program, comprised of grant and O&M funding, is the product of extensive consultations that were held with stakeholders and Indigenous communities through the Government’s EA and Regulatory Review. For FY 2019-2020, the full $400,000 of grant funding for the research program was used to fund a Knowledge Synthesis Grants on impact assessment administered by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), which includes its usual practices for consulting with potential applicants and recipients.

The transfer payment program for grants for the remaining subsequent three years is under development, but will engage potential recipients in the design, delivery, and evaluation of the TPP and/or efforts that enable recipients to measure and report on results.

Grants under the Participant Funding Program:

Participant Funding Program grants are provided to recipients for such initiatives as: supporting early engagement and post-decision phase activities with the Agency for assessments, and providing feedback on key scoping documents for projects and regional assessments.

Grants for Indigenous groups: Indigenous communities potentially affected by a project are contacted and notified of opportunities to participate in consultation and engagement activities for the planning phase of assessments and for regional assessments. Communities who believe they may be potentially affected by a project may also contact the Agency.

Consultation work plans are prepared jointly with potentially affected communities, and feedback is solicited at key points in the process.

Grants for the Public: To date, grants have been provided to public groups or individuals participating in early engagement activities for regional assessments. The public is notified of opportunities to participate in such activities by the Agency. The public is also notified about the availability of funding through public notices posted in various news outlets and on the Agency’s website.

The Agency is currently working on increasing the scope of its granting activities to include the following: pre-planning and additional funding for the planning phase for IA projects for Indigenous groups; for the public for the planning phase of IAs; to help Indigenous communities participate in meetings with the Agency between main participation opportunities of assessments; and pre-dialogue with Indigenous groups to discuss the scope and funding of monitoring committees (if applicable).

Total grants

2,500,000

4,000,000

4,000,000

0

Total contributions

16,439,140

18,172,274

17,453,903

1,715,000

Total other types of transfer payments

0

0

0

0

Total program

18,939,140

22,172,274

21,453,903

1,715,000