2022-2023 Departmental Plan: Departmental Plan

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Minister responsible for the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 2022.

This publication may be reproduced for personal or internal use without permission, provided the source is fully acknowledged. However, multiple copy reproduction of this publication in whole or in part for purposes of redistribution requires the prior written permission from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H3, or iaac.information.aeic@canada.ca.

Catalogue No.: En104-19E-PDF

ISSN: 2563-0016

This document has been issued in French under the title: Agence d’évaluation d’impact du Canada: Plan ministériel 2022-2023.

Table of contents

From the Minister

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault

As the recently appointed Minister responsible for the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency), it is an honour to share the Agency’s 2022–23 Departmental Plan. This plan provides Canadians and parliamentarians with information on the Agency’s work and outlines what it aims to achieve in the next fiscal year.

Globally, Canada will be at the forefront of the green post-pandemic recovery in 2022–23, and the Agency will remain dedicated to supporting the Government of Canada’s commitment to a cleaner environment and sustainable economy. Through the transparent and effective delivery of high-quality environmental and impact assessments, the Agency will guide the Government to make evidence-based decisions about major natural resource and infrastructure projects.

The Agency ensures that all assessments under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA) are conducted in collaboration with Indigenous peoples, the public, stakeholders, and the provinces and territories. This collaboration corresponds to more rigorous assessments and more predictable timelines. Advancing the Government of Canada’s commitment to reconciliation, the Agency continues to transform how it works with Indigenous peoples by supporting their capacity to participate meaningfully in assessments.

Canadians want us to work faster on climate action, green job creation, and nature protection. The Agency will work hard to contribute to an environmentally responsible, inclusive, and prosperous economy while encouraging investment. In a reliable, transparent, and timely fashion, the Agency will continue to support good resource projects to shape a sustainable, low-carbon future.

It is my pleasure to invite you to read the Departmental Plan and learn more about the Agency’s ambitious agenda for the year ahead. While the country returns to more normal business operations, we have a refreshed perspective and are moving forward with optimism.

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, P.C., M.P. (he/him/il/lui)
Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and
Minister responsible for the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada

From the President

Terence Hubbard

The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada is proud to present its 2022–23 Departmental Plan, which outlines how we intend to meet our key objectives and advance government-wide commitments on behalf of Canadians.

The Agency’s team of highly qualified employees is committed to supporting the Minister of Environment and Climate Change in achieving his mandate commitments by continuing to implement the Impact Assessment Act (IAA). Assessments led by the Agency bring together many diverse interested parties to grapple with many complex technical issues, ultimately creating a base of evidence upon which the Government can make decisions confidently.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic still poses challenges to the Agency’s objectives, our staff will remain committed to the uninterrupted delivery of our services and the effective management of our operations by implementing flexible approaches in engagement, consultation, and compliance and enforcement activities. The Agency will engage and collaborate with all levels of government, Indigenous groups, the public, and stakeholders in conducting assessments and developing supporting policies and guidance documents. Working closely with expert federal departments and federal lifecycle regulators, the Agency will continue to ensure that the assessment process meets the needs of all decision-makers and supports the objective of "one project, one assessment."

This fiscal year, we will improve access to information on assessments of designated projects, the decision-making process, and enforcement and compliance activities through the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry. Moreover, the Agency will continue to seize opportunities to reimagine our future workplace, focus on employee well-being, and strengthen the organization’s digital infrastructure.

As the Agency’s team continues to support the ongoing and effective transition from environmental assessments to impact assessments, we have the opportunity to make a positive impact in Canada through our work in supporting a sustainable economy, protecting the environment, advancing reconciliation, and enhancing the trust of Canadians.

Terence Hubbard
President
Impact Assessment Agency of Canada

Plans at a glance

The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) is a federal body reporting to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), the Agency is the lead federal organization responsible for conducting and administering environmental and impact assessments. The Agency is also the Crown Coordinator for Indigenous consultation on designated projects. In leading these assessments, the Agency is responsible for assessing the positive and negative environmental, economic, social, and health effects of designated projects and applying Gender-based Analysis Plus to understand if these effects are experienced differently by diverse subgroups of people.

An assessment (environmental or impact) is a planning and decision-making tool to assist project design, facilitate Indigenous, public, and stakeholder participation, and ensure appropriate measures are identified and implemented to mitigate the adverse impacts of designated projects.

In 2022–23, the Agency will:

This report presents the planned results and supporting activities to fulfill the Agency’s core responsibility. The Agency will continue to emphasize transparency, efficiency, and meaningful participation of all participants in impact and environmental assessment processes to achieve these results.

For more information on the Agency’s plans, see the "Core responsibilities: planned results and resources, and key risks" section of this plan.

Core responsibilities: planned results and resources, and key risks

This section contains information on the department’s planned results and resources for each of its core responsibilities. It also contains information on key risks related to achieving those results.

Impact Assessment

Description

The Agency provides high-quality assessments of environmental, economic, social, health and gender effects to support government decision-making in the public interest. Assessments are evidence-based and ensure that positive and negative effects and impacts on Indigenous groups and their rights are considered in order to foster sustainability.

Planning highlights

With the ongoing transition from CEAA 2012 to the IAA, in 2022–23, the Agency will continue to conduct timely, effective, and thorough environmental and impact assessments. The Agency will continue to collaborate with other jurisdictions, Indigenous groups, federal departments and agencies, and other stakeholders. Through this collaborative work, the Agency aims to improve the understanding of the key elements that inform public interest, decision-making, sustainability, and climate change commitments. Collaboration will also enable the harmonization of impact assessment provisions.

In 2022–23, the Agency will continue to coordinate its efforts to ensure continuous service delivery while minimizing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, the Agency will continue to adjust its consultation and engagement activities to prioritize the meaningful participation of Indigenous peoples, the public, and stakeholders in assessments by offering flexible arrangements through virtual meetings and live-streamed events.

Departmental Result: Science, evidence and Indigenous knowledge is available to inform decisions in the public interest

The Agency is responsible for conducting high-quality environmental and impact assessments based on science, Indigenous knowledge, and other evidence in a timely and predictable manner. In addition to conducting assessments, the Agency supports assessments led by independent review panels. The Agency ensures that the best available evidence informs assessments, promotes positive effects, and minimizes adverse effects through mitigation measures. Evidence and factors considered in assessments relate to:

To continue conducting and supporting high-quality environmental and impact assessments in a timely and predictable manner in 2022–23, the Agency will:

To promote legislative and policy frameworks, tools, procedures, guidance, and best practices in 2022–23, the Agency will:

Moreover, the Agency offers services to the Minister’s Advisory Council, which provides the Minister with advice on issues related to implementing the impact, regional, and strategic assessment regimes. The Council’s advice to the Minister focuses on the effectiveness and efficiency of the processes established under the IAA and implemented by the Agency.

Under CEAA 2012 and the IAA, the Agency coordinates Crown consultation activities for assessments conducted by the Agency or by a review panel, and is the Crown Consultation Coordinator for all federally led impact assessments under the IAA. In 2022–23, the Agency will continue to collaborate with Indigenous communities to review designated projects and identify potential project impacts on the rights of Indigenous peoples.

As part of its commitment to science and evidence and position the Agency on the leading edge of impact assessment, in 2022–23, the Agency will encourage and conduct research related to impact assessment.

Throughout 2022–23, the Agency will continue to manage and administer the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry (the Registry) Internet Site as it ensures transparency throughout the assessment process by:

The Agency’s President is the federal administrator responsible for reviewing and determining whether projects of a federal nature proposed under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement or the Northeastern Quebec Agreement should proceed and under which conditions. Bolstering the President, the Agency will continue implementing the assessment process effectively and efficiently in areas where the IAA and other impact assessment requirements established under land claim agreements co-exist (e.g., Nisga’a Final Agreement, Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement, and Tsawwassen First Nation Final Agreement, etc.).

Departmental Result: Indigenous groups, the public and stakeholders have opportunities to meaningfully participate in assessments

The COVID-19 pandemic magnified the ongoing challenges Indigenous communities have been facing across Canada. To respond to these pressures, in 2022–23, the Agency will continue to consider the unique needs of Indigenous communities while enhancing their opportunities (as well as those of the public and stakeholders) to participate meaningfully throughout the assessment process by:

Through the Registry, the Agency will also continue to post close to 100% of records maintained in project files and manage an online public engagement platform. This facilitates transparency and the submission of public comments that inform the decision-making process for projects. Additionally, the Agency will administer a web-mapping interface to enable users to explore, visualize, and analyze assessment data to support greater transparency.

In 2022–23, the Agency will continue to support Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to negotiate assessment provisions in agreements with Indigenous peoples. Moreover, to provide information to practitioners, Indigenous peoples, the public, and stakeholders engaged in the assessment process, and to meet the obligations under the IAA, the Agency will continue to develop and deliver training on the impact assessment process.

Departmental Result: Assessments result in mitigation measures that minimize the adverse effects of projects

At the end of an assessment, a decision statement is issued that indicates whether a project may proceed. Where a project is allowed to proceed, the decision statement includes clear, measurable, and enforceable conditions—consisting of mitigation measures and a follow-up program—with which project proponents must comply. When applicable, the Agency will ensure that appropriate avoidance, mitigation, and other accommodation measures are implemented to address possible impacts in advance of a decision on a project. Promoting a consistent and transparent approach to informing decision statements issued by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Agency will:

Combined with compliance promotion, verification, and enforcement activities, strong decision statements help protect the environment, the health of Canadians, and the rights of Indigenous peoples. Ensuring compliance with the IAA and conditions included in the decision statements issued to the proponent, the Agency will:

Given the restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, when necessary, the Agency will continue to adjust inspection activities to prioritize the health and safety of Canadians while fulfilling its responsibility to verify compliance. For instance, where on-site inspections are not feasible, the Agency will conduct off-site inspections, which involve reviewing documents and speaking with proponents to verify compliance and ensure that proponents take measures to adhere to decision statements.

The Agency presents information on compliance and enforcement-related information, including annual reports, enforcement actions taken, and inspection summaries, through the Registry. Other planned initiatives in 2022–23 include actively promoting greater visibility to science and evidence by sharing content to the Open Science and Data PlatformFootnote vi, which provides access to science, data, publications and information about development activities to help understand the cumulative effects of these activities.

Gender-based analysis plus

For assessments under CEAA 2012, the Agency applies Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus)Footnote vii to projects that require a Governor-in-Council decision as to whether the significant adverse environmental effects of a project are justified. Under the IAA, the intersection of sex and gender as well as other identity factors must be considered as part of all impact assessments. As a result, the Agency ensures that GBA Plus is integrated throughout the impact assessment process. This includes the decision-making stage of the impact assessment process, during which the Agency integrates GBA Plus into the documents provided to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to Cabinet to support their decisions under the IAA.

In 2022–23, the Agency will continue to review project descriptions and impact statements to ensure that proponents demonstrate the application of GBA Plus, which is a requirement in the Tailored Impact Statement GuidelinesFootnote viii and supported by published guidance on GBA Plus in Impact AssessmentFootnote ix. As part of the Agency’s obligation under the IAA, the application of GBA Plus to the impact assessment process endeavours to respond to one of the Calls to Justice (13.2) in the Final Report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. In addition, the Agency will continue to develop tools and related guidance to support the application of GBA Plus in impact assessments as well as inclusive participation in the assessment process.

United Nations’ (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The Agency’s planned activities under its Impact Assessment core responsibility support Canada’s efforts to address the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, the Agency contributes to ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG 12) by promoting public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities (SDG 12.7).

Experimentation

The Agency will be piloting the use of QR Codes in its efforts to manage resources better and improve the transition of the public to online information sources. In addition, the Agency will continue to explore the use of Artificial Intelligence in streamlining and improving its translation services. The goal of this experiment is to see whether the translation tool would accurately represent the meaning of technical terms and phrases used by the Agency in the target language.

Additionally, the Agency will continue to use a software for qualitative data analysis with advanced functionalities that enables the extraction of information from a subset of comments. The experiment aims to assess natural language processing, which is a form of artificial intelligence that helps machines "read" text by simulating the human ability to understand language.

Key risks

The following table depicts the key risks that might affect the achievement of results for the Agency’s core responsibility, and associated mitigation strategies.

Key risks

Mitigation strategies

Fluctuation of economic activity and commodity price

The Agency operates in a continuously changing environment influenced by outside factors. In particular, economic factors affect the type, timing, volume and distribution of projects that will require assessments, including regional distribution.

The Agency has consistently maintained proactive relationships with proponents in order to obtain early indications of potential projects so that project volume can be forecasted and adjustments made to the Agency’s work plan (to the extent possible).

The Agency will continue to maintain these relationships in order to manage and plan its workload.

The Agency will continue to reallocate resources, where possible and necessary, to address fluctuations in project volume. It will also continue to develop strategies with central agencies to meet legislative responsibilities under the IAA.

Inadequate or ineffective Crown Consultations and Indigenous participation

To fulfill the federal Crown’s legal duty to consult, the Agency acts as the Crown Consultation Coordinator for the assessment process, including for integrated reviews with lifecycle regulators. Effective Crown consultation requires the meaningful participation of potentially affected Indigenous groups as well as other federal organizations, as measures proposed to avoid or minimize potential impacts on Indigenous peoples may rest within their areas of expertise or jurisdiction.

A lack of adequate consultation makes it difficult to identify potential project impacts on Indigenous peoples and ensure appropriate avoidance, mitigation or other accommodation measures are proposed and implemented to address potential impacts.

The impact assessment process includes activities aimed at exceeding the duty to consult by establishing partnerships and advancing the Government’s reconciliation agenda.

Indigenous consultation is being enhanced by enabling Indigenous concerns to be heard and, through early planning, identified and addressed at an earlier stage in the assessment process. Policy dialogue will also enable Indigenous peoples to shape the way in which assessments are conducted, resulting in processes that better address their concerns and accommodate their specific needs.

The Agency’s Participant Funding Program covers a portion of the costs incurred by Indigenous groups to participate in assessments, and will help reduce financial barriers for Indigenous participation in consultations.

Duplication of effort due to shared responsibilities

Shared federal and provincial responsibility for environmental management leads to a risk of duplication between federal, provincial and territorial assessment processes.

Under the Constitution Act, 1982, environmental management is an area of shared responsibility between federal, provincial and territorial governments. As a result, some projects may require both a federal and a provincial assessment.

The Agency seeks to strengthen cooperation with provinces and territories through better coordination and alignment of assessment timelines and processes, as well as developing mechanisms to facilitate cooperation (including cooperation agreements).

Non-compliance with conditions

Proponent non-compliance, including non-compliance with conditions identified in decision statements, could result in environmental, economic, social, and health impacts, and/or undermine public confidence.

Decision statements contain clear and measurable conditions, including mitigation measures and follow-up program requirements.

The Agency’s Compliance and Enforcement Program promotes and verifies compliance and determines an appropriate response to situations involving non-compliance.

Dependency on global and domestic economic performance

Effective delivery of the Agency’s mandate is directly linked to global and domestic economic performance, particularly in the post COVID-19 recovery period. Potential impacts relate to the Agency’s ability to undertake meaningful public engagement and Indigenous consultation on projects undergoing assessments in a timely way.

Changing economic performance also affects the timing and volume of work, which has an impact on spending related to program delivery, including grants and contributions spending and planned staffing to support assessments.

The Agency continues to assess the COVID-19 situation, make adjustments to consultation activities, and provide flexibility as needed in order to prioritize the health and safety of all Canadians, while fulfilling its responsibility to conduct meaningful engagement with interested groups.

The Agency also continues to monitor impacts related to spending and makes adjustments as required related to spending on classes of public service activities such as travel, delays in major capital projects, cancellation of contracts, delays in planned staffing, etc.

Planned results for Impact Assessment

The following table shows, for the Agency, the planned results, the result indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2022–23, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

Planned results for Impact Assessment

Departmental result

Departmental result indicator

Target

Date to achieve target

2018–19 actual result

2019–20 actual result

2020–21 actual result

Science, evidence and Indigenous knowledge is available to inform decisions in the public interest

Percentage of assessment reports provided to decision-makers that include a science-based assessment of the project, and a summary of public comments and how Indigenous knowledge and perspectives were considered

100%

March 2023

Not available

Not available

Not available

Indigenous groups, the public and stakeholders have opportunities to meaningfully participate in assessments

Percentage of Indigenous groups participating in assessment-related engagement/consultation activities that indicate IAAC’s engagement was meaningful

To be determined in 2022–23

March 2023

Not available

Not available

Not available

Percentage of public and stakeholder participants in assessment-related engagement/consultation activities that indicate IAAC’s engagement was meaningful

To be determined in 2022–23

March 2023

Not available

Not available

Not available

Assessments result in mitigation measures that minimize the adverse effects of projects

Percentage of projects for which reporting indicates that mitigation measures set out in the decision statement effectively address adverse effects of the project

At least 90%

March 2023

Not available

Not available

Not available

Indicator results are not available for 2018–19, 2019–20, and 2020–21 as the Departmental Results Framework was updated for 2021–22 to reflect the mandate and responsibilities of the Agency under the IAA. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, insufficient information was available in 2021–22 to set targets for the indicators under the second Departmental Result.

The financial, human resources and performance information for the Agency’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBaseFootnote x.

Planned budgetary spending for Impact Assessment

The following table shows, for Impact Assessment, budgetary spending for 2022–23, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.

Planned budgetary spending for Impact Assessment

2022–23 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)

2022–23 planned spending

2023–24 planned spending

2024–25 planned spending

69,989,289

69,989,289

17,096,537

17,096,537

Funding to implement the new impact assessment regime ends on March 31, 2023, which explains the decrease in planned spending in 2023–24. The Agency is working on a funding renewal proposal for future years.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Agency’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBaseFootnote xi.

Planned human resources for Impact Assessment

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the department will need to fulfill this core responsibility for 2022–23 and for each of the next two fiscal years.

Planned human resources for Impact Assessment

2022–23 planned full-time equivalents

2023–24 planned full-time equivalents

2024–25 planned full-time equivalents

359

128

128

Funding to implement the new impact assessment regime ends on March 31, 2023, which explains the decrease in full-time equivalents in 2023–24. The Agency is working on a funding renewal proposal for future years.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Agency’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBaseFootnote xii.

Internal services: planned results

Description

Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:

Planning highlights

The provision of Internal Services strengthens the Agency’s capacity to implement the IAA, deliver its priorities and commitments, and contribute to its core responsibility in a cost-effective and timely manner. The Agency’s Internal Services will provide corporate support and ensure that programs are adequately equipped to deliver results to Canadians by:

In 2022–23, the Agency will continue to facilitate a healthy and inclusive workplace by:

Planned budgetary spending for internal services

The following table shows, for internal services, budgetary spending for 2022–23, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.

Planned budgetary spending for internal services

2022–23 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)

2022–23 planned spending

2023–24 planned spending

2024–25 planned spending

10,080,828

10,080,828

2,462,480

2,462,480

Funding to implement the new impact assessment regime ends on March 31, 2023, which explains the decrease in planned spending in 2023–24. The Agency is working on a funding renewal proposal for future years.

Planned human resources for internal services

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the department will need to carry out its internal services for 2022–23 and for each of the next two fiscal years.

Planned human resources for internal services

2022–23 planned full-time equivalents

2023–24 planned full-time equivalents

2024–25 planned full-time equivalents

84

24

24

Funding to implement the new impact assessment regime ends on March 31, 2023, which explains the decrease in full-time equivalents in 2023–24. The Agency is working on a funding renewal proposal for future years.

Planned spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of the department’s planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and compares planned spending for 2022–23 with actual spending for the current year and the previous year.

Planned spending

Departmental spending 2019–20 to 2024–25

The following graph presents planned spending (voted and statutory expenditures) over time.

Departmental spending 2019–20 to 2024–25
Departmental spending 2019–20 to 2024–25
Departmental spending 2019–20 to 2024–25 - Text version

This stacked bar chart presents the planned (voted and statutory) spending for each of the six fiscal years from 2019–20 to 2024–25. In 2019–20, the Agency’s planned statutory spending was $6.253 million and the planned voted spending was $57.194 million for a total planned spending of $63.447 million. In 2020–21, the Agency’s planned statutory spending was $6.241 million and the planned voted spending was $70.642 million for a total planned spending of $76.883 million. In 2021–22, the Agency’s planned statutory spending was $5.887 million and the planned voted spending was $73.156 million for a total planned spending of $79.043 million. In 2022–23, the Agency’s planned statutory spending is $6.029 million and the planned voted spending is $74.041 million for a total planned spending of $80.070 million. In 2023–24, the Agency’s planned statutory spending is $2.318 million and the planned voted spending is $17.241 million for a total planned spending of $19.559 million. In 2024–25, the Agency’s planned statutory spending was $2.318 million and the planned voted spending is $17.241 million for a total planned spending of $19.559 million.

Definitions for Voted expenditures and Statutory Expenditures are available in Appendix: Definition.

Budget 2018 announced new funding for the Agency of $258.6 million over five fiscal years. Agency expenditures have increased steadily since 2019 due to the expanded mandate of the Agency to deliver the new impact assessment process. Funding to implement the new impact assessment regime ends on March 31, 2023, which explains the decrease in planned spending in 2023–24. The Agency is working on a funding renewal proposal for future years.

Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

The following table shows information on spending for each of the Agency’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for 2022–23 and other relevant fiscal years.

Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Core responsibilities and internal services

2019–20 actual expenditures

2020–21 actual expenditures

2021–22 forecast spending

2022–23 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)

2022–23 planned spending

2023–24 planned spending

2024–25 planned spending

Impact Assessment

53,122,081

67,200,184

68,846,398

69,989,289

69,989,289

17,096,537

17,096,537

Subtotal

53,122,081

67,200,184

68,846,398

69,989,289

69,989,289

17,096,537

17,096,537

Internal services

10,324,816

9,683,305

10,196,539

10,080,828

10,080,828

2,462,480

2,462,480

Total

63,446,897

76,883,489

79,042,937

80,070,117

80,070,117

19,559,017

19,559,017

The table above does not include cost-recoverable expenditures that are considered revenue. The Agency has the authority to recover up to $8 million in costs annually, which is netted against the voted authority. The Agency’s authorities remain stable until March 31, 2023, which is the end of the five-year funding envelope. In 2022–23, the Agency will continue the implementation of the expanded mandate under the IAA. The Agency’s total planned spending for the upcoming fiscal year is $80 million.

Planned human resources

The following table shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents (FTEs), for each of the Agency’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for 2022–23 and the other relevant years.

Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services

Core responsibilities and internal services

2019–20 actual full-time equivalents

2020–21 actual full-time equivalents

2021–22 forecast full-time equivalents

2022–23 planned full-time equivalents

2023–24 planned full-time equivalents

2024–25 planned full-time equivalents

Impact Assessment

335

367

358

359

128

128

Subtotal

335

367

358

359

128

128

Internal services

70

79

84

84

24

24

Total

405

446

442

443

152

152

The Agency’s FTE count has reached a steady state as a result of the implementation of the new impact assessment regime following the coming into force of the IAA in 2019. The Agency plans to utilize 443 FTEs in 2022–23.

Estimates by vote

Information on the Agency’s organizational appropriations is available in the 2022–23 Main EstimatesFootnote xiii.

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations

The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of the Agency’s operations for 2021–22 to 2022–23.

The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

A more detailed future-oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, are available on the Agency’s websiteFootnote xiv.

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ending March 31, 2023 (dollars)

Financial information

2021–22 forecast results

2022–23 planned results

Difference
(2022–23 planned results minus
2021–22 forecast results)

Total expenses

91,048,556

92,258,443

1,209,887

Total revenues

3,200,000

3,200,000

0

Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers

87,848,556

89,058,443

1,209,887

Total Agency operational expenses are currently expected to increase by $1.2 million, or 1.4 percent, based on the Agency’s forecasted expenditures. This variance is due to collective bargaining decisions. The $3.2 million in planned revenues are forecasted cost recoveries from panel reviews.

Corporate information

Organizational profile

Appropriate minister: The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, P.C., M.P., Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Institutional head: Terence Hubbard, President

Ministerial portfolio: Environment

Enabling instruments: Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012Footnote xv and the Impact Assessment ActFootnote xvi

Year of incorporation / commencement: 1994

Other: The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012) was supported by three regulations: the Regulations Designating Physical Activities, the Prescribed Information for the Description of a Designated Project Regulations, and the Cost Recovery Regulations.

The Impact Assessment Act is supported by four regulations and a Ministerial order: the Physical Activities Regulations, the Information and Management of Time Limits Regulations, the Cost Recovery Regulations (continued from CEAA 2012), the Regulations Respecting Excluded Physical Activities (Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Exploratory Wells), and the Designated Classes of Projects Order. The Agency supports its President who is also the Federal Administrator under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement and the Northeastern Quebec Agreement.

Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do

Information on the Agency’s raison d’être, mandate and role is available on the Agency’s websiteFootnote xvii.

Information on the Agency’s mandate letter commitments is available in the Minister’s mandate letterFootnote xviii.

Operating context

Information on the operating context is available on the Agency’s websiteFootnote xix.

Reporting framework

The Agency’s approved departmental results framework and program inventory for 2022–23 are as follows.

Reporting framework
Reporting framework - Text version

These block list diagrams represent visually the Departmental Results Framework, in one, and the Program Inventory of record for 2022–23 in another. The Departmental Results Framework is tied to the Agency’s Core Responsibility: Impact Assessment. There are three departmental results supporting the core responsibility each of which are measured with at least one indicator. The first Departmental Result is Science, evidence and Indigenous knowledge is available to inform decisions in the public interest. The indicator measuring it is the Percentage of assessment reports provided to decision-makers that include a science-based assessment of the project, and a summary of public comments and how Indigenous knowledge and perspectives were considered. The second Departmental Result is Indigenous groups, the public and stakeholders have opportunities to meaningfully participate in assessments. There are two indicators measuring this Departmental Result. The first indicator is the Percentage of Indigenous groups participating in assessment-related engagement/consultation activities that indicate IAAC’s engagement was meaningful. The second indicator is the Percentage of public and stakeholder participants in assessment-related engagement/consultation activities that indicate IAAC’s engagement was meaningful. The last Departmental Result is Assessments result in mitigation measures that minimize the adverse effects of projects. Its indicator is the Percentage of projects for which reporting indicates that mitigation measures set out in the decision statement effectively address adverse effects of the project. The Core Responsibility and all three departmental results are supported by the Agency’s Internal Services.

The Program Inventory of record for 2022–23 is made of two programs: Assessment Administration, Conduct and Monitoring, and Indigenous Relations and Engagement.

The definitions for Core Responsibility, Departmental Result, Departmental Result Indicator, Departmental Result Framework, program, and program inventory are all available in Appendix: Definition.

Supporting information on the program inventory

Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to the Agency’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBaseFootnote xx.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on the Agency’s websiteFootnote xxi:

Federal tax expenditures

The Agency’s Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures.

Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government­-wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax ExpendituresFootnote xxii. This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis plus.

Organizational contact information

Mailing address

Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
Place Bell Canada, 160 Elgin Street, 22nd Floor
Ottawa ON K1A 0H3 Canada
Telephone: 613-957-0700
TTY: 1-866-582-1884
Fax: 613-957-0862
Email: iaac.information.aeic@canada.caFootnote xxiii
Website: https://www.canada.ca/iaacFootnote xxiv

Appendix: definitions

appropriation (crédit)
Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)
Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)
An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.
Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)
A document that sets out a department's priorities, programs, expected results and associated resource requirements, covering a three-year period beginning with the year indicated in the title of the report. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.
departmental result (résultat ministériel)
A change that a department seeks to influence. A departmental result is often outside departments' immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.
departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)
A factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a departmental result.
departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)
A framework that consists of the department's core responsibilities, departmental results and departmental result indicators.
Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
A report on a department's actual performance in a fiscal year against its plans, priorities and expected results set out in its Departmental Plan for that year. Departmental Results Reports are usually tabled in Parliament each fall.
experimentation (expérimentation)
The conducting of activities that explore, test and compare the effects and impacts of policies and interventions in order to inform decision-making and improve outcomes for Canadians. Experimentation is related to, but distinct from, innovation. Innovation is the trying of something new; experimentation involves a rigorous comparison of results. For example, introducing a new mobile application to communicate with Canadians can be an innovation; systematically testing the new application and comparing it against an existing website or other tools to see which one reaches more people, is experimentation.
full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person-year charge against a departmental budget. Full-time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.
gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])
An analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and services based on multiple factors including race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.
government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
For the purpose of the 2022–23 Departmental Plan, government-wide priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government's agenda in the 2021 Speech from the Throne: protecting Canadians from COVID-19; helping Canadians through the pandemic; building back better – a resiliency agenda for the middle class; the Canada we're fighting for.
horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
An initiative in which two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
non-budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
performance (rendement)
What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
plan (plan)
The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result.
planned spending (dépenses prévues)
For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in the Main Estimates.
A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.
program (programme)
Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within a department and that focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
An inventory of a department's programs that describes how resources are organized to carry out the department's core responsibilities and achieve its planned results.
result (résultat)
An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead, they are within the area of the organization's influence.
statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)
Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.
target (cible)
A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.
voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an Appropriation Act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.

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