Great Sandhills Railway Switching Operation at North West Terminal Project — Participant Funding Available

October 1, 2020 — Ottawa — Impact Assessment Agency of Canada

The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) is making funding available to assist the participation of the public and Indigenous groups in the federal impact assessment for the proposed Great Sandhills Railway Switching Operation at North West Terminal Project, located one kilometre east of Unity, Saskatchewan.

Funding is available for eligible individuals and groups to assist their participation in the upcoming steps of the impact assessment's planning phase, specifically for reviewing and providing comments on the draft Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines and the draft Public Participation Plan. Once this phase is complete, the public and Indigenous groups will have another opportunity to apply for funding to assist their participation in the other phases of the impact assessment process.

Applications received by October 29, 2020, will be considered.

The Agency recognizes that it is more challenging to undertake meaningful public engagement and Indigenous consultation in light of the circumstances arising from COVID-19. The Agency continues to assess the situation with key stakeholders, make adjustments to consultation activities, and is providing flexibility as needed in order to prioritize the health and safety of all Canadians, while maintaining its duty to conduct meaningful engagement with interested groups.

As a next step, the Agency will determine whether a federal impact assessment is required for the project. If one is required, recipients and the amount of funding allocated will be posted at a later date on the project's webpage on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry website. If the Agency determines a federal impact assessment is not required, no funds will be allocated and there will be no further opportunity to apply for funding for this project.

To apply for funding, complete the Application Form for the Planning Phase available on the Agency's website at canada.ca/iaac under Funding Programs. For more information, contact the Participant Funding Program by writing to iaac.FP-PAF.aeic@canada.ca, or by calling 1-866-582-1884.