Call for Expressions of Interest – Funding Available

Public Notice

October 8, 2020 – The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) is inviting expressions of interest for funding available to help operationalize Canada's new approach to assessing major projects.

Who can apply

The Agency is seeking to support and leverage the work of stakeholders, such as research, environmental and policy-focused not-for-profit organizations, academic institutions and think tanks on the development of practical tools and approaches to assessing major projects under the Impact Assessment Act (the Act).

Eligible activities

Eligible activities may include research and policy analysis, developing and piloting tools, recommendations, and dissemination strategies.

Projects should include engagement with a diverse range of parties who may have interests or expertise in the subject or the tools and approaches that are developed. This may include project proponents and industry groups, non-governmental organizations active on major project issues, academics, current or former representatives of other levels of government, Indigenous groups, or members of the public.

Priority may be given to projects that address one or more of the following themes:

• Assessing a project's contribution to sustainability. Defined as the ability to protect the environment, contribute to the social and economic well-being of the people of Canada and preserve their health in a manner that benefits present and future generations;
• Assessing the positive and adverse economic impacts of major projects beyond measures such as changes to Gross Domestic Product and employment, with a particular focus on rural areas and small communities;
• Best practices for the use of qualitative research methods to assess the impacts of major project (e.g. social impacts, mental health and wellbeing, etc.);
• Assessing the cumulative effects of designated projects (in combination with other physical activities) on health, social and/or economic conditions, and,
• Assessing and considering the health and wellbeing of resource sector workers and workplaces, and the relevance of these considerations to the impacts of major projects.

Applicants are encouraged to read the preamble of the Act and to consult the Agency's Practitioner's Guide to Federal Impact Assessment under the Act.

How funding will be allocated

The Agency will consider expressions of interest and work with those that address the program's criteria and priority activities listed above.

A committee composed of experts from the Agency and other relevant federal departments will review the expressions of interest and ask potential recipients to submit proposals.

Funding allocations

Maximum funding allocation per project: $300,000.

How to submit an expression of interest

Expressions of interest can be sent to iaac.FP-PAF.aeic@canada.ca on your preferred template in Microsoft Word or PDF format.

Expressions of interest should include:

• The expected contribution of the project to the funding opportunity's stated objectives;
• The project's proposed engagement with interested parties;
• The proposed approach to disseminating the results of the project; and
• The potential influence and impact in informing impact assessment practice.

For questions about the process, please email Aidan Wakely-Mulroney at Aidan.wakely-mulroney@canada.ca

Deadlines

Expressions of interest must be received by November 6, 2020. Projects that are approved for funding would need to begin by January 2021 and would need to conclude no later than March 31, 2023.

Recipients and the amount of funding allocated will be made available at a later date.

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