Policy and Guidance

The documents listed below provide guidance on federal environmental assessments under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012).

• Basics of Environmental Assessment
• Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012

Operational Policy Statements

• Assessing Cumulative Environmental Effects under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012
• Addressing “Purpose of” and “Alternative Means” under CEAA 2012
• Determining Whether a Designated Project is Likely to Cause Significant Adverse Environmental Effects under CEAA 2012
• Information Requests and Timelines

Technical Guidance

• Assessing Cumulative Environmental Effects under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012
• Determining Whether a Designated Project is Likely to Cause Significant Adverse Environmental Effects under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012
• Guide to Preparing a Description of a Designated Project under CEAA 2012
• Technical Guidance for Assessing Physical and Cultural Heritage or any Structure, Site or Thing that is of Historical, Archeological, Paleontological or Architectural Significance under CEAA 2012
• Technical Guidance for Assessing the Current Use of Lands and Resources for Traditional Purposes under the CEAA 2012

Reference Guides

• Cost Recovery for Environmental Assessments by Review Panels under CEAA 2012
• Participant Funding Program – National Program Guidelines under CEAA 2012
• Participant Funding Program Application Forms under CEAA 2012
• Practitioners Glossary for the Environmental Assessment of Designated Projects Under CEAA 2012
• Public Participation in Environmental Assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012
• Considering Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge in Environmental Assessments conducted under CEAA 2012
• Designating a Project under CEAA 2012
• Screening Process under CEAA 2012

The Agency also developed guidance and information on projects on federal lands and outside Canada under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012.

All documents related to environmental assessments under the former Act (1992) are kept for the completion of transitional environmental assessments commenced prior to CEAA 2012. Some information contained in the documents may still be of interest to those undertaking environmental assessments under CEAA 2012, provided that they have not been replaced by an updated version in the previous table.

Procedural Guides

• Cumulative Effects Assessment Practitioners Guide
• Addressing Cumulative Environmental Effects
• Incorporating Climate Change Considerations in Environmental Assessment: General Guidance for Practitioners
• Determining Whether A Project is Likely to Cause Significant Adverse Environmental Effects
• Assessing Environmental Effects on Physical and Cultural Heritage Resources

Operational Policy Statements

• Adaptive Management Measures under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
• Addressing Cumulative Environmental Effects under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act  
• Addressing "Need for", "Purpose of" "Alternatives to" and "Alternative Means" under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act  
• Follow-up Programs under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act

Public Participation

• Public Participation Guide
• Ministerial Guideline on Assessing the Need for and Level of Public Participation in Screenings under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act

Other

• Canadian Environmental Assessment Act: An Overview
• Former Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
• Glossary

The Cabinet Directive represents the official policy on strategic environmental assessment of the Government of Canada. As such, all Government of Canada departments and agencies that are developing policy, plan and program proposals are obligated to implement the Cabinet Directive consistent with the guidelines for implementing the Cabinet Directive.

Policy

• Strategic Environmental Assessment
• Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals and Guidelines
• Guidance on Public Statements for Federal Departments and Agencies