Participant Funding Program – National Program Guidelines

Updated: December 2022

Disclaimer

These Guidelines are intended for information purposes only. They are not a substitute for the Impact Assessment Act (the Act) or any of its regulations. In the event of any inconsistency between these Guidelines and the Act or its regulations, the Act or regulations would prevail.

To ensure that you have the most up-to-date versions of the Act and its regulations, please consult the Department of Justice website.

Updates

This document may be reviewed and updated periodically. To ensure that you have the most up-to-date version, please consult the Funding Programs page of the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada’s website.

Copyright

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, 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 distribution requires the prior written permission by contacting the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada or information@iaac-aeic.gc.ca.

This document has been issued in French under the title: Programme d’aide financière aux participants – Lignes directrices nationales du programme

Contents

Introduction

The Participant Funding Program (PFP) aims to support public engagement and Indigenous consultation and engagement during an assessment – whether it is a project-specific assessment by the Agency or review panel, regional assessment or strategic assessment. It does so by providing funding at key stages throughout an assessment process, including the implementation of follow-up programs. Participant funding contributes to an open and balanced assessment process. This strengthens the quality and credibility of federal assessments.

As per section 75 of the Impact Assessment Act (the Act), the Agency has established a PFP, administered by the Agency, to facilitate the participation of the public and Indigenous Peoples in preparing for possible assessments of designated projects, for the impact assessment (IA) of projects by the Agency or a review panel, for the design and implementation of follow-up programs for projects, and for regional and strategic assessments under the Act.

The purpose of this document is to describe the PFP components and process, and the roles and responsibilities of successful applicants.

The Agency receives a fixed annual budget for the PFP and administers it to provide limited financial contributions to eligible applicants in a fair and transparent manner. The Agency is not able to cover all expenses incurred and participants are encouraged to investigate other sources of funding or in-kind support.

Objective

The overall objective of the PFP is to:

  • Encourage effective and efficient participation of the public and Indigenous peoples, which includes timely support for participation by reducing financial barriers so that assessments can be more open, ensuring that diverse public and Indigenous Peoples’ advice, concerns and values related to impacts are taken into consideration before, during and after project assessments or in regional and strategic assessments;
  • Support the discharge of constitutional obligations and the Government’s commitments with respect to the rights of Indigenous Peoples;
  • Share information with and gather input from, members of the public and Indigenous Peoples who may have an interest in, or be affected by, a proposed project or assessment, and are interested in the protection or enhancement of the components of the environment and health, social and economic development and competitiveness.

Program Process

Client Service Standards

The Agency’s PFP client service standards are outlined below:

Client Service Standards

Activity

Standard

Contributions

Time between the application deadline and providing funding decisions to applicants

45 business days

Time between receiving a signed Contribution Agreement from the client, to the Agency signing and returning it to the client

5 business days

Time between receiving a complete payment request and notifying the client that the payment request has been processed

25 business days

Grants

Time between the client requesting a grant, to the Agency providing a signed grant agreement letter to a recipient

5 business days

The performance target for all service standards is 95%.

Determination of Funding

Participant funding is available when there is an impact assessment of a project, or regional or strategic assessment, or an engagement activity by:

  • the Agency;
  • a review panel/joint review panel;
  • design and implementation of follow-up programs for a project.

There is no amount of funding determined per activity, but rather per potentially impacted Indigenous recipient and for the public, for each assessment. The Agency has pre-established maximum funding levels for each recipient, so that the same amount is available to all recipients for all assessmentsts, and in any region.

Impact assessments under the Act

Please refer to the following website to help understand the federal government’s impact assessment process, which include key participation opportunities under PFP: https://www.canada.ca/en/impact-assessment-agency/services/policy-guidance/impact-assessment-process-overview.html.

Regional and strategic assessments

The Act allows for the conduct of regional and strategic assessments, which are considered in future federal impact assessments. Regional assessments examine the effects of existing or future physical activities carried out in a region. Strategic assessments examine the Government of Canada’s existing or proposed policies, plans, or programs relevant to impact assessment; and may also focus on issues relevant to impact assessment.

PFP is also offered for these types of assessments. For more information on regional and strategic assessments, please refere to the following website: https://www.canada.ca/en/impact-assessment-agency/services/policy-guidance.html.

Regular Funding Level

The principles used to determine funding levels for the public are based on a variety of criteria, such as number and length of meetings/ sessions involved; complexity of health, social, economic and environmental conditions in the region; and complexity and length of documents participants must review.

For project assessements: Grant funding is made available for participation during the planning phase of projects, and contribution funding is made available for public participation in engagement activities undertaken by the Agency or by a review panel, once an impact assessment is underway. Funding may also be made available for post-IA activities, depending on the project.

Regional or strategic assessment (RA/SA): Grant and contribution funding is made available to the public for regional and strategic assessments. However, as each assessment is unique, funding levels will be different between individual RAs/SAs.

Indigenous Funding Level

For project assessements: Grant funding is made available for participation and consultation during the planning phase of projects, and contribution funding is made available for participation in engagement and consultation activities undertaken by the Agency or by a review panel, once an impact assessment is underway. Funding may also be made available for post-IA activities, depending on the project.

Before funding is made available, the Agency identifies the potential Indigenous recipients who may be affected by a project assessment. In considering what constitutes a reasonable contribution to Indigenous groups to support their input to an engagement activity and/or to support their engagement in consultation and participation activities with the federal government, the Agency recognizes three categories in which activities may need to be undertaken by Indigenous recipients:

  • Community consultation: discussions within the Indigenous community on a project and its potential effects on the environment, economy, social and health impacts, as well as Indigenous or treaty rights, so views and information can be gathered and brought forward during the engagement process and consultation activities;
  • Technical review and input: review of the technical documents prepared during the engagement process and input on those documents; and
  • Consultation with federal government: presentation of the views of the Indigenous recipients to the federal government.

Based on the opportunities for participation and consultation during the engagement process identified in the consultation work plan, the funding to be offered in support of the activities described above is identified by the Agency using pre-established maximum funding levels.

Regional or strategic assessment (RA/SA): Grant and contribution funding is made available to Indigenous groups, based on the Preliminary Breadth and Depth of Consultation Assessment (PBDOCA), which remains evergreen throughout the RA/SA process. However, as each assessment is unique, funding levels will be different between individual RAs/SAs. The principles used to determine funding levels are based on a variety of criteria, such as the number and length of meetings/sessions involved; complexity of health, social, economic and environmental conditions in the region; complexity of research required to meaningfully participate; complexity and length of documents participants must review; and information on Indigenous communities provided in the PBDOCA.

Notification of Availability of Funding

Notification of Regular Funding Availability

To notify the public that participant funding is available, the Agency places public notices in local media and distribute a news release to provincial media outlets. The news release and public notice are also made available on the Agency’s Canadian Impact Assessment Registry website for the length of the current participation opportunity.

Notification of Indigenous Funding Availability

Indigenous Funding is directly linked to the Agency’s Indigenous consultation activities associated with the engagement activities of a project, regional or strategic assessment, or review process. Indigenous Funding availability is communicated by the Agency, directly to those Indigenous recipients who may be potentially impacted by the project. This is done at the same time as the announcement for Regular Funding.

Eligibility

Eligible Recipients

Individuals, non-profit organizations, and Indigenous communities and organizations that want to take part in an assessment may apply.

The Agency proactively contacts Indigenous recipients that may potentially be affected by a project and notifies them of opportunities to participate in consultation activities, and to receive financial support for that participation. Applicants must demonstrate how their participation will add value and provide relevant knowledge or expertise to the assessment. They must also meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • Have a direct local interest in the project or regional/strategic assessment, such as living or owning property in the project area;
  • Possess community knowledge or Indigenous knowledge relevant to the impact assessment or regional/strategic assessment;
  • Possess expert information relevant to the anticipated impacts of the project; or
  • Possess an interest in a project’s potential impacts on Treaty lands, settlement lands or traditional territories or related claims and rights.

The funding made available by the Agency’s PFP supports current participation opportunities posted on the Agency’s Registry website and Indigenous consultation opportunities described in specific Indigenous consultation plans established for a project.

Ineligible Recipients

Governmental organizations (such as municipal or provincial governments), other than Indigenous governments, are not eligible to receive participant funding.

Any individuals, organizations or groups with views regarding the potential effects of an assessment may still participate in the assessment process, regarless of funding decisions.

Expenses

Eligible Expenses

The following expenses are eligible for funding under the PFP:

  • Reporting CostsFootnote 1
  • Professional ServicesFootnote 2
  • Travel Expenses (including travel kilometers/flights, meals, incidentals and accommodation and be in accordance with the National Joint Council’s travel directive)
  • Honoraria and ceremonial offerings (including costs associated with providing Indigenous traditional or community knowledge relevant to the engagement activity. The recipient to whom honoraria is provided cannot be in receipt of a salary or any other direct income for the activity for which an honorarium is claimed. Ceremonial offerings where the funding recipient is an Indigenous community that receives funding to support consultation in relation to impacts on potential or established Aboriginal rights or title, or because the group possesses Indigenous knowledge relevant to the IA or engagement initiative.)

Grant letters or contribution agreements will identify eligible costs, and costs incured must be used only for expenditures that are directly related to the activities identified in the agreement with the Agency. No financial support will be directed to costs that would have been incurred independently of the assessment and the funding programs.

Ineligible Expenses

Ineligible expenses include capital expendituresFootnote 3, costs for construction, lost income and renovation of buildings. Ongoing operational expenses of the applicant organization not related to approved activities, and unspecified miscellaneous costs, are also ineligible.

Moreover, the Agency will not fund activities that duplicate services, studies or written materials that are funded by other public or private sources. This includes information prepared by the Agency, the proponent or the Review Panel (in the case of an assessment by a review panel).

The Agency’s Funding Programs has a ‘stacking limit’, that is, a maximum permitted amount of combined funding from federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments for participation in any one assessment or associated Crown consultation activities. Combined funding from governments to a recipient for participation in a project or Crown consultation activities cannot exceed 100% of eligible costs. The Agency uses the information provided by a Recipient in the application and in the Detailed Financial Reports to verify that a Recipient’s funding request and Detailed Financial Report conforms to this stacking limit. If the stacking limit is exceeded, the Agency will adjust its level of contribution, and if necessary, seek reimbursement so that the staking limit is not exceeded. A paragraph regarding the stacking limit forms part of the Agreement with a recipient.

Application Submission

A completed funding application form must be submitted by the deadline to be considered for funding. The application forms are available on the Agency’s Registry website during current participation opportunities only.

The deadline for submitting a funding application is generally 30 calendar days (but may vary) from the notification of participant funding availability, and is clearly identified in the Public Notices and News Releases.

Only completed application forms received by the deadline will be considered.

Completed applications and supporting documentation are to be submitted to the Agency by one of the following ways:

Mail:

Funding Programs
Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
160 Elgin Street, 22nd Floor
Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3

Funding Allocations

Funding decisions are undertaken in accordance to the Risk Management Framework to achieve Program results. The risk and materiality of funding are considered in making a final determination of funding allocations for each assessment. Determining factors include the potential impacts of the project/assessment on Indigenous rights or Peoples; the complexity of the activities; any pre-established maximum funding allocations; and the available annual grants and contributions budget.

Some applicants may not receive funding. Others may be approved for less than the amount they requested. Regardless of the decision, applicants may still participate in the engagement activities.

The Agency notifies all applicants of the funding decision. The successful applicants’ names and approved funding allocation amounts are made public on to the Government of Canada’s Proactive Disclosure website as part of the Government of Canada’s efforts of transparency.

Contribution Agreement

When funding is approved, the applicant will be contacted by the Agency to finalize a Contribution Agreement. A Contribution Agreement is a type of contract between the Agency and a recipient of the funds.

The Contribution Agreement, signed by the applicant (referred to in the Contribution Agreement as the “Recipient”) and the Agency, will identify the conditions of the funding and the obligations of all signatories.

Only expenses incurred after a Contribution Agreement has been signed by both the Recipient and the Agency can be reimbursed (unless otherwise indicated in the agreement).

The Contribution Agreement also:

  • identifies the eligible costs;
  • specifies the eligible activities in the approved work plan;
  • specifies conditions for payment;
  • specifies the effective date and duration of the Contribution Agreement; and
  • requires the Recipient to be accountable for the public funds received.

Due to the estimated nature of funding requests, an adjustment of up to 20 percent within expense categories may be allowed. The Recipient must submit an email request with justification to modify the original eligible expenditures approved as part of Appendix A of the Contribution Agreement. The request must be approved by the Agency and the total amount claimed must remain within the level of funding originally approved.

The Agency reserves the right to undertake, or have undertaken, a financial audit of the accounts and resources of the recipient to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Contribution Agreement.

Grant Agreement

Grants may be provided for certain participation opportunities through PFP. Grants are most appropriate in situations where timelines are short, the overall risk is low, and when important objectives can be achieved through their use.

Grants are paid out as soon as the grant agreement is offered by the Agency and accepted by the recipient, and there is no need to provide an expense claim for grants.

The Grant Agreement also:

  • identifies the eligible costs;
  • specifies the eligible activities to be undertaken;
  • specifies conditions for payment; and
  • requires the Recipient to be accountable for the public funds received.

The Agency reserves the right to undertake, or have undertaken, a financial audit of the accounts and resources of the recipient to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Agreement.

Direct Deposit

The Government of Canada has switched from cheques to direct deposit, an electronic transfer of funds deposited directly into the recipient’s bank account. For more information on direct deposit, visit your bank or financial institution, or call toll-free at 1-800-O-Canada (1-800-622-6232). You can also find more information, including a short informative video, on the Government of Canada website.

If you currently have a bank account or qualify to open a bank account, you are encouraged to contact the Funding Program Team at fp-paf@iaac-aeic.gc.ca.

Payments (Contribution Agreements)

The Contribution Agreement includes conditions of payment. There are two ways that funds can be provided to the Recipient: as interim payments or a final payment.

Advance

Payments can be made in advance and may be provided to recipients where they have demonstrated a cash flow requirement for funding to be provided prior to incurring eligible expenditures. Percentages of advances provided to recipients vary, and may be provided to the recipient based on an approved work plan and at the Agency’s discretion.

Interim

An interim payment can be made after some eligible expenses have been incurred by the Recipient for participation activities set out in the approved work plan, but before all activities relating to the final participation opportunity have been completed.

Final

A final payment claim can be submitted once all of the eligible expenses related to the final participation opportunity have been incurred by the Recipient, and when there are no more opportunities to participate in the assessment.

Contact Information

Mail:

Funding Programs
Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
160 Elgin Street, 22nd Floor
Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3

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