Technical considerations and references for the preparation of Impact Statements

August 2025 (interim version)

Our website is undergoing significant changes to provide updated guidance on the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada's practice on the application of the Impact Assessment Act and its regulations. This webpage and its contents may not reflect the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada's current practices. Proponents remain responsible for following applicable legislation and regulations. For more information, please contact guidancefeedback-retroactionorientation@iaac-aeic.gc.ca.

To prepare their Impact Statement, proponents must follow the requirements outlined in the project-specific Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines (the Guidelines) issued by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC). This document provides technical considerations, as well as references to additional resources, to support proponents in the preparation of an Impact Statement.

Contents

• Technical resources
  • List of project components & activities
  • Establishing spatial and temporal boundaries
  • Sources of baseline information
  • Developing mitigation measures
  • Biophysical effects assessment
• References to additional resources
  • Atmospheric, acoustic and visual environment
  • Birds
  • Fish and fish habitat
  • Gender-based analysis plus
  • Greenhouse gases and climate change
  • Human health
  • Indigenous participation and engagement
  • Species at risk
  • Sustainability and environmental obligations
  • Water quality
  • Wetlands
  • Other

IAAC’s guidance on the practice of the Impact Assessment Act and its regulations is being updated, and the current versions of the guidance, referred to in this document, may not reflect IAAC’s current practices. Proponents remain responsible for following applicable legislation and regulations. Proponents are encouraged to engage with IAAC regarding the applicability of the guidance. For more information, please contact project-projet@iaac-aeic.gc.ca.

Technical considerations

Below are lists of technical considerations to support proponents in the preparation of an Impact Statement meeting the requirements outlined in the project-specific Guidelines. Proponents should refer to relevant sections where and as applicable.

List of project components & activities

The following components and activities may be relevant to the assessment of adverse federal effects:

Project components

Generic project components

• water management infrastructure to divert, control, collect and discharge surface drainage and groundwater discharges to the receiving environment, including collector ditches, groundwater interception wells, sedimentation ponds, sumps, and pump and pipeline systems;
• treatment facilities for potable water, sewage, wastewater and effluent (including proposed treatment technologies, footprint, location, discharge locations);
• material stockpiles including hazardous waste, fuel storage tanks, and explosives warehouses;
• waterbody diversions or realignments;
• crossings of waterbodies and watercourses, including bridges and culverts;
• construction workspace and laydown areas;
• temporary or permanent infrastructure, including administration buildings, warehouses, garages, maintenance offices;
• sources of drinking and industrial water;
• energy supply source;
• waste disposal (types of waste, methods of disposal, quantity, disposal sites or facilities);
• site access roads or routes;
• temporary or permanent worker accommodations;
• borrow pits and quarries;
• fences and barriers;
• any other infrastructure relevant to the project;

Liquefied natural gas facilities

• liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities up to the connection point with the natural gas carrier pipe, including natural gas receiving and processing equipment, liquefaction circuits, LNG and coolant storage tanks, flare stacks, generators, gas delivery pipelines and fume return lines and emergency and leak detection systems;
• natural gas transshipment, storage and handling areas, including service and secondary electrical-power infrastructure and working surfaces;
• marine terminals and associated changes in marine traffic;
• petroleum products storage tanks intended for the operation of machinery, compressors, generators, trucks, locomotives, ships or other;
• marine infrastructures, including a jetty, a platform, a wharf for berthing LNG tanker ships, as well as mooring and berthing dolphins and interconnected walkways that may be installed between the platform, the jetty and the dolphins (area, size, location, orientation in relation to existing terminals);
• ships and tugboats maneuvering areas, approach channel, anchorage areas;
• terrestrial access roads at the site of the terminal, including their surface area, size, location, and orientation with respect to the wharf to be built;
• permanent and temporary linear infrastructure including conduits, power lines and connection to the existing railway (route and location);
• temporary structures required for project construction;
• explosives manufacturing and/or storage facilities;
• works for managing water, waste, cargo residues and hazardous materials;
• fire water system;

Mining

• mine waste management facility (footprint, location and preliminary design) and related pipelines (including those for tailings and return water);
• storage of waste rock, overburden, topsoil, low grade ore storage, lake sediment, and stockpiles (footprint, locations, volumes, development and management plans and design criteria);
• open pit, including borrow pits, and/or underground mine (footprint, location, development plans including pit phases), surface portals, declines, underground workings, ventilation system, zone of subsidence, backfill paste plant;
• crusher and processing facilities (footprint, process, technology, location);
• storage and load out facilities for concentrate and or finished product;
• fueling stations for trucks/vehicles or energy supply source (e.g. dams, generators, wind-mill, solar);
• explosives manufacturing and storage facilities (method, location, licensing, management);
• aggregate deposits and aggregate plant (footprint, location, volumes);
• permanent and temporary linear infrastructures including access roads, rail line, conveyor, haul roads, transmission line, and pipelines (route, location and types of structure used for any stream crossings);
• collector and diversion ditches, dams, culverts, bridges, spillways and water storage facilities including sediment ponds and seepage collection ponds (conceptual design features);

Onshore linear infrastructures

• permanent and temporary linear infrastructures such as roads, railroads, pipelines, power supply, primary electrical transmission lines;
• compression and pumping stations;
• bridges, stream and river crossings;

Hydroelectric power generation

• dam structures (i.e. rockfill or concrete);
• reservoir (including baseline information on area to be flooded, e.g. existing vegetation, contaminated sites);
• powerhouse containing generating units/turbines;
• spillway structures;
• water intake structures, including temporary and permanent tunnels;

Nuclear facilities

• nuclear generating stations;
• water cooling systems for nuclear reactors, including intake and discharge structures;
• nuclear waste transfer and storage;
• waste management and storage facilities for low and intermediate-level radioactive waste and used fuel;

Marine

• breakwaters and erosion protection structures;
• floating or bottom-fixed drilling installations and/or production platforms;
• work over and intervention vessels;
• subsea installations, including subsea templates, production wells and gathering flow lines;
• breakwaters and erosion protection structures;
• marine transportation;
• mooring systems;
• port or marine terminal infrastructure and facilities, including any components that will be constructed in support of the project;
• navigation activities, size and type of product transport and supply vessels;

Project activities

Site preparation and construction

• construction staging;
• surveying and staking;
• site grubbing, clearing and excavation, including tree and vegetation removal;
• excavation and salvage of topsoil, soil and bedrock, and rocky substrates including potentially acid-generating and metal-leaching materials;
• management of excavated materials, including potentially acidogenic or leachable materials;
• blasting (frequency, duration, time of year, time of day and methods);
• explosives manufacture, transportation, storage and management;
• construction of access roads;
• clearing of transmission corridor and construction of powerline to site;
• construction of site fencing;
• changes to existing infrastructure (e.g. relocation of pipelines);
• transportation and management of borrow materials requirement (source and quantity);
• storage areas for material stockpiles;
• water management, including water diversions, dewatering or deposition activities, storm water management, site drainage, runoff management and sediment or erosion control;
• water management to divert, control, collect and discharge surface drainage and groundwater seepage to the receiving environment, including collector ditches, groundwater interception wells, sedimentation ponds, sumps, and pump and pipeline systems;
• construction of water management facilities to manage water that comes into contact with oil sands or plant processes, including collector ditches, sumps, pump and pipeline systems, and groundwater interception wells;
• water requirements for project construction, operation, decommissioning and closure, including estimate of quantities needed;
• management and treatment of wastewater and discharge points;
• construction of mine waste management facility;
• water for pressure testing;
• operation of light duty, heavy-duty and mobile off-road equipment (type, quantity);
• construction of temporary or permanent infrastructure;
• establishment of worker accommodations (capacity, wastewater treatment);
• transportation of employees;
• storage, gestation, disposal and management of hazardous materials, fuels and waste (indicate types, methods and amounts);
• marine and/or port related dredging;

For capital and maintenance dredging:

• the location, depth, surface area, volume and nature of the sediment (physical and chemical characteristics) to be dredged;
• dredging methods (e.g. equipment used, duration and frequency);
• management of anticipated dispersion plume of sediment that could be re-suspended during dredging or open-water disposal (if applicable);
• measures to prevent sediment resuspension;
• sediment management plans (open-water or terrestrial disposal);
• sediment transportation modes to the construction or disposal sites, including management of dewatering basins, if necessary;

For open-water disposal activities of dredged sediments:

• rationale for the choice of the site and specifying the land area used;
• particle size distribution;
• the nature of sediments (physical and chemical characteristics);

For terrestrial disposal sites or dewatering basins:

• the size, location, type, volume and the level of contamination of sediments to be stored;

For offshore projects:

• offshore construction, installation, and hook-up and commissioning:
  • any associated pre-clearance surveys, site preparation, geotechnical, geophysical, environmental, geological surveys, and remotely operated or autonomous vehicle surveys,
  • components and activities associated with establishing locations of drilling templates and subsea infrastructure, and
  • construction, installation and hook-up of subsea infrastructure;
• any required subsea infrastructure protection measures (e.g. rock dumping over flowlines, installation of subsea wellhead protection equipment, trenching of flowlines or concrete mattresses installation);
• offshore development drilling; and
• installation of production platforms and mooring systems.

Operation

• product production and stockpiling, product extraction, processing and treatment;
• drilling and blasting;
• explosives manufacture, storage and use;
• seismic and vertical seismic profiling;
• management and disposal of wastes onshore and offshore;
• at-sea transfers of bulk materials;
• nuclear waste transfer and storage;
• storage, handling and transport of materials;
• use and maintenance of access roads;
• water management, including water diversions, site drainage and runoff management, sediment and erosion controls, site dewatering, potable water, water use requirements, storm water, process water, wastewater, water recycling and effluent treatment (quantity, treatment requirements, release point(s) and receiving waterbodies);
• storage and handling of reagents, petroleum products, chemical products, hazardous materials and residual materials;
• mine waste management, including tailings, waste rock, ore, overburden and topsoil;
• waste management and recycling (other than mine waste such as tailings and waste rock);
• workforce management, including transportation, work schedules and lodging;
• dredging and maintenance dredging;
• marine navigation activities relating to product transport or support vessels;
• offshore exploration drilling;
• offshore production and transport;
• ocean disposal, methods and disposal locations;

Suspension, abandonment or decommissioning

• preliminary outline of a suspension, abandonment, decommissioning or reclamation plan for components associated with the project;
• the ownership, transfer and control of the different project components;
• site restoration;
• removal of surface contamination from facilities and equipment;
• well decommissioning;
• leave of subsea pipelines;
• dismantling and removal of equipment and systems;
• demolition or disposition of buildings and ancillary structures;
• long-term care, monitoring and maintaining the integrity of the site, including site drainage and water management, and any remaining structures;
• transfer of fuel and associated wastes to interim and long-term licenced storage facilities (including nuclear facilities); and
• suspension, abandonment or decommissioning for temporary or permanent facilities.

Establishing spatial and temporal boundaries

The following elements may be relevant to the establishment of spatial and temporal boundaries in order to assess the adverse federal effects:

• for spatial boundaries:
  • areas impacted by changes to water quality and quantity or changes in flow in the watershed and hydrologically connected waters,
  • areas impacted by airborne emissions or odours,
  • air zone(s) and airsheds under the Air Quality Management System,
  • local major emission sources,
  • areas of importance to people, including recreational areas,
  • international and provincial or territorial borders which require transboundary assessment,
  • modelling domain size based on isopleths resulting from the project-only case that represents 10% of the appropriate jurisdictional ambient air quality criteria (within the limits of validity of the model),
  • areas within the range of vision, light and sound,
  • the locations and characteristics of sensitive receptors, such as:
    • vulnerable or diverse population groups (e.g. individuals with compromised health, children, pregnant women, seniors),
    • residences, health and social services institutions (e.g. hospitals, long-term care facilities, seniors’ residences),
    • educational institutions (e.g. schools, daycare centres, early childhood centres),
    • tourism establishments (e.g. tourism information offices, museums, ski areas, summer camps, outdoor recreation areas, camp sites),
    • recreational areas (e.g. recreational land, urban parks, parks and conservation areas),
    • areas for the exercise of the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and
    • sensitive wildlife species or habitats (e.g. soil types or areas with historical loading or poor buffering, important areas of wildlife use, harvesting activities),
  • species habitat areas, usage timing and migratory patterns,
  • emergency planning and emergency response zones,
  • the geographic extent of local and regional services,
  • affected Indigenous groups,
  • affected communities,
  • areas of known Indigenous land, including reserve lands, traditional territories and/or treaty lands, cultural, spiritual and resource use,
  • affected infrastructure, and
  • to determine appropriate ecological boundaries and buffer distances around the project area, a land cover analysis, including freshwater and marine environments, may be appropriate. The spatial extent of habitat and habitat functions may influence the determination of an appropriate Local Study Area (LSA) and Regional Study Area (RSA). To ensure that the LSA includes the areas where project effects may extend, simulation modelling may help define buffers that address the species or species group being assessed. To verify appropriate boundaries for wildlife species, the proponent may contact federal, provincial and/or local government authorities; and
• for temporal boundaries:
  • predicted effects after project decommissioning or abandonment,
  • detection of species throughout the year and from one year to another,
  • temporal pattern of use (e.g. breeding, migrants stopping on northward and/or southward migration), and
  • variation due to irregular events (e.g. masting events, storms on migration, late snowfalls).

Sources of baseline information

The following information sources and data collection methods may be relevant in establishing baseline conditions for the effects assessment:

• Government of Canada’s Open Science and Data Platform. This online, public platform provides access to government sources of science, data, publications and information about development activities across the country that are relevant to understanding cumulative effects. The platform can help identify relevant data and scientific articles in one online location, and be a source of open data available for download;
• field studies, including site-specific survey methods;
• database searches, including federal, provincial, territorial, municipal and local data banks, including for example:
  • eBird Canada,
  • Breeding Bird Survey,
  • Christmas bird count,
  • Birds Canada’s Canadian Migration Monitoring Network,
  • Nature Counts,
  • iNaturalist,
  • Neighbourhood Bat Watch, and
  • Bird Conservation Regions and strategies;
• land cover data, such as forest cover maps, or remote sensing data for important habitats features and important characteristics;
• research programs of regional industry, resource or species-specific committees;
• protected areas, watershed or coastal management plans;
• natural resource management plans;
• species recovery and restoration plans;
• field measurements to gather data on ambient or background levels for air, water, soil and sediment quality, light levels or acoustic environment (soundscape);
• published literature;
• environmental assessment documentation, including monitoring reports, from prior projects in the area and similar projects outside the area;
• regional studies or assessments, project assessments and strategic assessments;
• renewable harvest data;
• Indigenous Knowledge, including oral histories;
• expert, community, public and Indigenous engagement and consultation activities, including workshops, meetings, open houses, surveys;
• qualitative information gathered from interviews, focus groups or observation;
• census data;
• human health impact assessments or risk assessments;
• information available from Canadian Institute for Health Information under Community and Health System Characteristics;
• community and regional economic profiles; and
• statistical surveys, as applicable.

To determine whether additional data sources and survey methods may be appropriate, federal, provincial or local government authorities can be contacted.

Developing mitigation measures

The mitigation hierarchy is a best practice framework presenting a descending order of priority for mitigation measures where effects or impacts should first and foremost be avoided, then minimized if not avoidable, and, as a last resort, offset. The Impact Assessment Act refers to mitigation measures to eliminate, reduce, control or offset adverse effects, which corresponds to the following order of priority in the mitigation hierarchy:

• Eliminate (avoidance): refers to the elimination of effects, for example, by changing the location or design of the project;
• Reduce and control (minimization): refers to reducing effects, for example, by modifying the most adversely impactful project activities or components, or controlling effects, for example, by including physical barriers to limit the geographic extent of an effect; and
• Offset: refers to offsetting effects, for example, where an effect on fish habitat persists, through the restoration of degraded habitat or through the creation of new habitat (replacement). Offset mitigation measures can be referred to as replacement, restoration or compensation.

Compensation and offset plans

The following considerations may be relevant to compensation or offset plans, where they are proposed:

• exhaustion of feasible mitigation measure options in the mitigation hierarchy;
• residual effects that are the subject of compensation or offset plans;
• rationale for the compensation ratio, including how any policies or guidance provided by federal and provincial authorities and Indigenous Peoples have been considered;
• location and timing of implementation of compensation projects;
• success criteria;
• non-habitat related compensation measures (e.g. predator control);
• how the proposed measures align with published provincial and federal recovery management or action plans and strategies for species at risk, or for fish and fish habitat;
• the parties responsible for the implementation of the compensatory measures, including monitoring and review;
• indicator species for setting compensation objectives. Species at risk generally require specific compensation efforts and should not be used as indicator species. For compensation plans targeting species at risk, the proponent can refer to Template 2 in the proposed Species at Risk Act Permitting Policy;
• the habitat functions gained at the compensation site(s);
• evidence that habitat functions can be replaced by the proposed offset activities;
• selection process for proposed compensation sites and associated baseline conditions;
• the monitoring schedule and activities to be completed to verify the success of compensation activities;
• Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Operational Framework for Use of Conservation Allowances;
• with respect to wetlands compensation plans:
  • how the proposed measures align with published provincial and federal recovery management or action plans and strategies for wetlands,
  • the location and total area of each type of wetland, as well as their respective locations, for which the residual effects would be mitigated by compensation measures,
  • preference for the restoration of drained or altered natural wetlands of the same type and function as those affected by the project. Wetland restoration is preferable to wetland enhancement, both of which are preferable to the creation of new wetlands,
  • demonstration that wetland functions can be replaced by the proposed compensation,
  • whether it is possible to compensate for the loss of functions in cases where wetlands are unique, perform habitat functions that ensure the survival of a large proportion of migratory birds, or provide habitat for species at risk,
  • minimum ratio of 2:1 for the area of wetlands to be restored or created, versus the original area of wetlands affected, and a higher ratio where the success of the compensation is uncertain,
  • compensation for lost wetland functions on-site if site conditions are suitable, and, if not, preference to compensate within the same watershed, and then within the same ecosystem as the one where functions are affected,
  • minimization of the delay between the time the adverse effects occur and the time habitat and functions are restored, and
  • how vegetation removals, as well as soil and peat excavation activities, will be managed for reclamation of disturbed wetlands (e.g. methods, conditions and timing of stockpiling);
• with respect to fish and fish habitat offsetting plans:
  • exact location for the proposed measures of the project (e.g. latitude and longitude, lot number, municipality, regional municipality county) and property rights,
  • baseline information including a description of the environment (e.g. biological, hydrological, physical, chemical), an estimation of the quality of the environment in question and a description of the issue to address. Ideally, the description of the environment would be accompanied by georeferenced and dated photographs,
  • the proposed measures (e.g. nature, extent, method, timetable),
  • the fish species affected by the proposed measures, including the resulting fish habitat functions (feeding, reproduction, rearing, shelter, growth, migration),
  • the benefits to fish and fish habitat resulting from the offsetting measures in terms of the significance, magnitude and adequacy of the gains to be achieved with respect to the current situation,
  • measurement of the success of offsetting objectives in the follow-up program, the details of its implementation, the methods and criteria used to evaluate success (e.g. parameters, frequency, duration), the deliverables (e.g. baseline information, follow-up protocol, plans and specifications, work report, follow-up report), and the contingency measures in case success criteria are not met. These may be compiled in table(s); and
  • the following standard Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) guidance:
    • A review of functional monitoring methods to assess mitigation, restoration, and offsetting activities in Canada;
    • Assessing the Effectiveness of Habitat Offset Activities in Canada: Monitoring Design and Metrics;
    • Equivalency metrics for the determination of offset requirements for the Fisheries Protection Program; and
    • Policy for applying measures to offset adverse effects on fish and fish habitat under the Fisheries Act.

Biophysical effects assessment

The following technical guidance considerations may be relevant to the assessment of Valued Components identified in the project-specific Guidelines:

Atmospheric, acoustic and visual environment

• project sources of air pollutant emissions may include the following types of sources:
  • point sources: including power generation equipment (i.e. gensets), turbines, compressor engines, incinerators, exhaust vents and stacks from processing facilities, ventilation vents, boilers and other heating equipment, flares, docked marine vessels, idling train engines and other transport vehicles, fugitive emissions from storage tanks and leaks for gas pipes and other equipment, start-up and shut-down emissions,
  • area sources: including drilling and blasting activities, material handling (e.g. loading and unloading of transport trucks) material transport, wind erosion of waste rock piles and stockpiles, fugitive emissions from exposed mine faces, fugitive emissions from process areas and tailings management areas, and dust emissions from paved and nonpaved roads. It may be relevant to describe fugitive dust emission factors and expected fugitive dust mitigation (control effectiveness),
  • mobile/road sources: including tailpipe emissions and fugitive dust emissions, including off-road and on-road fleet vehicles used in the project. It may be relevant to describe fugitive dust emission factors and assumed mitigation (control efficiency), as well as to estimate tailpipe emission factors using established methods, and
  • emissions from project-related vessels and their tugs in transport along the entire marine shipping area, and rail transport;
• baseline monitoring data of an appropriate duration and geographic scope;
• if long-term monitoring data are not available, other techniques may be acceptable on a case-by-case basis – with a rationale provided – including:
  • limited or short-term monitoring,
  • data from a surrogate site that has similar meteorological and air quality to represent the site in question,
  • results of existing large-scale modelling, and
  • dispersion modelling to indicate the spatial distribution of contaminants;
• with respect to atmospheric dispersion modelling:
  • the air quality assessment may assess four scenarios, namely:
    1. baseline conditions (i.e. the reference case);
    2. project only (with and without mitigation measures);
    3. baseline conditions plus the project; and
    4. cumulative effects or future development, if applicable,
  • modelling using the most recent meteorological and emissions data available for an appropriate time period to account for variability in meteorology and baseline conditions,
  • dispersion modelling at relevant temporal scenarios. For the construction phase, select the conditions that maximize the impact on air quality. For the operation phase, select a year that maximizes the impact on air quality,
  • modeling of fugitive emissions with and without mitigation measures to assess the impact of these measures on air quality and particulate matter deposition at sensitive receptors, particularly for particulate matter emissions from unpaved roads, and using various mitigation control efficiency scenarios such as 0% (no mitigation or worst-case scenario), 50%, and 70%,
  • appropriate domain boundaries (enclosing concentrations that are 10% of relevant air quality criteria, at minimum) and identify transboundary considerations, and
  • air quality model appropriate for the complexity of the terrain, sources and meteorology;
• to inform the choice of program to conduct regional air quality modelling of acidifying deposition rates, Environment and Climate Change Canada can be consulted.

Wetlands

• quantitative functional assessment for representative wetlands that the project would directly impact, and of wetland(s) that are hydrologically connected, in the context of:
  • the larger watersheds of which they are a part,
  • adjacent land use with a focus on hydrological and other functions,
  • landscape and/or watershed considering topography, soil types and hydrological linkages, and
  • the global significance of peatlands across the RSA;
• specificity regarding the biological characteristics of the wetland and the ecological services and functions it provides;
• data collected from representative wetlands in a manner that enables reliable extrapolations in space (i.e. to the project area, LSA and RSA) and in time (i.e. across years), including:
  • design surveys in support of the assessment so that they represent the spatial and temporal targets of modelling and extrapolations, and to produce scientifically defensible predictions of impacts and estimates of mitigation effectiveness. Consider survey designs that are sensitive enough to detect and quantify the effects at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales, any departures from predictions, and the effectiveness of mitigations, and
  • plan survey protocol for representative wetlands to include modelling and simulations to estimate sampling requirements, and analysis to evaluate resulting design options. Consider a sample size to support the evaluation of the project study area within the context of the LSA and RSA. Consider survey designs that include multiple survey locations to represent the wetland heterogeneity of the RSA, and to yield multiple survey locations per wetland type, without requiring aggregation of habitat classes post-hoc;
• site-specific baseline information on wetland functions:
  • surveys to assess for the presence, abundance, density, and distribution of relevant species in relation to affected wetlands and associated riparian areas, meeting species- or group-specific standards and conducted during appropriate times of the year,
  • surveys for species at risk that assess species individually where possible (generally, an indicator approach is not appropriate for species at risk) and that are not limited to species or groups of species that are wetland-obligate, but rather surveys that include species known to use wetland habitats as part of its lifecycle, and that are sufficiently robust to identify which wetland classes are important to which species,
  • the location and a description of the specific biological characteristics of each affected wetland and the ecological services and functions (hydrology, biochemical cycling, habitat, climate) they provide, and
  • the rationale and detailed description of the methods used in completing the wetland functions assessment, including sampling design, and
• to determine if other wetland conservation policies, regulations, or wetland compensation guidelines apply, relevant provincial and local government authorities can be contacted.

Fish and fish habitat

• with respect to the establishment of baseline conditions for fish and fish habitat:
  • note that certain intermittent and ephemeral watercourses or waterbodies may constitute or contribute to fish habitat. Furthermore, the absence of fish or water at the time of a survey does not irrefutably indicate an absence of fish and/or fish habitat. Similarly, beaver dams and accumulations of woody debris are not considered impassable barriers to fish,
  • consider that protected or sensitive habitat areas may include Ecologically and Biologically Sensitive Marine Areas and any existing, designated or proposed special marine areas such as marine refuges, marine conservation areas, ecological reserves and marine protected areas that could be affected by the project,
  • consider describing waterbodies by measuring relevant parameters, including size, bathymetry, littoral, sublittoral, bathyal, epipelagic, mesopelagic, bathypelagic zones, maximum and average depths, seasonal water level fluctuations, substrate type (sediment), aquatic (submerged, floating and emergent) and riparian vegetation, and water quality (temperature and dissolved oxygen profile, turbidity, transparency, pH, salinity),
  • when describing fish species present, use existing information (e.g. the Fish and Wildlife Internet Mapping Tool, accessible regional reports, primary literature, fisheries management objectives, information from consultation and engagement activities, Indigenous Knowledge) supplemented by field data collection as necessary to support the assessment, and as relevant to validate predictions,
  • when describing surface water hydrology in watercourses on the basis of a homogenous section, relevant parameters to measure can include length of the section, wetted width at the ordinary high water mark (Ordinary High Water Mark), depth, streamflow types and characteristics (depth, velocity, turbidity, peak and low flows), substrate type (shoreline and bottom), aquatic (e.g. grass flat) and riparian vegetation, natural (e.g. significant vertical drop, waterfalls, subsurface flow over large distances), and anthropogenic barriers (e.g. stream crossing structures) that impede or obstruct free passage of fish. Consider documenting obstacles (e.g. size, condition) and assessing their passability by fish:
    • Ordinary High Water Mark is the usual or average level to which a body of water rises at its highest point and remains for sufficient time to change the characteristics of the land. In flowing waters (e.g. rivers, streams) this refers to the "active channel/bank-full level" which is often the 1:2 year flood flow return level. In inland lakes, wetlands or marine environments it refers to those parts of the water-body bed and banks that are frequently flooded by water to leave a mark on the land and where the natural vegetation changes from predominately aquatic vegetation to terrestrial vegetation (excepting water tolerant species). For reservoirs this refers to normal high operating levels (i.e. full supply level),
    • in northern regions: describe permafrost conditions and taliks and their influence on groundwater–surface water interactions and surface water quality;
    • when describing baseline contaminants, consider carbon and nitrogen isotope measurements in fish and bioaccumulation of contaminants in fish downstream of the project; and
• with respect to the assessment of effects on fish and fish habitat overall:
  • refer to standard metrics for changes in habitat quality and quantity to choose an analysis that is appropriate to the type and scale of effects (see A framework for assessing fisheries productivity for the Fisheries Protection Program and Science-Based Framework for Assessing the Response of Fisheries Productivity to State of Species or Habitats). For example, broader, ecosystem-wide effects may warrant a modelling approach. The data can be presented in a table and map at appropriate scales, and
  • consider that the effects of chronic and acute disturbances to fish populations are often dependent on the state of the fish population. If the fish population is already depleted, the effect of an acute disturbance may have a disproportionate effect on the population.

Birds

• with respect to field bird surveys:
  • bird surveys designed based on the available scientific evidence pertinent to the specific region, bird groups and anticipated effects:
    • consistent with applicable regulatory guidelines and standards,
    • temporal sampling capturing key life cycle stages (breeding, migration, overwintering),
    • spatially balanced sampling sites (e.g. using stratified random sampling that covers all habitat types) informed by expert advice on bird monitoring design,
    • sufficient sampling effort and sampling locations to reflect variability among habitat types in the project, local and regional study areas, with more intensive sampling effort:
      • in the project area,
      • in areas or habitats more likely to be affected by the project, or
      • for hard to detect species, or
      • for species at risk,
  • complement existing data to represent relevant spatial and temporal variability (e.g. across temporal scales, within and among seasons, and within the 24-hour daily cycle),
  • survey protocol planning includes modelling and simulations to estimate sampling requirements and evaluate survey options,
  • survey design can produce scientifically defensible predictions of effects and estimates of the effectiveness of mitigation measures,
  • modelling techniques based on recent scientific literature,
  • when major habitat edges are identified, sampling design allowing the description of edges between the types of habitat in addition to the importance of the types of habitat,
  • where modelling is used to delineate and quantify habitat types, explanatory data (e.g. covariables such as associated land cover, etc.) represent relevant sources of variation such as spatial variation in land cover composition, soil type, geomorphology, hydrological processes, elevation as well as inter-annual and intra-annual climate variability,
  • estimates of confidence or error are defined (e.g. 95% confidence intervals, credible intervals) for all estimates of abundance and distribution (e.g. mean across years, mean across sites, modelled prediction), and
  • given that migratory bird counts are dependent on length of stay as well as presence, estimates of inter and intra-annual trends and lengths of stay are incorporated into estimates of abundance across a migratory period and are inclusive of irruptive species may be absent from an area until conditions change (e.g. mast event, snow melt);
• with respect to field habitat surveys:
  • local and regional habitat availability and quality context,
  • mixed wood and old-growth forest land cover and other upland vegetation types of importance for forest-associated bird species, supporting birds during migration, breeding and through the winter, as well as riparian corridors with adjacent mixed wood forest,
  • peatlands and wetlands, including fens and bogs of ecological importance,
  • highly productive sites including estuaries and eelgrass beds, spawning shorelines and rivers, upwelling areas, colonial breeding sites, and islands or islets, and
  • environmentally significant areas include National Parks, National Wildlife Areas, Migratory Bird Sanctuaries or other provincial, territorial, Indigenous or Environmental Non-Governmental Organization areas or sanctuaries for birds, important bird areas, offshore Marine Protected Areas, and Ecologically and Biologically Significant Marine Areas;
• with respect to likely effect pathways to birds:
  • vegetation removal or alteration, particularly of habitats important for nesting, foraging, staging, overwintering or that act as movement corridors,
  • deposition of harmful substances and changes to water quality in waters frequented by birds,
  • structures that could result in bird collisions, including lighted towers, guy wires, power lines, glass and other transparent structures,
  • changes to the aquatic flow regime and sediment load,
  • construction and operation of tailings disposal facilities (i.e. tailings ponds), wastewater ponds or other ponds containing process liquids or substances harmful to birds,
  • changes to the atmospheric, acoustic and visual environment (e.g. noise, vibration, lighting, air emissions and dust),
  • flaring of gas, and
  • any project activities that may occur during critical periods and/or restricted activity periods for birds, including species at risk;
• with respect to effects to birds:
  • each activity, component and project phase separately, indicating whether those activities would be permanent or non-permanent in the environment,
  • non-linear, indirect and synergistic effects,
  • the predicted short-term and long-term changes to habitats identified in the baseline section (in terms of quality, quantity, availability, distribution and function), including from habitat loss, degradation, fragmentation, structural change or due to habitat avoidance,
  • changes to habitats important for nesting, foraging, staging, overwintering, rearing and moulting and to movement corridors between habitat,
  • any assumptions regarding relocation or temporary displacement during construction and operation of the project when the reference data provide evidence that there is a significant number of equivalent habitats available to birds and that the vegetation removed is not unique to the project area as justified by scientific evidence or through study and monitoring within the project area,
  • the absolute and relative (as a percentage of the total local and regional habitat available) amount of habitat lost,
  • changes to bird-habitat relationships, abundance, and density of the avian community that utilise the various habitat types or ecosystems,
  • changes in food sources in terms of types, quality, quantity, availability, distribution and function, including short-term and long-term changes,
  • changes to mortality risk, including from collision of birds with project infrastructure, glass on buildings and other transparent structures, flaring gas, overhead lines, vessels and vehicles, from light attraction and from indirect effects, such as increased movement of predators or access to hunting,
  • increased disturbance (e.g. sound, artificial light, presence of workers) considering the critical periods for the birds, including breeding, migration and overwintering, and
  • changes to contaminants and bioaccumulation of contaminants;
• refer to the Environment and Climate Change Canada’s guidance on Avoiding harm to migratory birds.

Wildlife and species at risk

• complement existing data with data collected in the field to represent relevant temporal variability (e.g. across temporal scales, within and among seasons, and within 24-hour daily cycle);
• survey protocol planning includes modelling and simulations to estimate sampling requirements and evaluate survey options;
• rare species require more survey effort to detect than common species by increasing the number and duration of surveys;
• survey design represent the heterogeneity of RSA habitat as well as the number of sites by land cover or by habitat class, so that aggregation of post hoc habitat classes is not necessary;
• design sampling effort so that the level of effort per unit area is most intensive within the project study area, and similar or somewhat less intensive within the remainder of the LSA, and allow defensible comparison of estimates between the project area, LSA, and RSA;
• simulation modelling to assess bias and precision to ensure the estimates between the project area, LSA, and RSA can be compared;
• stratified random sampling of habitat, selecting sample sites using a random procedure such as a GIS grid overlay;
• several sampling stations and several visits to each station with qualified experts conducting the inventories and analyses;
• recovery plans for which a survey schedule would have been created to identify information gaps for these species, including for the designation of critical habitat;
• data sets from all survey sites in the form of complete and quality-assured relational databases, with precisely georeferenced site information, precise observation/visit information and with observations and measurements in un-summarized form;
• documentation and digital files for all results of analyses that allow for a clear understanding of the methods and a replication of the results (raw scripts or workflows); and
• for additional data sources and survey methods, relevant provincial or local government authorities can be contacted.

References to additional resources

The proponent is encouraged to refer to IAAC’s Practitioner’s Guide to Federal Impact Assessments and to keep apprised of updates. Below are references to additional resources to support the preparation of an Impact Statement. Project-specific Guidelines may also include project-specific references.

Atmospheric, acoustic and visual environment

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME). Air Quality Management System (AQMS) and the Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS). Available at https://ccme.ca/en/current-activities/air

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME). 1993. A National Commitment to Pollution Prevention. Available upon request to CCME.

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME). 1993. Environmental Code of Practice for the Measurement and Control of Fugitive VOC Emissions from Equipment Leaks. Available upon request to CCME.

Environment and Climate Change Canada. 1991. Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States on Air Quality. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/corporate/international-affairs/partnerships-countries-regions/north-america/canada-united-states-air-quality.html

International Organization for Standardization. 2014. Available ISO 12913-1:2014 Acoustics—Soundscape—Part 1: Definition and conceptual framework. Available at https://www.iso.org/cms/render/live/en/sites/isoorg/contents/data/standard/05/21/52161.html

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). 1979. Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. Available at https://unece.org/convention-and-its-achievements

Birds

Audubon. Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Available at http://netapp.audubon.org/CBCObservation/Historical/ResultsByCount.aspx

Barker, R. J., Schofield, M. R., Link, W. A., Sauer, J. R. 2018. On the reliability of N-mixture models for count data. Biometrics, 74(1), 369–377. Available at https://doi.org/10.1111/biom.12734

Birds Canada, Avian Knowledge Network. NatureCounts. Available at https://www.birdscanada.org/birdmon/default/searchquery.jsp

Birds Canada. Nesting Calendar Query Tool. Available at https://www.birdscanada.org/apps/rnest/index.jsp

Birds Canada. 2019. Canadian Migration Monitoring Network (CMMN). Available at https://www.birdscanada.org/bird-science/canadian-migration-monitoring-network-cmmn/

Bordage, D., M.C. Bateman, R.K. Ross, and C. Lepage. 2017. Helicopter-based waterfowl breeding pair survey in Eastern Canada and related studies. Black Duck Joint Venture Special Publication. eBird Canada. Available at https://ebird.org/canada/home

Environment and Climate Change Canada. Avoiding harm to migratory birds. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/avoiding-harm-migratory-birds.html

Environment and Climate Change Canada. Bird Conservation Regions and strategies. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/migratory-bird-conservation/regions-strategies.html

Environment and Climate Change Canada. Bird surveys. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/bird-surveys.html

Environment and Climate Change Canada. 2022. Convention for the Protection of Migratory Birds in the United States (U.S.) and Canada. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/corporate/international-affairs/partnerships-countries-regions/north-america/canada-united-states-protecting-migratory-birds.html

Environment and Climate Change Canada. General nesting periods of migratory birds. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/avoiding-harm-migratory-birds/general-nesting-periods.html

Environment and Climate Change Canada. Habitat joint ventures. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/wildlife-habitat/joint-ventures.html

Environment and Climate Change Canada. 1999. Canada-US convention protecting migratory birds. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/corporate/international-affairs/partnerships-countries-regions/north-america/canada-united-states-protecting-migratory-birds.html

Hanson, A., Goudie, I., Lang, A., Gjerdrum, C., Cotter, R., Donaldson, G. 2009. A Framework for the Scientific Assessment of Potential Project Impacts on Birds. Technical report series No. 508. Environnement Canada – Canadian Wildlife Service. Available at http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2010/ec/CW69-5-508-eng.pdf

Milko, R. 1998. Migratory birds environmental assessment guideline. Environment Canada – Canadian Wildlife Service. Available at http://publications.gc.ca/site/fra/9.647049/publication.html

NAWMP Canada. 2013. North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Available at http://nawmp.wetlandnetwork.ca/what-is-nawmp/

North American Breeding Bird Survey Website–- Results. Available at https://wildlife-species.canada.ca/breeding-bird-survey-results/P001/A001/?lang=e

Yip, D. A., L. Leston, E. M. Bayne, P. Sólymos, and A. Grover. 2017. Experimentally derived detection distances from audio recordings and human observers enable integrated analysis of point count data. Avian Conservation and Ecology 12(1):11. Available at https://www.ace-eco.org/vol12/iss1/art11

Fish and fish habitat

Bradford, M.J., R.G. Randall, K.S. Smokorowski, B.E. Keatley and K.D. Clarke. 2014. A framework for assessing fisheries productivity for the Fisheries Protection Program. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat. Available at https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/359758.pdf

Bradford, M.J., Smokorowski, K.E. Clarke, K.D., Keatley, B.E. and Wong, M.C. 2016. Equivalency metrics for the determination of offset requirements for the Fisheries Protection Program. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat. Available at https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/364029.pdf

Braun, D.C., Smokorowski, K.E., Bradford, M.J., and Glover, L. 2019. A review of functional monitoring methods to assess mitigation, restoration, and offsetting activities in Canada. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat. Available at https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.884092/publication.html

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. 2011. Protocols Manual for Water Quality Sampling in Canada. Available at https://ccme.ca/en/res/protocolsdocument_e_-final1.0.pdf

Environment and Climate Change Canada. 2016. A field guide to oil spill response on marine shorelines. Available at https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.820227/publication.html?wbdisable=true

Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Applicant’s Guide Supporting the Authorizations Concerning Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Regulations. Available at https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pnw-ppe/reviews-revues/applicants-guide-candidats-eng.html

Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Pathways of Effects. Available at https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pnw-ppe/pathways-sequences/index-eng.html

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat. 2013. Framework for Assessing Ecological Flow Requirements to Support Fisheries in Canada. Available at https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/348881.pdf

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariate. 2019. Science advice on operational guidance on function monitoring: Surrogate metrics of fish productivity to assess the effectiveness of mitigation and offsetting measures. Available at: https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/library-bibliotheque/40864029.pdf

Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2013. A science-based framework for assessing the response of fisheries productivity to state of species or habitats. Available at https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/360944.pdf

Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2017. Science advice on the determination of offset requirements for the Fisheries Protection Program. Available at: https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/library-bibliotheque/4060018x.pdf

Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2019. Policy for applying measures to offset adverse effects on fish and fish habitat under the Fisheries Act. Available at https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pnw-ppe/reviews-revues/policies-politiques-eng.html

Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2022. Science advice to the Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program on estimating impacts and offsets for death of fish. Available at: https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/library-bibliotheque/41092570.pdf

Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2025. Project planning: What is offsetting and how to prepare an offsetting plan. Available at: https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pnw-ppe/reviews-revues/docs/offsetting-compensation-plan-en.pdf

Koops, M.A., Dey, C.J., Fung, S., Theis, S., Tunney, TD., et van der Lee, A.S. 2002. Estimation des effets néfastes sur le poisson et des mesures de compensation pour la mort du poisson. Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat. Available (in French) at https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/library-bibliotheque/41092053.pdf

LeBlanc, S.G. and Tunney, T.D. 2024. Literature review and considerations for effective capture and relocation of freshwater fish for in-water projects. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3636: vi + 44 p. https://doi.org/10.60825/bhfg-fv47

Smokorowski, K.E., Bradford, M.J., Clarke, K.D., Clément, M., Gregory, R.S., Randall, R.G. 2015. Assessing the effectiveness of habitat offset activities in Canada: Monitoring design and metrics. Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 3132. Available at http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2015/mpo-dfo/Fs97-6-3132-eng.pdf

Gender-based analysis plus

Natural Resources Canada. By the Numbers: Gender Diversity in Canada’s Natural Resource Industries and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), Submitted Brief. Available at https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/421/FEWO/Brief/BR8745320/br-external/NRC-e.pdf

Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada. 2020. Gender Diversity and Inclusion: A Guide for Explorers. Available at https://www.pdac.ca/priorities/responsible-exploration/gender/gender-diversity-and-inclusion-guidance-document

Statistics Canada. Gender, diversity and inclusion statistics. Available at https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/topics-start/gender_diversity_and_inclusion

Status of Women Canada. 2018. Intersectionality Job Aid. Available at https://women-gender-equality.canada.ca/gbaplus-course-cours-acsplus/assets/modules/Intersectionality_tool_job_aid_EN.pdf

Women and Gender Equality Canada. Demystifying GBA+ Job Aid. Available at: https://women-gender-equality.canada.ca/gbaplus-course-cours-acsplus/assets/modules/Demystifying_GBA_job_aid_EN.pdf

Greenhouse gases and climate change

Environment and Climate Change Canada. 2020. Strategic Assessment of Climate Change. Available at https://www.strategicassessmentclimatechange.ca

Environment and Climate Change Canada. 2021. Available Draft technical guide related to the strategic assessment of climate change. at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/corporate/transparency/consultations/draft-technical-guide-strategic-assessment-climate-change.html

Environment and Climate Change Canada. 2022. Draft technical guide related to the Strategic Assessment of Climate Change: Assessing climate resilience. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/conservation/assessments/strategic-assessments/draft-second-technical-guide-strategic-assessment-climate-change.html

Human health

Bhatia, R., Farhang, L., Heller, J., Lee, M., Orenstein, M., Richardson, M., Wernham, A. 2014. Minimum Elements and Practice Standards for Health Impact Assessment, Version 3. Available at https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/040d/8ff2749f8ef2ec8b8233b7bffae9f7a38a12.pdf

Canadian Institute for Health Information. Community and health system characteristics – Community. Health Indicators E-Publication. Available at https://www.cihi.ca/en/health-indicators-e-publication

Health Canada. Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/water-quality/drinking-water/canadian-drinking-water-guidelines.html

Health Canada. Food security. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/nutrition-science-research/food-security.html

Health Canada. Health Inequalities Data Tool. Available at https://health-infobase.canada.ca/health-inequalities/Indicat

Health Canada. Guidance documents – Contaminated sites – Environmental and workplace health: Guidance. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/contaminated-sites/guidance-documents.html

Health Canada. 2007. Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide—First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canada-food-guide/about/history-food-guide/eating-well-canada-food-guide-first-nations-inuit-metis.html

Health Canada. 2016. Human Health Risk Assessment for Diesel Exhaust. Available at https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2016/sc-hc/H129-60-2016-eng.pdf

Health Canada. 2017. Guidance for Evaluating Human Health Impacts in Environmental Assessments: Air Quality. Available at http://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/guidance-evaluating-human-health-impacts-air-quality.html

Health Canada. 2017. Guidance for Evaluating Human Health Impacts in Environmental Assessments: Country Foods. Available at http://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/guidance-evaluating-human-health-impacts-country-foods.html

Health Canada. 2017. Guidance for Evaluating Human Health Impacts in Environmental Assessments: Drinking and Recreational Water Quality. Available at http://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/guidance-evaluating-human-health-impacts-water-quality.html

Health Canada. 2017. Guidance for Evaluating Human Health Impacts in Environmental Assessments: Noise. Available at http://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/guidance-evaluating-human-health-impacts-noise.html

Health Canada. 2017. Guidance for Evaluating Human Health Impacts in Environmental Assessments: Radiological Impacts. Available at http://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/guidance-evaluating-human-health-impacts-radiological.html

Health Canada. 2023. Guidance for Evaluating Human Health Effects in Impact Assessment: Human Health Risk Assessment. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/guidance-evaluating-human-health-impacts-risk-assessment.html

Health Canada. 2024. Interim Guidance: Health Impact Assessment of Designated Projects under the Impact Assessment Act. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/interim-guidance-health-impact-assessment.html

Indigenous Services Canada. The Community Well-Being Index. Available at https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1100100016579/1557319653695

IPIECA & International Association of Oil & Gas Producers. 2016. Health impact assessment – A guide for the oil and gas industry. Available at https://www.ipieca.org/resources/good-practice/health-impact-assessment-a-guide-for-the-oil-and-gas-industry/

Lewis, D., James, S. Thom, O., Doxtator, S., Nahmahbin-Hiltz, M., and Beacock, E. 2021. Intangible Impacts - More-than-mental health: Indigenous identity, culture, community and relationship with land are integral to Indigenous wellbeing (training manual). Western University. Available at: https://indigenousimpacts.uwo.ca/training_resources/indigenous_impacts_story_map.html

Mendell, A. & St-Pierre, L. 2014. Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Screening Grid. Montréal, QC: National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy. Available at: https://www.ncchpp.ca/docs/2014_EIS_HIA_Tool_Screening_en.pdf

National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health. 2012. What are the social determinants of health? Available at https://nccdh.ca/resources/entry/SDH-factsheet

National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health. Health Impact Assessments. Available at https://www.ncceh.ca/environmental-health-in-canada/health-agency-projects/health-impact-assessments

National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy and National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health. 2012. Tools and approaches for assessing and supporting public health action on the social determinants of health and health equity. Available at https://nccdh.ca/resources/entry/tools-and-approaches

National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health. 2013. Health Inequalities and Social Determinants of Aboriginal Peoples Health. Available at https://www.nccih.ca/en/publicationsview.aspx?sortcode=2.8.10.16&id=46

Public Health Agency of Canada. Health Inequalities Data Tool – Public Health Infobase. Available at https://health-infobase.canada.ca/health-inequalities/indicat

Public Health Agency of Canada. 2019. Social Determinants of Health and Health Inequalities available at https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health.html

Public Health Agency of Canada. 2018. Key Health Inequalities in Canada. A National Portrait. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/science-research/key-health-inequalities-canada-national-portrait-executive-summary/hir-full-report-eng.pdf

Public Health Agency of Canada, 2019. Positive Mental Health Indicator Framework. Available at https://health-infobase.canada.ca/positive-mental-health/

Rotenberg, C. 2016. Social determinants of health for the off-reserve First Nations population, 15 years of age and older, 2012. Statistics Canada. Available at https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/89-653-x/89-653-x2016010-eng.htm

Salerno, T., Tam, J., Page, J., Gosling, S., and Firelight Research Inc. Indigenous Mental Wellness and Major Project Development: Guidance for Impact Assessment Professionals and Indigenous Communities Final Report. May 7, 2021. Available at https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/iaac-acei/documents/research/indigenous-mental-wellness-and-ia-en.pdf

Indigenous participation and engagement

Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. 2015. Technical Guidance for assessing the Current Use of Lands and Resources for Traditional Purposes under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012. Available at https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/iaac-acei/documents/policy-guidance/assessing-current-use-lands-resources-traditional-purposes/current_use_final_draft-eng.pdf

First Nations Information Governance Centre. The First Nations Principles of OCAP. Available at https://fnigc.ca/ocap-training/

Indigenous Advisory Committee. 2020 and onward. Indigenous Advisory Committee advice provided to the Agency on the impact assessment system. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/impact-assessment-agency/advisory/advisory-groups/indigenous-advisory-committee.html

Indigenous Advisory Committee. 2022. Assessment of Potential Impacts on Rights: Operational Guidelines for Project Proponents. Available at https://open.canada.ca/data/en/info/8c81ab17-f562-42bb-a985-991bf774201b/resource/cc6cb30d-1363-4b29-ad8f-36c9cf685ed9

National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. 2019. Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Available at https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/final-report/

United Nations. 2007. United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Available at https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples.html

Species at risk

Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative. 2016. Canadian National White-nose Syndrome Decontamination Protocol for entering bat hibernacula. Available at: http://www.cwhc-rcsf.ca/docs/WNS_Decontamination_Protocol-Nov2016.pdf

Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. COSEWIC Status Reports. Available at: https://cosewic.ca/index.php/en/

Environment and Climate Change Canada. Species at risk public registry. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry.html

Environment and Climate Change Canada. 2012. Operational Framework for Use of Conservation Allowances. Available at https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2012/ec/En14-77-2012-eng.pdf

Government of Canada. 2016. Species at Risk Act Permitting Policy (proposed). Available at https://registrelep-sararegistry.gc.ca/virtual_sara/files/policies/Permitting_EN.pdf

Master, L. L., Faber-Langendoen, D., Bittman, R., Hammerson, G. A., Heidel, B., Ramsay, L., Snow, K., Teuche, A., Tomaino, A. 2012. NatureServe Conservation Status Assessments: Factors for Evaluating Species and Ecosystem Risk. Available at https://www.natureserve.org/publications/natureserve-conservation-status-assessments-factors-evaluating-species-and-ecosystem

Sustainability and environmental obligations

Biodivcanada. Canada’s national biodiversity clearing-house. Federal, provincial and territorial working group on biodiversity. Available at https://biodivcanada.chm-cbd.net/

Convention on Biological Diversity. Impact Assessment: Voluntary guidelines on biodiversity-inclusive assessment. Available at https://www.cbd.int/decision/cop?id=11042

Environment and Climate Change Canada. Canada’s 2030 Nature Strategy and the Nature Accountability Bill. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/biodiversity/2030-nature-strategy.html

Water quality

Health Canada. Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/water-quality/drinking-water/canadian-drinking-water-guidelines.html

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life. Available at https://ccme.ca/en/resources/water-aquatic-life

Environment and Climate Change Canada. Guidelines for the Assessment of Alternatives for Mine Waste Disposal. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-pollution/sources-industry/mining-effluent/metal-diamond-mining-effluent/tailings-impoundment-areas/guidelines-alternatives-mine-waste-disposal.html

Environment and Climate Change Canada. Guide to the Regulatory Process for Listing Water Bodies frequented by Fish in Schedule 2 of the Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations. https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-pollution/sources-industry/mining-effluent/metal-diamond-mining-effluent/tailings-impoundment-areas/guide-process-listing-water-bodies-fish-schedule-2.html

Global Affairs Canada. 1910. Treaty Relating to the Boundary Waters and Questions Arising Along the Border between the United States and Canada. Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/corporate/international-affairs/partnerships-countries-regions/north-america/canada-united-states-boundary-waters-treaty.html

INAP: The International Network for Acid Prevention. Global Acid Rock Drainage Guide. Available at http://www.gardguide.com

Mine Environment Neutral Drainage. Mine Environment Neutral Drainage (MEND) Report 3.50.1–- Study to Identify BATEA for the Management and Control of Effluent Quality from Mines. 2014. Available at: http://mend-nedem.org/mend-report/study-to-identify-batea-for-the-management-and-control-of-effluent-quality-from-mines/

Price, William A. 2009. Mine Environment Neutral Drainage (MEND) Report 1.20.1 Prediction Manual for Drainage Chemistry from Sulphidic Geologic Materials. Natural Resources Canada. Available at http://mend-nedem.org/mend-report/prediction-manual-for-drainage-chemistry-from-sulphidic-geologic-materials/

Wetlands

Environment and Climate Change Canada. 1983. Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar). Available at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/corporate/international-affairs/partnerships-organizations/important-wetlands-ramsar-convention.html

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service.1991. Federal Policy on Wetland Conservation. Available at: https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/100725/publication.html

National Wetlands Working Group. Canadian Wetland Classification System. Available at http://www.wetlandpolicy.ca

Hanson, A., L. Swanson, D. Ewing, G. Grabas, S. Meyer, L. Ross, M. Watmough, and J. Kirkby. 2008. Wetland Ecological Functions Assessment: An Overview of Approaches. Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Technical Report Series No. 497. Atlantic Region. 59 pp Available at: http://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/343283/publication.html

RAMSAR. Canada – Ramsar website. Available at https://www.ramsar.org/wetland/canada

Wetland Network. Available at https://www.wetlandnetwork.ca/

Other

Canadian Council of Ecological Areas (CCEA). 2014. Ecozones Introduction. Available at: https://ccea-ccae.org/ecozones-introduction/

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. 2020. Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance Document. Available at https://ccme.ca/en/res/eraguidance_e.pdf

Environment and Climate Change Canada. 2009. Environmental Code of Practice for Metal Mines. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/eccc/migration/main/lcpe-cepa/documents/codes/mm/mm-eng.pdf

Government of Canada. Open Government Licence – Canada. Available at https://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada

Government of Canada. Open Science and Data Platform. Available at https://osdp-psdo.canada.ca/dp/en

Statistics Canada. 2017. Introduction to Ecological Land Classification (ELC) 2017. Available at: https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/subjects/standard/environment/elc/2017-1