Why and how to participate

Your participation ensures an open, balanced process and strengthens the quality and credibility of assessments. As such, we ensure that you have the information you need to participate in an informed way, and we provide you with opportunities to get involved.

Why should I participate?

By participating, you can notably:

• identify issues that are important to you
• help us understand the context in which the proposed project would take place
• provide important knowledge or views about a project's potential impacts
• help identify and address the potential impacts of a proposed project in the early stages of an assessment
• influence decisions about projects or measures to mitigate impacts

How can I participate?

• Learning about the assessment

  • Find information on a project using the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry
  • Consult documents produced by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, review panels, committees, experts and the proponent (as applicable)
  • View public submissions and comments of others
• Joining a public session hosted by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada

  • Attend an in-person or virtual information session, open house, or meeting
  • Ask questions about the project or the impact assessment process
  • Participate in discussions and express your views
  • Share what you know about the environment, and the socio-economic and health conditions of people in the area
• Joining a public session hosted by the project proponent

  • Contact the project proponent to learn about public engagement activities
  • Participate in public engagement activities organized by the project proponent
  • Ask questions about the project
  • Participate in discussions, express your views
  • Share what you know about the environment, and the socio-economic and health conditions of people in the area
• Attending a public hearing hosted by a review panel or a committee

  • Attend an in-person or virtual public hearing
  • Listen to people's presentations and comments
  • Ask questions about the assessment
  • Present your submission
• Submitting assessment information and comments

  • Express your views by submitting your information or comment via the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry (an online commenting and submission platform)
  • Reach out to the project contact listed at the bottom of the project's page in the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry
• Staying informed on the assessment's progress

  • Email the project contact listed at the bottom of the project's page in the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry to add your address to the project's email notification list

What the public says throughout the assessment process will become part of the public record. It will also be documented in an Impact Assessment Report that the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (the Minister) or Cabinet will consider in making their decision on the project.

We encourage you to participate during formal comment periods to ensure that your views are taken into account at the appropriate stage of the process. For further information, reach out to the project contact listed at the bottom of the project's page in the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry.

For more information on the impact assessment process, watch our Guiding Canada's Sustainable Future video or consult our Impact Assessment Process Overview.

Related links

• Basics of Impact Assessments
• Overview: Public Participation Plan
• Fact Sheet: Public Participation in Impact Assessment
• Framework: Public Participation under the Impact Assessment Act
• Guidance: Public Participation for Impact Assessment under the Impact Assessment Act

proponent

The proponent is the company or organization that carries out the project.

project proponent

The proponent is the company or organization that carries out the project.

Guiding Canada's Sustainable Future