Fisheries and Oceans Canada Overview of Existing Initiatives Environmental Process Modernization Pla

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Fisheries and Oceans CanadaOverview of Existing
Initiatives Environmental Process Modernization
PlanRegulatory Efficiency WorkshopMarch 8-9,
2007
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Overview
Background EPMP EPMP Progress Ongoing
Challenges The Way Ahead Annexes

• Background
• The Environmental Process Modernization Plan
  (EPMP)
• Progress on Implementing the EPMP
• Moving Forward

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Background Program Delivery
Background EPMP EPMP Progress Ongoing
Challenges The Way Ahead Annexes

• DFOs Habitat Management Program (HMP) a key
  federal regulatory program
• Primary activity is to review development
  projects proposals (referrals) and work with
  proponents on ways to avoid or mitigate harm to
  fish habitat in support of a fishery.
• Where such harm cannot be avoided, the Minister
  may issue an authorization under s.35 of the
  Fisheries Act.
• Fisheries Act (s. 35) is a trigger under CEAA.

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Background Program Challenges
Background EPMP EPMP Progress Ongoing
Challenges The Way Ahead Annexes

• Increased demands from all stakeholders
• Industry sectors want greater predictability,
  coherence, certainty and timeliness in
  decision-making
• Provinces and industry sectors seek improved
  coordination with their programs
• Environmental Groups want stricter application of
  the habitat provisions of the Fisheries Act.
• Aboriginal consultation
• Species At Risk Act
• Metal Mining Effluent Regulations Schedule 2
• Increased public expectations
• Rise in volume and complexity of project referrals

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Environmental Process Modernization Plan
Background EPMP EPMP Progress Ongoing
Challenges The Way Ahead Annexes

• Environmental Process Modernization Plan (EPMP)
  a comprehensive continuous improvement plan
  launched in 2004 to make the Habitat Management
  Program more
• effective in the conservation and protection of
  fish habitat
• efficient, transparent and predictable in
  delivery of our services
• integrated with the priorities of governments and
  partners
• Aimed at re-orienting service delivery and
  effectiveness of fish habitat management
  consistent with principles of sustainable
  development and smart regulation
• Not lowering the bar
• Positive reviews from stakeholders and seen as a
  good example of smart regulation in practice by
  the independent External Advisory Committee on
  Smart Regulation

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Environmental Process Modernization Plan
Background EPMP EPMP Progress Ongoing
Challenges The Way Ahead Annexes

• From
• Inconsistency, lack of clarity and delays in
  decision-making
• Focus on review of low risk, routine, repetitive
  reviews
• Focus on enforcement lack of monitoring/adaptive
  management
• Lack of credibility

• To
• Predictable, transparent and timely
  decision-making
• Streamlined regulatory review of low risk
  projects focus on review of higher risk projects
  and other priorities of Canadians
• Balanced approach to all aspects of compliance
  continuum, with strengthened monitoring and
  adaptive management
• DFOs Habitat Management Program seen as
  important regulatory program, aligned with
  principles of smart regulation and enjoying
  credibility from stakeholders

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Environmental Process Modernization Plan
Background EPMP EPMP Progress Ongoing
Challenges The Way Ahead Annexes

• Six elements
• Implementation of a science-based Risk Management
  Framework
• Streamlining regulatory requirements for low risk
  activities
• Improved coherence and predictability
• A renewed emphasis on partnering with provinces,
  industry, Aboriginal groups, NGOs and
  municipalities
• Improved management of environmental assessment
  processes and,
• A habitat compliance modernization that
  emphasizes monitoring, auditing, compliance
  promotion and enforcement, where necessary.

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EPMP Progress
Background EPMP EPMP Progress Ongoing
Challenges The Way Ahead Annexes

• A Change Management Strategy has been developed
  that focuses on
• A Renewed Vision
• Communications (internal and external)
• National and regional implementation plans
• Performance measurement and evaluation
• Reaction
• Internal and external support
• Communication and implementation is key.

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Ongoing Challenges
Background EPMP EPMP Progress Ongoing
Challenges The Way Ahead Annexes

• Despite significant improvements under EPMP,
  ongoing challenges relating to regulatory
  capacity remain
• Unprecedented surge in economic development
  activity, focussed largely in natural resource
  based sectors, valued at over 200B in coming
  years across the country
• Increased volume and complexity, introduction of
  new industries (e.g. LNG) and new legal
  requirements such as the duty to consult with
  Aboriginal communities prior to taking regulatory
  decisions, is and will increasingly - place
  increased demands on regulatory departments

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The Way Ahead
Background EPMP EPMP Progress Ongoing
Challenges The Way Ahead

• Continue to implement reform measures under EPMP
  to modernize DFOs environmental review processes
• Continue to work with the CEA Agency and
  Provinces and Territories to promote a more
  timely and effective EA process, especially for
  major projects
• Continue to work with other federal departments
  and stakeholders on identifying and securing key
  regulatory capacity needs in context of surge in
  economic development across the country

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Annex 2 Program Delivery
Background EPMP EPMP Progress Ongoing
Challenges The Way Ahead Annexes