CEAA interview preamble and questions

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Dear Mr. Smith

My name is Rada Vukovic and I am a graduate student from McGill University in the Environmental Assessment program.  As of current, I am conducting research for an academic paper in collaboration with Environment Canada (EC) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) – GeoConnections’ program on Integrated Landscape Management.   The research area of concentration is related to environmental assessment administration in the Northwest Territories. The purpose of the research paper is to conduct a comparative analysis of pertinent legislation, roles and responsibilities of authorities, and practice to determine any gaps that exist. The research paper will also examine the scope and role of Environmental Impact Assessment, Regional Environmental Assessment, and Strategic Environmental Assessment.

As a senior policy analyst at the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, your experience in the federal regulatory and environment assessment process would offer an added value to this study.  It would be of great appreciation, if you would be able to participate in an interview/questionnaire. Your participation will assist in strengthening the research by providing validity and insight into other dimensions, perhaps not taken into consideration.  As for the interview/questionnaire, the questions revolve around CEAA’s experience with environmental assessment practices and cover the following themes: Roles and responsibilities of authorities; collaboration procedures; general administration processes, the role of legislation and cumulative effects assessment; and lastly of regional and strategic environmental assessment.  The interview will conclude with an opportunity for you to ask any questions. 

I have attached the questionnaire for your information. If you are interested to contribute to our study, I would welcome the opportunity to compile your input in whatever form is most convenient to you. You may respond in writing to me at your convenience, or I would be pleased to document your input through a telephone interview.  The expected duration of a phone interview would be approximately one hour. I will then follow-up via email with the progress and results of study.

The results of the interview will be assessed and compiled by myself, and reviewed by my advisors Dr. Mark Curtis (McGill University), Dr. Livia Bizikova (IISD), and Dr. Ruth Waldick (EC).  Our hope is that the results will ultimately be published in a peer-reviewed journal. In addition, the information will be used to contribute to my final research project paper (non-thesis). Personal information, such as your name, position and contact information will be kept confidential unless you wish to grant permission to be named. Your participation is voluntary and you may decline to answer any question and/or withdraw from the interview at anytime.   

Consent:  I wish to be identified in the report   ____YES     ___NO

                 I agree to be tape-recorded ____YES ____NO

                 I grant permission to use direct quotes with or without attribution ____YES ___NO

                 I allow my organization to be identified in the report  ____ YES ___ NO

                 I have read the above information and I agree to participate in this study

                 Signature:   ____________________________           Researcher’s signature: ________________________

                 Name: ________________________________           Date: ____________________

Sincerely,

 

Rada Vukovic

Project Researcher

M.Sc Renewable Resources (Non-Thesis) Environmental Assessment Candidate

McGill University, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Address:  324 Melrose Street, Etobicoke, ON  M8Z 1G8

Email: Rada.Vukovic@mail.mcgill.ca | Mobile: 647-984-7232 | Fax: 416-253-0384

 

In Collaboration with:

Dr. Mark Curtis Faculty Supervisor   McGill University, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science 21 111 Lakeshore Road Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9, Canada     Email: mark.curtis@mcgill.ca Fax: 514-398-7990 Telephone: 514 398-7728

Dr. Ruth Waldick Project Lead Contact   Environment Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre Raven Road, 1125 Colonel By Drive Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H3   Email: Ruth.Waldick@ec.gc.ca Fax: (613) 998-0458 Telephone: Office (613) 998-7314

Dr. Livia Bizikova Project Lead Contact   International Institute for Sustainable Development, Measurement and Assessment Program 161 Portage Avenue East, 6th Floor Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 0Y4   Email: lbizikova@iisd.ca Fax: (204) 958-7710 Telephone: (204) 958-7753

Interview Questionnaire

CONTACT INFORMATION (for record purposes):

 

First Name: ___________________   Last Name:________________________       Date:_________________

 

Position Title:_____________________________________________________________________________

 

Organization:_____________________________________________________________________________

 

Email:__________________________________ Telephone:________________________________________

 

 

 

QUESTIONNAIRE:

Please answer as many questions as possible. If you are not able to answer the question please indicate why:

Not Aware | Confidential Information | Not Applicable | Other _____________

 

1.      How does CEAA collaborate with other federal departments, provincial and territorial governments, boards and agencies with regards to environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental assessment process?

 

2.      Based on previous environmental impact assessments, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans along with Indian and Northern Affairs top the list as being lead Responsible Authorities in the process. 

 

a.      Are there variations in how environmental impact assessments are carried out depending on department?

b.      How does capacity and expertise differ from the various Responsible Authorities?

c.      How is Responsibility delegated

d.      How is the scope of assessment determined, such as for environmental effects assessment? Including cumulative effects?

 

3.      Are there harmonized methods and guidelines used by lead Responsible Authorities to screen, review and authorize projects.

 

4.      How are the following legislation considered in the process?

a.      Canadian Environmental Protection Act

b.      Fisheries Act

c.      Oceans Act

d.      Species at Risk Act

e.      Migratory Birds Act

 

5.      What are methods and guidelines to assist in monitoring compliance with the Environmental Assessment Act?

 

6.      In general, how is federal legislation applied on aboriginal land in the Northwest Territories? With respect to land claims settlements such as the:

a.      Gwitch'in Land Claim Settlement Act 

b.      Sahtu Dene and Metis Land Claim Settlement Act 

c.      Western Arctic (Inuvialuit) Claims Settlement Agreement 

 

7.      What are CEAA’s roles and responsibilities with regards to strategic environmental assessments and regional environmental assessments

 

8.      Based on literature reviewed, the following is a list of deficiencies in the EA process.  Could you elaborate on CEAA’s experience.

a.     Inadequate capacity, such as lack of capital, resources, time

b.     Inadequate information available for guidance and standards to follow

c.     Inadequate monitoring and follow-up 

d.     Inadequate review in preliminary phases

e.     Misunderstanding of  roles and responsibilities

f.     Process driven vs. objective driven (such as the objective of environmental protection)

g.     A planning tool as opposed to a decision-making tool

h.     Focused on short-term effects

i.      Inadequate involvement of public participation

j.      Inadequate incorporation of cumulative effects

 

 

9.      How feasible would it be to implement all three types of environmental assessments: environmental impact assessment, regional environmental assessment, and strategic environmental assessment. 

a.      What are the challenges in doing so?

b.      What are the opportunities in doing so?

 

10.    Are there other considerations that need to be examine in this study?

 

11.    Do you have any additional comments and suggestions?