RE: Clark wants changes in provincial environmental assessment process, Jan. 28, 2014
Last year, when I was appointed as Minister of Environment by Premier Clark, I was asked to take on a number of tasks, including a review of the Environmental Assessment Office. This is laid out in my mandate letter of June 2013.
In B.C., we have a rigorous environmental assessment process that brings with it some enduring positives, including social licence for successful applicants and a single review for major projects. But we know the value to any company of time spent in regulatory processes. That is why the Premier asked me to review the EAO last June, with a view to ensuring that timelines are appropriate for both economic development and environmental protection objectives, and making recommendations for improvement as necessary.
I have already been meeting with business and environmental groups.
During our discussions, I have heard that there are opportunities for improvement, but also support for British Columbia's environmental assessment framework as a whole.
The integrity of the environmental assessment process was an important theme to all.
The review is an internal one. We will be working within our existing legislative framework to implement specific actions and we will be consulting on specific parts of the review along the way.
Major outcomes we have identified are: to decrease the duration of environmental assessments; to increase certainty and transparency for proponents and participants; and to increase collaboration and decrease overlap with permitting agencies.
I look forward to reporting on progress on the review.
Mary Polak
Minister of Environment
