Understanding the Environmental Assessment Requirements of Your Project
Funding agreements established through the Canada-Alberta Municipal Rural Infrastructure Program (CAMRIF) are subject to the federal environmental legislation requirements of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA). The requirements of CEAA are enabled, in this instance, by the provision of federal funding for your project. This document provides information to assist you in meeting your environmental obligations under this legislation.
CEAA is a decision-making tool used to identify potential environmental, social, and economic effects of a project and to develop mitigation strategies to remove or manage these effects. The overall intent of the legislation is to ensure projects do not cause significant adverse environmental effects and to promote principles of sustainable development. An environmental assessment occurs early in a project’s development prior to construction, and is a necessary condition before any federal funding can be released.
There are several different levels of environmental assessments under CEAA depending upon the size and complexity of the project. In some instances, a project will be exempted from the Act if it does not pose any environmental harm. For more complex projects, an environmental assessment will be required to address and mitigate environmental effects. To help you understand the planning process, an information package as a series of attachments has been provided. The attached PDF documents include:
- Description of the Environmental Assessment and Planning Process under CEAA. This document details the steps required, their timing, the products (documents) of each step, and the individuals or agencies responsible for their delivery.
- Policy guideline on preparing a Project Description extracted from the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency’s website.
- Preferred table of contents providing an outline for an Environmental Assessment Report.
You are also invited to visit the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency’s website for further information: http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/index_e.htm. Please direct questions on this material to:
CAMRIF Senior Environmental Officer
Phone: 780.415.8519