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a. Indigenous Consultation
⏱ 9:20 am – 9:45 am

Opportunities for Maximizing Indigenous Leadership in the Impact Assessment Process

The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) is responsible for fair, predictable, and efficient implementation of the Impact Assessment Act while also ensuring respect for the rights of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. In implementing the Impact Assessment Act, the Agency works closely with Indigenous communities to collaboratively understand and assess impacts on the exercise of rights. During this presentation the Agency will discuss its approach to:

• Scoping Indigenous communities for consultation during the pre-planning phase.
• Working with Indigenous communities prior tothedeterminationonwhetheranimpactassessmentisrequiredtounderstandthecommunity’sinterestandpotentialimpactsfromtheproject;and
• Identifying communities for consultation in theIndigenous Engagement and Partnership Planattheendoftheplanningphase.

Moderator:

• Kevin Coulter, Senior Environmental Project Manager, Gannett Flemming

Presenter:

• Christine Greenaway, Associate Regional Director, Impact Assessment Agency of Canada

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b. How Indigenous Communities Work With Government vs. Industry Proponents
⏱ 9:45 am – 10:10 am

What Does the Blueberry River Decision Mean for Next Generation IBAs?

In a landmark case Yahey v British Columbia, the BC Superior Court held that BC had failed to discharge the duty to consult when it failed to properly assess and manage the cumulative effects of hundreds of permits in the Blueberry River First Nation territory. The court made the point that permit-by-permit consultation does not adequately address the cumulative impacts on the exercise of Treaty rights.

Rather than appealing the decision, in January of this year, as a direct result of Yahey decision, the Blueberry River First Nation and the Province of BC entered into an Implementation Agreement, followed by similar agreements between BC and each of four additional Treaty 8 First Nations. The Agreements provide a collaborative approach to land and resource planning, cumulative effects management, and revenue sharing. They are based on on-going relationships rather than one-off project reviews.

This presentation will consider the BC Implementation Agreements and what they could mean for future Impact Benefit Agreements between resource companies and First Nations, whether in BC or elsewhere in Canada. We will discuss the opportunities, even though IBAs are negotiated on a project-by-project basis which makes it challenging to replicate the Implementation Agreement approach.

Moderator:

• Kevin Coulter, Senior Environmental Project Manage, Gannett Flemming

Presenter:

• Julie Abouchar, Partner, Certified Specialist in Environmental Law and Indigenous Legal Issues by the Law Society of Ontario Willims & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP.

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Q & A With Amanda, Julie & Christine
⏱ 10:10 am – 10:20 am

a. Indigenous Led EA
⏱ 10:40 am – 11:10 am

Indigenous Led EAs – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. The Story of How 3 Indigenous Led EA’s Have Evolved and Some of the Challenges and Opportunities Encountered

Two northern Ontario First Nations, Marten Falls First Nation, and Webequie First Nation are co proponents leading the EAs for 3 road projects within the Ring of Fire area within their traditional territories. The project team will share insights about challenges and opportunities including: the story of where we started and where we are now and the evolution of discourse around project planning and impacts on project level including Regional Assessments, cumulative impacts, Federal and Ontario EA coordination in the 2020s, Federal Table, UNDRIP, TRC, capacity, self- determination, reconciliation, misinformation, braiding western science and Indigenous knowledge, and the search for meaningful engagement.

Moderator:

• Kevin Coulter, Senior Environmental Project Manager, Gannett Flemming

Presenters:

• Michael Fox, President, Indigenous Community Engagement
• Qasim Saddique, Principle Consultant, SUSLOP Inc.

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b. Innovating and Changing Approaches
⏱ 11:10 am – 11:40 am

Connecting the Arctic: Inuit-led Submarine Cable Routing & Feasibility Study

The team will share their experiences associated with the preliminary routing, and feasibility assessment for consideration of a submarine option for Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link KHFL) in co- operation with the Nukik Corporation. KHFL is a 100% Inuit-owned and Inuit-led green inter-tie project that will be Nunavut’s first infrastructure link to Southern Canada, providing clean, renewable power and fibre-optic internet capacity. Presenters will focus on how this type of preliminary routing assessment can be carried out in an innovative and timely manner considering the use of various information sources, data acquisition tools, and associated challenges; permitting and regulatory reviews; and a review of assessment strategies, lessons learned and next step.

Moderator:

• Kevin Coulter, Senior Environmental Project Manager, Gannett Flemming

Presenters:

• Ryan Doyle, Environmental Sciences & Planning, Eastern Canada Lead, HDR
• Sarah Zappala, Routing & Siting Lead, HDR
• Alison Williams, Intermediate Environmental Planner, HDR

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Q & A With Michael, Qasim, Ryan, Sarah & Alison
⏱ 11:40 am – 12:00 pm

a. Better Practices
⏱ 1:00 pm – 1:15 pm

Using Virtual Sound Demonstrations to Demonstrate Changes in Noise to Communities

Noise impact reports rely on numerical value changes of sound levels to describe expected noise impacts to communities and stakeholders. However, it is difficult for these values to accurately portray what these noise impacts may sound like in practice to the public.

Using auralization tools, AECOM has produced online virtual sound demonstrations (with accompanying real and animated footage) for various locations near a planned subway/railway corridor to help stakeholders listen to what the project may sound like in their community, as well as how acoustic mitigation methods may impact the sound from the trains. https://www.ontariolinesoundstudio.ca/

Moderator:

• Faiza Waheed, Health Impact Assessment Lead and an Environmental Health Scientist, Intrinsik

Presenters:

• Brian Bulnes, Acousitc Engineer, AECOM Canada Inc.
• Alex Southern, Senior Acoustic Engineer, AECOM UK Inc.
• Alan Oldfield, Acousitc Engineer, AECOM Canada Inc.

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b. Climate Action
⏱ 1:15 pm – 1:30 pm

The Role of Earth Observation Data in Decision- Making around Climate Resilient Infrastructure

Green infrastructure, which encompasses wetlands, natural corridors, urban forests, and waterways, plays a crucial role in mitigating the adverse social and economic impacts of extreme climate events. However, the essential ecological services they provide are under pressure from land use change and policy fragmentation. This presentation will demonstrate the utilization of uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) as an earth observation tool for managing green infrastructure. It aims to show:

• How UAVs can complement both fieldwork and satellite data.
• Data applications to monitor the health of ecosystem services.
• How the data outputs provide valuable insights for decision-makers.

Moderator:

• Faiza Waheed, Health Impact Assessment Lead and an Environmental Health Scientist, Intrinsik

Presenter:

• Grace Saunders-Hogberg, Founder, Consultant Veritas Terrae

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c. A Water-Centric Model for Impact Assessment Planning
⏱ 1:30 pm – 1:40 pm

WINNER OAIA STUDENT BURSSARY
Reconsidering Environmental-Cultural Flows in Development Decision-Making in Canada through GroundedTheory

Environmental-cultural flows (water set aside for ecosystems/people) concepts have the potential to protect water more comprehensively in impact assessment. Through grounded theory (interviews/review), we answer how these concepts are and could be embedded within Canadian assessment. The concepts are now considered in dam, gas, and mining projects, with emphasis on fish habitat, not collaboration or cumulative withdrawals. We propose regional readiness through water conversations, connections, and classifications, following best examples in Canadian environmental-cultural flow-based initiatives in assessments (e.g., Saint John and Athabasca watersheds). A shared understanding of environmental-cultural flows could strengthen how we value water in assessments.

Moderator:

• Faiza Waheed, Health Impact Assessment Lead and an Environmental Health Scientist, Intrinsik

Presenters:

• Nathanael Bergbusch, PHD Candidate, University of Waterloo

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Q & A With Brian, Alan Alex, Grace & Nathanael
⏱ 1:40 pm – 1:50 pm

8 a. Innovative Approaches – Better Practices
⏱ 2:10 pm – 2:30 pm

Conducting Engagement in Health Impact Assessment

Our discussion will focus on our approach and ability to integrate diverse voices when conducting engagement and consultation for Health Impact Assessments (HIA) conducted on resource development and major infrastructure development projects. We will aim to highlight the challenges and barriers faced when conducting effective engagement and consultation, as well as demonstrate the positive outcomes/benefits that far outweigh said challenges. We will discuss our experience with past projects to highlight some aspects of engagement with Indigenous communities as well as other stakeholders by employing a Gender-Based Analysis Plus approach in HIAs.

Moderator:

• Katrina McCullough, Senior Stakeholder Engagement Specialist, GHD

Presenters:

• Elaine Larocque, Environmental Risk Assessor, Intrinsik Corp.
• Dr. Faiza Waheed, Health Impact Assessment Lead/ Environmental Health Scientist, Intrinsik Corp.

 

9 a. Inclusive Approaches

⏱ 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm

Ashbridges Bay Landform: Working with Stakeholders for Innovative Solution

The Ashbridges Bay Landform Project is an integrated solution to successfully realize several critical planning initiatives. A Conservation Ontario Class Environmental Assessment (EA) undertaken by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (2015) considered the planned facilities for three other City of Toronto led EAs that were previously approved in the study area and at various stages of design.

This project has demonstrated that through stakeholder-inclusive planning, innovative and comprehensive solutions can be achieved to meet the challenges of urban infrastructure planning while providing for enhanced habitat and public realm opportunities.

Moderator:

• Hayley Austin, Environmental Assessment Planner · Stantec

Presenters:

• Lisa Turnbull, Associate Director, Restoration & Infrastructure, Toronto & Region Conservation Authority

Co-Presenter:

• Jet Taylor, Senior Manager, Erosion Risk Management

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9 b. Qualitative Approaches
⏱ 3:00 pm – 3:20 pm

Employing Qualitative Methods for Assessing Impacts of Major Projects in Canada

The purpose of my research was to explore how qualitative methods contribute to next generation IA. My objectives include identifying qualitative methods and how they are being used currently, and documenting barriers and good practices of use from Teck’s Frontier Mine and BC Hydro’s Site C Dam. Through a constructivist design employing document review and interviews I expected to identify common methods and how they were used. I found interviews and focus groups to be common and I identified many opportunities and challenges to overcome for qualitative methods to contribute to better assessment through identifying concerns of communities involved.

Moderator:

• Hayley Austin, Environmental Assessment Planner, Stantec

Presenters:

• Brendan Middel, Masters Student, University of Manitoba

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9 c. Quantitative Approaches
⏱ 3:20 pm – 3:50 pm

The built environment accounts for a significant amount of greenhouse gas emission released into the atmosphere. Managing the carbon impact of a project’s construction, operation, and maintenance phases is critical to achieve net-zero emissions and mitigate further climate change. AECOM has contributed to reducing emissions in Ontario municipalities by recommending efficient approaches to decarbonization, including adopting zero emission vehicle fleets and reducing emissions in across assets. AECOM has the tools, methods, and resources to be able to quantify a project’s life-cycle carbon emissions, serving Canada’s ongoing need to decarbonize our infrastructure and construction sectors.

Moderator:

• Hayley Austin, Environmental Assessment Planner, Stantec

Presenter:

• Fabianna Palacios, Air Quality Specialist, AECOM Canada Inc Master’s Student, University of Manitoba

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9 d. Climate Emergencies
⏱ 3:50 pm – 4:15 pm

Coastal Zone Mitigation and Adaption Infrastructure: Can Federal IAs Help?

Infrastructure projects on freshwater and marine coasts are critical to climate change adaption strategies, and impact assessment is vital planning tool to assure sustainable development goals are being met. Provision for IAs for such projects are normally covered under the category ‘Projects on Federal Lands’. However, such IAs differ significantly from IAs for ‘designated projects. This paper briefly reviews those differences and reports on research from Atlantic Canada to suggests why this places a problematic limitation on the role of IA for supporting adaption strategies in coastal environments.

Moderator:

• Hayley Austin, Environmental Assessment Planner, Stantec

Presenters:

• Ian Gordon Stewart, Doctor, University of King’s College

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Q & A With Elaine, Faiza, Lisa, Vlad, Brendan, Fabianna & Ian
⏱ 4:15 pm – 4:30 pm

Closing Remarks
⏱ 4:45 pm – 5:00 pm