Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services

Chapter 13: Environment and Natural Resources
The CEAA is now under review by the federal government, which has expressed interest in
improvements that would include eliminating the duplication of approvals processes
by accepting specific federal and provincial requirements as equivalent. This would give
federal authorities the ability to designate a provincial EA as equivalent to an assessment
conducted under the CEAA. However, removing duplication may require legislative changes at
both levels of government, and there is reluctance among both parties to give up decisionmaking
authority.
In addition, some groups or classes of projects that are carried out routinely and that have
predictable environmental effects can follow an EA process that is more streamlined.
Streamlined EA projects do not need a separate approval by the ministry if the planning
process set out in the class EA is followed and successfully completed. Such projects include
municipal roads, water and wastewater infrastructure, highway construction and maintenance,
forest management activities and other public-sector activities. 11
Currently, some projects requiring an EA also need many subsequent environmental and land
use approvals; many proponents are unaware of this at the start of the EA process. Where
sufficient environmental information is provided, environmental approvals could be granted as
part of the EA. However, the EA is completed at a higher level of analysis, which might not be
detailed enough to assess a project; asking for additional detail at this stage could prolong the
EA process.
Recommendation 13-4: Review opportunities to further streamline the environmental
assessment process, such as co-ordinating further with the federal government’s process
or integrating it with certain approvals.
11 “Streamlined Environmental Assessments,” June 14, 2011, downloaded from
http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/environment/en/industry/assessment_and_approvals/environmental_assessments/STDPROD_075691.html and
“Class Environmental Assessment,” Feb. 2, 2011, downloaded from
http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/environment/en/industry/assessment_and_approvals/environmental_assessments/STDPROD_075721.html.
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