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ENVS 305: Environmental Impact Assessment Report a Broken Link

This course is designed to introduce you to a systematic process for predicting and evaluating the significant environmental consequences of a proposed action or undertaking. This process—environmental assessment (EA)—has been applied primarily to new infrastructure projects, such as power plants, highways, pipelines, dams, mines, airports, incinerators, and landfills. Assessment processes have also been used to consider the implications of new technologies, plans, and policies that may result in significant social and biophysical effects. This course focuses on EA processes—what they are meant to accomplish and how they are designed or should be designed to be effective, efficient, and fair. It also focuses on new innovations in Indigenous-led assessment and social impact assessment, as well as the role of community engagement in EA processes.

Unit 1: History and Key Features of Environmental Assessment

Clark, R. (1994, June 16). NEPA: The rational approach to change.

Unit 2: Setting a Standard for Environmental Assessment in Canada—the Berger Inquiry on the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline

WCELaw. (2013, October 15). Tom Berger, O.C., Q.C., on why local voices matter [Video]. YouTube.
Berger, T. R. (1988). Letter to the Honourable Warren Allmand (April 15, 1977). In Northern frontier, northern homeland: The report of the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry (rev. ed.) (pp. vii–xxvii). Douglas and McIntyre.
Gamble, D. J. (1978, March). The Berger Inquiry: An impact assessment process. Science, 199: 946–952.

Unit 3: Setting a Standard for Environmental Assessment in Canada—the Ecosystem Approach

The Ontario Headwaters Institute. (2023, May 31). David Crombie on planning and water security, May 2023 [Video]. YouTube.
Royal Commission on the Future of the Toronto Waterfront (Crombie Commission). (1992). Chapter 1: The ecosystem approach. In Regeneration: Toronto’s waterfront and the sustainable city, Final report of the Royal Commission on the Future of the Toronto Waterfront (pp. 19–61). Ontario Legislative Assembly Sessional Paper 352/041. The Commission. 
Reeder, K. (2019, July 22). Community concerns must be considered during Milltown project environmental impact assessment. Coop Média NB.

Unit 4: Legislated Environmental Assessment at the Federal Level in Canada

Gibson, R. (2012). In full retreat: The Canadian government’s new environmental assessment law undoes decades of progress. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 30(3): 179–188. 
Doelle, M. (2012). CEAA 2012: The end of federal EA as we know it? Journal of Environmental Law and Practice, 24(1), 1–17. 

Unit 5: Legislated Environmental Assessment at the Provincial Level in Canada

Northey, R., & Swaigen, J. (1993). Chapter 9: Environmental assessment. In D. Estrin & J. Swaigen (Eds.), Environment on trial: A guide to Ontario environmental law and policy (3rd ed.) (pp. 194–234). Emond Montgomery. 
Canadian Environmental Law Guide. (1996). Alberta environmental impact assessment. Specialty Technical Publishers (STP).

Unit 6: Indigenous Issues and Environmental Assessment in Canada

Centre for International Governance Innovation. (2018, November 9). How UNDRIP changes Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples [Video]. YouTube.
Hendrickson, O. (2024, May 13). Indigenous-led environmental assessment and conservation offer huge benefits to Canadians. Rabble. 
Kirchhoff, D., Gardner, H. L., & Tsuji, L. J. (2013). The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 and associated policy: Implications for Aboriginal peoples. The International Indigenous Policy Journal, 4(3). 
Kirchhoff, D. & Tsuji, L. J. (2014). Reading between the lines of the “responsible resource development” rhetoric: The use of omnibus bills to “streamline” Canadian environmental legislation. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 32(2): 108–120. 

Unit 7: The Role of the Public in Environmental Assessment

Observatorio de Politica Ambiental. (2020, January 10). Meaningful public participation in EIA: Interview with Patricia Fitzpatrick [Video]. YouTube. 
Tester, F. J. (1992). Reflections on Tin Wis: Environmentalism and the evolution of citizen participation in Canada. Alternatives, 19 (1): 34, 36–41. 
Maynes, C. (1989). Introduction. In Public consultation: A citizen’s handbook (pp. 1–2). Ontario Environment Network. Reproduced with permission of the Ontario Environment Network, www.oen.ca. 
Maynes, C. (1989). Chapter 2: Elements of good process. In Public consultation: A citizen’s handbook (pp. 9–19). Ontario Environment Network. Reproduced with permission of the Ontario Environment Network, www.oen.ca. 

Unit 8: Biophysical Impact Assessment and Cumulative Environmental Effects

Beanlands, G., & Duinker, P. (1983). Summary. In An ecological framework for environmental impact assessment in Canada (pp. 1–10). Institute for Resource and Environmental Studies. 
Beanlands, G., & Duinker, P. (1983). Requirements for organizing and conducting ecological assessments. In An ecological framework for environmental impact assessment in Canada (pp. 91–95). Institute for Resource and Environmental Studies. 
Rees, W. E. (1995, July). Cumulative environmental assessment and global change. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 15(4): 295–309. 

Unit 9: Social Impact Assessment

Observatorio de Politica Ambiental. (2019, December 17). Social impact assessment: Interview with Frank Vanclay [Video]. YouTube. 
Interorganizational Committee on Guidelines and Principles. (1994, May). Guidelines and principles for social impact assessment. U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service. 

Unit 10: Case Study—Environmental Assessment of the Red Hill Valley Parkway

Friends of Red Hill Valley. (1998, September 14). Submission to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (Canada) Re: Red Hill Creek Expressway—north–south section: Scoping of project and scoping of assessment. 

Unit 11: Prospects for the Advancement of Environmental Assessment

Parks Canada. (2024, November 4). Strategic environmental assessments [Video].