On February 8, 2018, the federal government tabled Bill C-69, which included a proposal to replace the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 with the new Impact Assessment Act (IAA). In June 2018, the House of Commons sent an amended version of the Bill to Canada’s Senate, where it is undergoing a second review. The new legislation was introduced following the government's commitment to review Canada’s environmental assessment framework and introduce new, fairer processes to regain public trust.
This Q&A is based on a detailed analysis of the bill by West Coast's legal experts, and updated to reflect amendments made in June 2018 in the House of Commons. It provides answers to many common questions and helps dispel some myths that have arisen about the proposed new Impact Assessment Act, and how it would change the way federal decisions are made on matters that affect the environment.