Nova Scotians Invited to Shape Future of Environmental Assessment Process

Press Release

August 30, 2023

The Province is inviting Nova Scotians to provide their ideas, suggestions and solutions on how to improve the Province’s environmental assessment process.

Large industries and companies complete environmental assessments to identify all potential impacts of their work on the environment, along with approved plans to mitigate those impacts. This process ensures Nova Scotia’s environment is protected while economic opportunities are developed. The government is seeking ideas from all Nova Scotians on how this process can be improved.

“As regulator, my mandate is to hold large industry and companies accountable for protecting our environment,” said Environment and Climate Change Minister Timothy Halman. “Our province is growing, and more companies want to come to Nova Scotia. Modernizing our requirements and processes will make our expectations clearer, improve compliance rates, and help make sure our economy can grow and Nova Scotians have good jobs, while still protecting our environment. I look forward to the great ideas that Nova Scotians will give us to make sure we better achieve these objectives.”

There are several ways Nova Scotians can share their input:

• through the consultation website: https://novascotia.ca/environmental-assessment-engagement
• email: EAmodernization@novascotia.ca
• phone: 902-424-0991
• a do-it-yourself workshop kit; details on are on the consultation website.

The deadline for submissions is October 6.

Quick Facts:

• the government committed to modernizing the environmental assessment process by 2024 in the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act
• the last major update of the existing regulations for environmental assessments was in 2008
• the updated environmental assessment process will take into consideration the following key concepts: cumulative impacts, diversity, equity and inclusion, independent review, climate change, and Netukulimk, which is the Mi’kmaq concept of living sustainably on the land through respectful co-habitation

Additional Resources:

More information on the current environmental assessment process is available at: https://novascotia.ca/nse/ea/

Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act: https://nslegislature.ca/legc/bills/64th_1st/3rd_read/b057.htm

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