Vol. 137, No. 21 — October 8, 2003

Registration
SI/2003-162 8 October, 2003

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ACT

Order Fixing October 30, 2003 as the Date of the Coming into Force of Certain Provisions of the Act

P.C. 2003-1413 25 September, 2003

Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment, pursuant to section 34 of An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, assented to on June 11, 2003, being chapter 9 of the Statutes of Canada, 2003, hereby fixes October 30, 2003 as the day on which the provisions of that Act, other than subsection 1(2) and section 32, come into force.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order.)

This Order fixes October 30, 2003 as the day on which An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act comes into force, except subsection 1(2) and section 32.

This Act implements the results of the statutory review of that other Act conducted by the Minister of the Environment. It establishes a federal environmental assessment coordinator for projects that undergo screening or comprehensive study-level assessment. It modifies the comprehensive study process to prevent a second environmental assessment of a project by review panel, while extending the participant funding program to comprehensive studies. This Act expands existing regulation-making authority for projects on federal lands, provides a new use for class screening reports as a replacement for project-specific assessments and makes follow-up programs mandatory for projects after a comprehensive study or review panel.

To provide Canadians with access to information about the environmental assessment of specific projects, this Act creates the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry. It requires that the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency establish and lead a quality assurance program, promote and monitor compliance and assist relevant parties in building consensus and resolving disputes.

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