The deadline to apply for funding is September 9th. All of the details about the funding program can be found here. Read on for more information about this opportunity and how to apply.

In June of 2016, the Federal government announced that they would be reviewing four key environmental and regulatory processes:

  • The Federal Environmental Assessment process;
  • The National Energy Board process;
  • Fish habitat protections; and
  • Navigation protections.

Funding was announced last week for Indigenous communities and organizations to participate in reviews of the federal environmental assessment process and National Energy Board.[i]

The Federal government has established the first of two Expert Panels to support these reviews. The established four-member panel, headed up by Johanne Gélinas, is focused on the environmental assessment process review. The panel is tasked with engaging with Canadians, Indigenous groups, and key stakeholders over the next several months to develop recommendations to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change regarding the environmental assessment process. A second Expert Panel tasked with NEB modernization is yet to be announced.

One of the Expert Panel’s key priorities is to engage with Indigenous communities. As our blog posts on the Northern Gateway Court Ruling describes, the current EA process continues to fail Indigenous communities in a number of important ways. However, many of our clients are leaders in finding new collaborative and consensus-based approaches to overcome these longstanding concerns.

A few key notes about the funding program:

Each Nation is eligible for $9,000 for each review. Groups can apply together to increase the amount of money received.

Eligible activities:

  • Preparation for and/or participation in meetings of Indigenous community, group or organization members, including virtual network activities and outreach activities, with the aim to gather views, enhance knowledge and strengthen awareness of Indigenous groups, or contribute to one or more components of the review;
  • Preparation for and/or participation in meetings with review bodies or government officials in order to contribute to one or more components of the review;
  • Preparation of written submissions, and/or supporting studies, that represent the views of Indigenous organizations, groups, or communities relevant to one or more components of the review; and,
  • Review of documents in support of contributing to one or more components of the review.

Nations are encouraged to propose activities that will take place up to Fall 2017 and will include the review of documents in support of and including the Panel reports in 2017.

Firelight provides policy, governance, regulatory and EA support – including assistance on developing input to public policy consultations in BC and elsewhere. 

For further information, contact:

Lindsay Galbraith, Senior Researcher: Environmental Assessment Support

lindsay.galbraith@thefirelightgroup.com

Alistair MacDonald, Lead: Environmental Assessment Support

alistair.macdonald@thefirelightgroup.com

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[i] Funding in support of participation of Indigenous peoples in the components of the review of the changes to the Fisheries Act and Navigation Protection Act will be made available at a later date.