Question Period Note: Regional Assessment of Offshore Petroleum Exploratory Drilling—Newfoundland and Labrador

Regional Assessment of Offshore Petroleum Exploratory Drilling—Newfoundland and Labrador

• The offshore industry plays a vital role in our economy in creating jobs and economic growth.

o The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada is working with the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, Natural Resources Canada and the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Natural Resources to plan and undertake a regional assessment.
o This regional approach in the eastern Newfoundland offshore will minimize the need for repetitive reviews of these projects, while maintaining a high standard of environmental protection.
o We remain committed to finalizing the assessment and related regulations to support its implementation in spring 2020.

• Informed decision-making requires all available and relevant information to be gathered and considered.

• Five environmental assessments under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 are currently being conducted of offshore exploratory drilling projects off the coast of eastern Newfoundland, with two recently being completed. In early 2018, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced its Advance 2030 policy, the intent of which is to encourage the drilling of up to 100 new exploratory wells by the year 2030.
• Exploration drilling projects are often similar in their execution and potential effects.
• The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (the C-NLOPB), the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, industry groups and some Indigenous groups have indicated support for a regional approach that would apply to environmental assessments of offshore exploratory drilling in this region.
• A regional assessment could represent an effective means of ensuring that environmental considerations are taken into account in a consistent manner, and of responding to the concerns of Indigenous peoples and stakeholders. It could also reduce regulatory burden and consultation fatigue.
• The development of the regional assessment is intended to be an inclusive and transparent process that will bring together all information, including peer-reviewed science, evidence, Indigenous knowledge, and community knowledge in a useful and respectful way in the development of the regional assessment. The aim is to improve and guide decision-making going forward.
• The Agency is working with the C-NLOPB, Natural Resources Canada and the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Natural Resources to plan and undertake this regional assessment.
• The Parties have completed an Agreement that was announced and released on
April 15, 2019. At that time, the appointment of the 5-member Regional Assessment Committee was also announced.
• The Regional Assessment Committee will continue its work, including associated engagement activities, throughout 2019. These activities will be supported by an Agency-led Task Team, other federal and provincial agencies and non-governmental organizations involved in the Regional Assessment.
• Under the Agreement, the Committee is due to submit its Regional Assessment Report to the ministers by fall 2019.

Question Period notes as provided by the Department to the Minister’s Office