Submission from Ecology Action Centre regarding the Environmental Assessment Modernization

The EA modernization should give proper attention to the ways in which the EA process and the projects that are approved through the EA process impact different groups of people. [...] In addition to the impacts of the actual projects, the barriers to participating in the assessment processes across Canada, and around the world, have historically been particularly profound for marginalized groups. [...] Therefore, the Province should use the opportunity in the EA modernization to actively work to close the gap of the digital divide by ensuring there are a variety of avenues for Nova Scotians to learn about projects and engage in the EA process (both online and offline), and that information concerning projects and public engagement opportunities are designed and presented in a way that can be acc. [...] EA Approvals – Terms and Conditions Understandably, there is some overlap between the Terms and Conditions of projects so that they are carried out in a way that is streamline and defensible for the Province and the proponent. [...] Office of the Auditor General audit We note that some of the deficiencies and issues brought up by the Office of the Auditor General in the 2017 audit of aspects of the EA process are still coming up in the EA process today (despite the follow-up report by the OAG in 2022 that compliance with OAG recommendations are 100% complete).