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Environmental Assessment Act ([RSBC 1996] Chapter 119).

Country/Territory
Canada
Territorial subdivision
British Columbia
Document type
Legislation
Date
1994 (1996)
Source
FAO, FAOLEX
Subject
Environment gen.
Keyword
Basic legislation EIA Institution Indigenous peoples
Geographical area
Americas, Arctic, Asia and the Pacific, East Pacific, North America, North Atlantic
Abstract

This Act is composed of 8 parts, creating a legal framework for environmental impact assessment (EIA). Among the purposes of the Act, section 2 lists the following: to provide an open, accountable and neutrally administered process for the assessment of reviewable projects, and to activities that pertain to the environment and land use; to provide for participation by the public, proponents, first nations (native populations), local, provincial and federal government. The Act does not apply to "forest practice", as defined in the Forest Practices Code of B.C. (sect. 3). Whereas the Lieutenant Governor in Council has the power to make regulations prescribing what constitutes a reviewable project (sect. 3), the Minister has the power to designate a project as reviewable if satisfied that it has or may have a "significant adverse effect" and that it is in the public interest to do so (sect. 4), thus applying the precautionary principle. Persons must apply for Project Approval Certificates, issued by the competent Minister, before undertaking "reviewable projects". These will be examined by a Project Committee composed of representatives from the sectors mentioned above (sect. 9) and a Public Advisory Committee (at the discretion of the Executive Director of the Environmental Assessment Board). The rest of Part 2 elaborates the environmental assessment process. Guidelines for review and category assessment requirements (Part 3); Environmental Assessment Board (Part 4); Administration (Part 5); Sanctions (Part 6); General provisions (Part 7); Regulations and transitional provisions (Part 8).

Full text
English
Website
www.qp.gov.bc.ca

References - Legislation

Repealed by

Environmental Assessment Act ([SBC 2002] Chapter 43).

Legislation | Canada | 2002

Keyword: Basic legislation, Pollution control, EIA, Institution, Environmental planning, Liability/compensation, Environmental standards, Environmental audit, Legal proceedings/administrative proceedings, Risk assessment/management, Offences/penalties, Indigenous peoples, Policy/planning, Standards, Protection of environment

Source: FAO, FAOLEX