Environmental Impact Assessment

Strategic Environmental Assessment

Strategic environmental assessment is a systematic, comprehensive process of evaluating the environmental effects of a proposed policy, plan or program and its alternatives. Strategic environmental assessment is needed when the proposed policy, plan or program requires Cabinet or Ministerial approval and when it may result in important environmental effects, either positive or negative.

Parks Canada plans, policies and programs that may require strategic environmental assessment include:

• Memoranda to Cabinet
• Treasury Board Submissions
• New or amended legislation
• Regulatory Impact Analysis Statements
• Park/Historic Site/National Marine Conservation Area Establishments
• Park/Historic Site/National Marine Conservation Area Management Plans
• Species at Risk Recovery Strategies and Plans
• National Policies and Plans
• Community Plans
• Other proposals for specific parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas

Strategic Environmental assessment should be conducted as early as possible in the planning process. Strategic environmental assessment may be documented as a separate report or incorporated as part of the policy, plan or program. Parks Canada is required to provide a public statement summarizing the strategic environmental assessment at the time of any public announcement of the proposal's approval.

List of Parks Canada's public statements