The Province of Nova Scotia is inviting the public to provide their ideas, suggestions and solutions on how to improve the province’s environmental assessment process. The government committed to modernizing the process by 2024 in the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act.
Large industries and companies complete environmental assessments to identify all potential impacts of their work on the environment, along with approved plans to mitigate those impacts. This process ensures Nova Scotia’s environment is protected while economic opportunities are developed. The government is seeking ideas from all Nova Scotians on how this process can be improved.
The updated environmental assessment process will take into consideration the following key concepts: cumulative impacts, diversity, equity and inclusion, independent review, climate change, and Netukulimk, which is the Mi’kmaq concept of living sustainably on the land through respectful co-habitation.
“As regulator, my mandate is to hold large industry and companies accountable for protecting our environment,” said Nova Scotia’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Timothy Halman. “Our province is growing, and more companies want to come to Nova Scotia. Modernizing our requirements and processes will make our expectations clearer, improve compliance rates, and help make sure our economy can grow and Nova Scotians have good jobs, while still protecting our environment. I look forward to the great ideas that Nova Scotians will give us to make sure we better achieve these objectives.”
The last major update of the existing regulations for environmental assessments was in 2008.
There are several ways Nova Scotians can share their input:
- Through the consultation website: https://novascotia.ca/environmental-assessment-engagement
- Via email: EAmodernization@novascotia.ca
- By phone: 902-424-0991
- Using a do-it-yourself workshop kit; details on are on the consultation website: https://novascotia.ca/nse/ea/
The deadline for submissions is October 6.
