Impact assessment

Impact assessment is a key tool used to assist Park Canada in achieving its mandate to protect and present nationally significant examples of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage, and to foster public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment in ways that ensure the ecological and commemorative integrity and ecological sustainability of these places for present and future generations. The value of impact assessment as a tool in planning and decision-making is internationally recognized, and the practice has been formally adopted at all levels of government in Canada. Impact assessment provides Parks Canada a means of giving full consideration to the potential effects of its decisions on natural and cultural resources, as well as on the maintenance or restoration of ecological integrity, commemorative integrity and ecological sustainability prior to approval and implementation of a project so that potential adverse environmental effects can be identified, avoided, mitigated, and monitored, as required. In addition, impact assessment provides an important means to engage with Indigenous peoples and contribute to reconciliation.

The different types of impact assessment applied by Parks Canada includes:

The focus of Parks Canada’s impact assessment activities is on evaluating potential adverse effects to the natural and cultural resources we protect, and to the visitor experience opportunities we offer.

Update on the Review of Environmental and Regulatory Processes

The Government of Canada has released a discussion paper that outlines its proposed approach to environmental and regulatory processes.