Biodiversity Boreal Conservation planning

WCS Canada Comment: Terms of Reference for Regional Assessment in the region that includes the area of Kawana ‘Bi ‘Kag (Ring of Fire area)

Palmer, L., O'Connor, C., Harris, L., Tanguay, L. & Ray, J.

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Key points

Background

• This is our formal response to the request for public input from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) for the draft Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Regional Assessment (RA) in northern Ontario that includes the area of Kawana ‘Bi ‘Kag (also called the Ring of Fire area)
• We initially made a formal request to IAAC in November 2019 for an RA in the region and have since provided detailed feedback on the Information Sheet for the development of an initial Terms of Reference and Potential Agreement, and provided substantive comments about the deficiencies of the draft agreement released in 20213.
• We commend IAAC for making the decision to revisit the previous draft ToR and commit to working collectively with Matawa and Mushkegowuk member communities to create a co-governance approach for the conduct of the RA, and for the significant steps forward in this revised ToR.

Comments on the ToR for the RA in northern Ontario

• The new draft represents a significant step forward in meeting the purposes of the Impact Assessment Act (2019) with respect to fostering sustainability, respecting Indigenous rights, and broadening the scope for considering science, knowledge, and regional-scale cumulative effects.
• Despite the significant progress, the draft ToR remains a visionary document that lacks several critical elements and specific details that must be addressed to avoid delays and clarify how the vision will be translated into meaningful action.
• Our most significant concerns about the current draft are:
• A strategic approach to the RA is required and this must be explicitly identified;
• The 'development area' identified seems to have no clear purpose and could unnecessarily limit the RA, especially given that the assessment itself does not play an authoritative decision-making role;
• More attention is needed to explain how the various studies and components of the RA will contribute to a comprehensive evaluation of cumulative effects in the region; and
• Cumulative effects scenarios must include climate change impacts in addition to development scenarios.
• Including our current recommendations in the final ToR will provide the necessary detail to ensure that the vision of this co-led process is translated into action and the recommendations of the RA are upheld through the Implementation Phase. This will support a comprehensive and forward-looking assessment of cumulative effects in the region, including climate change impacts and adaptation.

Recommended citation

Palmer, L., O'Connor, C., Harris, L., Tanguay, L. & Ray, J. (2024). WCS Canada Comment: Terms of Reference for Regional Assessment in the region that includes the area of Kawana ‘Bi ‘Kag (Ring of Fire area). Wildlife Conservation Society Canada [WCS Canada]. https://wcscanada.org/resources/tor-for-regional-assessment-in-the-region-that-includes-the-area-of-kawana-bi-kag/