Impact Assessment Act (S.C. 2019, c. 28, s. 1)

Marginal note:Notice of commencement

• 18 (1) If the Agency decides that an impact assessment of a designated project is required — and the Minister does not approve the substitution of a process under section 31 in respect of the designated project — the Agency must, within 180 days after the day on which it posts a copy of the description of the designated project under subsection 10(2), provide the proponent of that project with

  • (a) a notice of the commencement of the impact assessment of the project that sets out the information or studies that the Agency requires from the proponent and considers necessary for the conduct of the impact assessment; and

  • (b) any documents that are prescribed by regulations made under paragraph 112(1)(a), including tailored guidelines regarding the information or studies referred to in paragraph (a) and plans for cooperation with other jurisdictions, for engagement and partnership with the Indigenous peoples of Canada, for public participation and for the issuance of permits.

• Marginal note:Factors to consider — information or studies

  (1.1) The Agency must take into account the factors set out in subsection 22(1) in determining what information or which studies it considers necessary for the conduct of the impact assessment.

• Marginal note:Scope of factors

  (1.2) The scope of the factors referred to in paragraphs 22(1)(a) to (f), (h) to (l) and (s) and (t) that are to be taken into account under subsection (1.1) and set out in the tailored guidelines referred to in paragraph (1)(b), including the extent of their relevance to the impact assessment, is determined by the Agency.

• Marginal note:Copy posted on Internet site

  (2) The Agency must post a copy of the notice of the commencement of the impact assessment on the Internet site.

• Marginal note:Extension of time limit

  (3) The Agency may, on request of any jurisdiction referred to in paragraphs (c) to (g) of the definition jurisdiction in section 2, extend the time limit referred to in subsection (1) by any period up to a maximum of 90 days, to allow it to cooperate with that jurisdiction with respect to the Agency’s obligations under subsection (1).

• Marginal note:Posting notice on Internet site

  (4) The Agency must post a notice of any extension granted under subsection (3), including the reasons for granting it, on the Internet site.

• Marginal note:Suspending time limit

  (5) The Agency may suspend the time limit within which it must provide the notice of the commencement of the impact assessment until any activity that is prescribed by regulations made under paragraph 112(1)(c) is completed. If the Agency suspends the time limit, it must post on the Internet site a notice that sets out its reasons for doing so.

• Marginal note:Notice posted on Internet site

  (6) When the Agency is of the opinion that the prescribed activity is completed, it must post a notice to that effect on the Internet site.