Simplifier l'approbation des projets de croissance propre

The paper examines how strategic assessments can be used to streamline the approval of clean growth projects in Canada, particularly in light of the 2023 Supreme Court ruling on the Impact Assessment Act. It suggests that by shifting the regulatory burden from individual project assessments to broader strategic analyses of policies and systemic issues, Canada can accelerate its energy transition. The author recommends implementing clear triggers, a tiered approach to assessment, and robust outcome tracking, drawing on international examples from the EU and US.

• The Supreme Court of Canada ruled in October 2023 that parts of the 2019 Impact Assessment Act were unconstitutional because the federal government was examining and stopping projects for reasons outside its jurisdiction, creating regulatory uncertainty.
• Strategic assessments can accelerate the regulatory system by evaluating policies and systemic issues rather than individual projects, allowing authorities to assess the consequences of multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strategic assessments are more effective than individual impact assessments for managing cumulative effects, which are critical for addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and Indigenous rights.
• The Canadian definition of strategic assessment is broader than in other countries because it includes non-environmental effects (social, economic, health) and maintains a distinct category for regional assessments.
• Canada's current implementation of strategic assessments lacks official frameworks for triggers, impact evaluation, and the integration of results into project-level assessments.
• To improve efficiency, Canada should adopt 'tiering'—a practice used in the US where global assessments guide more precise project assessments—to determine optimal impact thresholds and design models.
• Strategic assessments could be used to formally recognize the positive effects of clean growth projects, such as clean tech innovation and climate resilience, which are currently often ignored in impact assessments.
• Strategic assessments can address the cumulative negative impacts of clean growth projects on Indigenous communities and establish standards for consultation and benefit sharing.

APA

Canadian Climate Institute (2023). Simplifier l'approbation des projets de croissance propre. https://institutclimatique.ca/publications/simplifier-lapprobation-des-projets-de-croissance-propre/

Chicago

Canadian Climate Institute. Simplifier l'approbation des projets de croissance propre. 2023. https://institutclimatique.ca/publications/simplifier-lapprobation-des-projets-de-croissance-propre/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Climate Institute |title=Simplifier l'approbation des projets de croissance propre |date=30 November 2023 |url=https://institutclimatique.ca/publications/simplifier-lapprobation-des-projets-de-croissance-propre/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianclimateinstitute2023simplifier, author = {{Canadian Climate Institute}}, title = {{Simplifier l'approbation des projets de croissance propre}}, institution = {Canadian Climate Institute}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://institutclimatique.ca/publications/simplifier-lapprobation-des-projets-de-croissance-propre/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }