Public Notice

Regional Assessment in the Ring of Fire Area —
Upcoming Engagement Activities and Participant Funding Available

November 12, 2020 — The Minister of Environment and Climate Change has determined that a regional assessment will be conducted in an area centred on the Ring of Fire mineral deposits in northern Ontario.

The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) is inviting the public, Indigenous communities, and organizations to provide input to support the planning of the Regional Assessment in the Ring of Fire area. Participants may provide their input to the Agency in either official language until January 21, 2021. Participants are encouraged to refer to the Ring of Fire regional assessment planning information sheet for additional details.

Participants can visit the project home page on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry (reference number 80468) for more options to submit information. All input received will be published to the Registry as part of the regional assessment file.

The Agency recognizes that it is more challenging to undertake meaningful public engagement and Indigenous consultation in light of the circumstances arising from COVID-19. The Agency continues to assess the situation with key stakeholders, make adjustments to engagement activities, and is providing flexibility as needed in order to prioritize the health and safety of all Canadians, while maintaining its duty to conduct meaningful engagement with interested groups and individuals.

Virtual Information Sessions

The Agency will host virtual information sessions to provide background information on the regional assessment and to help participants understand how to provide information that will contribute to the design of the process and development of the terms of reference for the assessment. The virtual sessions will consist of a presentation on the anticipated regional assessment process, information on future opportunities for participation, and an opportunity to ask questions to Agency staff.

Interested participants can stream the presentation on MS Live at the following links:

November 24, 2 p.m. (EST): First Virtual Session — Click here.
November 24, 7 p.m. (EST): Second Virtual Session — Click here.
November 26, 2 p.m. (EST): Third Virtual Session — Click here.
November 26, 7 p.m. (EST): Last Virtual Session — Click here.

For more information on how to attend these sessions, please contact the Agency at iaac.regionalrof-cdfregionale.aeic@canada.ca.

Participant Funding Available

The Agency is making funding available through its Participant Funding Program to assist the public, Indigenous communities, and organizations with their participation in the regional assessment. Funding will assist recipients in providing input related to the planning of the regional assessment, reviewing and providing comments on the terms of reference and potential draft agreement for the Regional Assessment Committee, and participating in early engagement activities of the Committee. Additional participant funding will be offered at a later date to support recipients in activities throughout the conduct of the assessment.

The deadline to submit funding application has been extended to January 29, 2021. To apply for funding, complete the Regional Assessment Participant Funding Application Form available on the Agency's website at canada.ca/iaac under Funding Programs. For more information, contact the Participant Funding Program by writing to iaac.FP-PAF.aeic@canada.ca, or by calling 1-866-582-1884.

Follow us on Twitter: @IAAC_AEIC #RingofFireRA

What is the Regional Assessment?

Regional assessments are studies conducted in areas of existing projects or anticipated development to inform planning and management of cumulative effects and inform future project impact assessments. The regional assessment will be conducted in the area centered on the Ring of Fire mineral deposits in northern Ontario, approximately 540 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay and 1,000 kilometres north of Toronto. In planning the regional assessment, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada will work with the Province of Ontario, Indigenous groups, federal authorities, non-government organizations and the public to determine the appropriate activities, outcomes and boundaries of the regional assessment. The Minister of Environment and Climate Change will consider these factors in setting the terms of reference for the conduct of the regional assessment.

Document Reference Number: 12

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