Participant Funding Program – Regular Funding Envelope
Funding Review Committee's Report

Allocation of Federal Funds for the Environmental Assessment of the Route 389 Improvement Project between Fire Lake and Fermont (Kilometre 478 to 564)

The Participant Funding Program (PFP) is established pursuant to subsection 58(1.1) of the former Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, which stated: "For the purposes of this Act, the Minister shall establish a participant funding program to facilitate the participation of the public in comprehensive studies, mediations and assessments by review panels."

A Funding Review Committee (FRC) independent of the environmental assessment (EA) was established for the Route 389 Improvement Project between Fire Lake and Fermont (Kilometre 478 to 564) (the Project). The EA of the project is being conducted by means of a comprehensive study (CS). The FRC's purpose was to assess funding applications received under the PFP – Regular Funding Envelope (RFE) for the project and to provide the President of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) with recommendations on whether funding should be allocated and, if so, in what amount.

Under the RFE for this project, a total of $40,000 was made available to support public participation in the EA, including:

• review of and comment on the summary of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or the EIS itself; and
• review of and comment on the Comprehensive Study Report (CSR).

The deadline to submit an application was June 26, 2012. One application was received, requesting a total of $58,575.

On June 28, 2012, the FRC met to review the application. The FRC members were Bruce Young, retired Director of Panel Management with the Agency, who acted as the Committee Chairperson; Guy Riverin, retired Environmental Assessment Specialist, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission; and Guy Demers, Senior Environmental Consultant, Formenvir.

Background

The proposed project consists of improving Route 389 between Fire Lake and Fermont (kilometre (km) 478 to 564) in order to increase the flow and safety of the road and, in addition, improve the link with Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as facilitate access to natural resources. The work includes building 55.8 km of new right-of-way road and improving the existing road, for a total length of 69.5 km.

Eligibility

Under the PFP – RFE, funding may be provided to applicants to support their input to an EA conducted by the federal government. These activities must be linked to the EA of a project through a comprehensive study, mediation or review panel.

Eligible recipients must be able to demonstrate that they meet at least one of the following eligibility criteria:

• have a direct, local interest in the Project, such as living or owning property in the project area;
• have community knowledge or Aboriginal traditional knowledge relevant to the EA; or
• have expert information relevant to the anticipated environmental effects of the Project.

The applicant was deemed to have met the eligibility criteria.

Under the PFP – RFE, applicants can request funding for expenditures related to:

• professional fees;
• staff salaries and benefits;
• travel expenses;
• honoraria for Elders and Chiefs to attend meetings and functions;
• ceremonial offerings related to receiving traditional knowledge in relation to the EA;
• administrative and reporting costs;
• local collection and/or distribution of information;
• office supplies and telephone charges;
• rental of office space and meeting rooms;
• legal fees;
• general media advertising and/or promotion;
• purchase of information material, with supporting documentation; and
• other detailed expenses.

Rationale for Allocation

In reviewing the application and in reaching its conclusions and recommendations the FRC took into consideration many factors, including:

• the ability of the applicant to demonstrate that it had met one or more of the eligibility criteria listed above;
• the quality, clarity and content of the application and the applicant's proposed EA participation work plan;
• the eligible activities under the PFP – RFE for the project, which include reviewing and commenting on the EIS summary or the EIS itself and the CSR;
• the extent to which the proposed activities meet the requirements of the PFP – RFE; and
• the maximum funding available to the applicant.

Recommendation

The FRC recommends allocating $7,200 of the available RFE funding to support the participation of Innu Takuaikan Uashat mak Mani-Utenam.

The FRC further recommends that any funding allocation be conditional on a provision of written comments, by the applicant, to the Agency on the EIS summary or the EIS itself and the CSR.

Recommended Participant Funding Allocation
Route 389 Improvement Project between Fire Lake and Fermont (Kilometre 478 to 564)
Regular Funding Envelope

Applicant	Total allocation amount recommended
Innu Takuaikan Uashat mak Mani-Utenam	$7,200
TOTAL	$7,200

Funding Review Committee
Route 389 Improvement Project between Fire Lake and Fermont (Kilometre 478 to 564)
Regular Funding Envelope

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Bruce Young, Committee Chairperson, retired Director of Panel Management with the Agency

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Guy Riverin, retired Environmental Assessment Specialist, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

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Guy Demers, Senior Environmental Consultant, Formenvir