Environmental Assessment Office

The Environmental Assessment Office is a Crown Agency of the provincial government of British Columbia, Canada. Its mandate is to coordinate assessments of major development proposals in British Columbia. It reports to the provincial Minister of Environment.[1]

History

The EAO was established in 2002 via the Environmental Assessment Act, 2002.[2] The EAO's activities were governed by a quasi-judicial Executive Director.[3]

The legislation was renewed in 2018, by the Environmental Assessment Act, 2018.[2]

Controversies

In February 2020, it came to light that the EAO was instrumental in approving the Coastal GasLink Pipeline project, on 23 October 2014. The EAO, which acknowledged concerns from, among others, the Office of the Hereditary Chiefs of the Wetʼsuwetʼen, recommended that the ministry of the first Clark government approve the project, which in the event, it did.[4]

References

  1. ^ Haddock, Mark (November 2010). Environmental Assessment in British Columbia (PDF). Victoria BC: Environmental Law Centre, University of Victoria.
  2. ^ a b "The Environmental Assessment Act and Associated Regulations and Agreements". gov.bc.ca. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  3. ^ "ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ACT [SBC 2002] CHAPTER 43" (PDF). gov.bc.ca. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  4. ^ Proctor, Jason (19 February 2020). "Pipeline approval record reveals conflict with Wet'suwet'en years in the making". CBC.
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