2025 Conference

OVERVIEW:

OAIA members, as well as environmental impact assessment practitioners, are encouraged to submit a proposal to speak at this year’s conference. This year, the conference will be exploring the theme of “Infrastructure, the Environment & Society: Assessments to Connect, Power, House, & Protect for a Sustainable Future in an Uncertain Geopolitical & Natural World”. There are both in-person and virtual options for participation and attendance.

Environmental Assessment (EA) and Impact Assessment (IA) practitioners are at the cornerstone of a major societal and environmental transition to address innumerable existential crises, where transformational change is needed to address challenges, be it climate change, loss of biodiversity, housing shortages, the more prolific use of and demand for electricity, or even trade relationships. This year’s conference theme recognizes the key role transformative infrastructure will play during uncertainty in the geopolitical, societal and natural world. Infrastructure enables trade, powers businesses, connects workers to their jobs, creates opportunities for communities and protects the nation and its citizens from an increasingly unpredictable natural environment. This conference is about stimulating a meaningful dialogue about supporting development for society’s important challenges while leaving a positive legacy for future generations.

Practitioners need to create efficiencies by understanding common problems and standardizing processes while equally isolating complex problems that require innovative solutions. Building the society of the future will mean maximizing outcomes and minimizing impacts on the environment and people. It will mean consulting and cooperating in good faith with Indigenous communities and peoples in order to obtain their free and informed consent prior to the approval of any project affecting their lands or territories and other resources. It will mean learning from past errors that might have negatively impacted health and socio-economic conditions, as well as the biophysical environment. Modern infrastructure projects should create partnership opportunities with Indigenous communities, build communities with vibrant and non-digital human connectivity, and involve early engagement and trusted relationships.

Program Area 1 – Infrastructure for the Next Generation

The next generation of infrastructure must consider and explore:

• Indigenous and community-led assessments processes.
• Energy needs of a world less reliant on fossil fuel.
• Municipal infrastructure that is climate proofed.
• Transportation infrastructure that is active and community based as well as high-speed and transformational.
• Local manufacturing and industries that is considerate of geopolitical realities.

Program Area 2 – Partnered Assessments with a People Centric Foundation

The next generation of assessments would not just involve information out but would create meaningful and transformative collaborative opportunities. The next generation of assessments must involve:

• True partnership/co-management with Indigenous communities on projects, supporting Indigenous leadership, oversight and decision making.
• Interactive opportunities for citizens to understand assessment predictions and outcomes, and thus meaningful involvement in the development of project design.
• Creative citizen participation in decision-making.