Impact & Environmental Assessment:
It’s a Lot & We Can Get Great Things Done
A Recipe for Meaningful Assessments in a Time of Innovation, Modernization, and Uncertainty
October 23rd - 24th, 2024
Old Mill Toronto – 21 Old Mill Road, Toronto
OVERVIEW:
OAIA members, as well as impact and environmental 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 “Impact & Environmental Assessment: It’s a Lot and We Can Get Great Things Done. A recipe for meaningful assessments in a time of innovation, modernization and uncertainty.” There are both in person and virtual options for participation and attendance.
Environmental Assessment (EA) and Impact Assessment (IA) practitioners are pulled in a lot of directions during the course of IA/EAs, with the goal of ensuring the process remains efficient, meaningful, informed, transparent, and inclusive. By prioritizing and focusing we can strike the correct balance ensuring robust, high-quality, and meaningful IA/EAs. So, while IA/EAs have become a catchall of ideas and aspirations, we can get great things done.
The conference will explore the notion of working in a time of innovation and modernization ensuring that the vision and principles for assessments are maintained all while not losing focus on the bigger picture questions.
Practitioners need to be well positioned to collect the right information, and conduct analysis with a view to maximizing outcomes and minimize impacts on Indigenous culture and traditions, health and socio-economic conditions, as well as archaeology, paleontology and the biophysical environment. With a vision to engage earlier and more effectively to build trusted relationships so that assessments can respond to the pertinent questions from participants at the onset rather than collecting information for information’s sake. Without questioning the bigger picture, we leave ourselves with the unsophisticated notion that EAs/IAs are simply too resource intensive.
Practitioners must also learn from Indigenous communities, respecting Indigenous knowledge as it should be and harmonizing this knowledge with western scientific methods in the assessment processes.
The complexity of information available to practitioners can seem daunting, this conference is intended to aid practitioners stay focused on the vision and not feel swung in different directions between streamlined processes, prioritizing information, and new technologies. The vision is for practitioners to learn to balance this wealth of information along with the emergence of new technology tools, mapping and database tools, and artificial intelligence. Are some practices more useful in certain circumstances? What does meaningful engagement look like on your project? Where is the sweet spot and how does the practitioner decide on it for different projects in different contexts?
Proposals are encouraged, but not required, to align with one or more of the three program areas:
Program Area 1 – Indigenous-led EA/IA Processes:
Exploring Indigenous and community-led assessments processes, what does the process look like and how does it differ from Federal, Provincial and Municipal processes.
Program Area 2 – Streamlining Processes, Prioritizing Information, and Asking the Right Questions:
If the process is too cumbersome and when we don’t collect the right information we slow down. Continued streamlining efforts are imperative, however we need to ensure this is done while adhering to the core principles (transparent, inclusive, informed and meaningful). An important and often overlooked component of improving efficiency is ensuring we get the right information at the pre-planning stage and pre-permit stages, not later during the decision-making stages. We need to look at the big picture at the onset of assessments and ask the correct questions early on to help focus our efforts. We also need to ensure these questions are in fact answered through the assessments and projects we deliver.
Program Area 3 – Value Relationships:
If we don’t engage the right regulators, stakeholders, and Indigenous Communities, at the outset of the project, we slow down. If we want to improve EAs/IAs, we need to initiate, develop, and foster relationships for the long term. When we don’t take the time to develop relationships, we lose the chance to develop trust. Without trust it is hard to effectively move forward.
Suggested Sessions: Format, Topics, & Areas of Focus
To complement the above listed program areas and guide prospective conference participants, OAIA has developed a list of suggested sessions with format, topics and areas of focus (as seen below). You are encouraged to review these suggestions when submitting your proposal on the 2024 Conference Theme: Impact & Environmental Assessment: It’s a Lot and We Can Get Great Things Done. Include the Session and Topic in your submission form. New topic suggestions are welcome.
SESSION | SUGGESTED TOPICS AND FOCUS |
All sessions will include discussions questions with conference attendees. Not all conference participants (presenters) need to prepare a presentation (ideas, debate and deliberation is welcome). | |
Session 1: Format: Debate Panel |
Bringing it All Together |
Streamlining processes, managing and prioritizing information and asking/answering the right questions. | |
Session 2: Format: Interactive, Presentation, Case Study |
Managing Uncertainty |
How do we increase the confidence in projects/study results/processes in the face of unknowns. When we predict the environment will behave in a certain way how do we monitor for success or what occurs if the predictions do not come to fruition? What is the role of follow-up programs in building confidence? | |
Session 3: Format: Presentation, Case Study |
Consultation and Engagement |
How has this changed in process and/vs in practice. How is technology being used? How should technology be used to enhance consultation and engagement? How can Indigenous or community-led assessment bridge gaps in understanding and expectations. | |
Session 4: Format: Presentation, Case Study |
Process Modernization |
Lessons learned from process modernization effects on different valued components, in different sectors or in different jurisdictions (e.g. New “codes of practice” released by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in 2023; Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks’ amendments to Waste Management Projects regulation (O. Reg. 101/07), Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA)) | |
Session 5: Format: Interactive, Presentation, Case Study |
Interjurisdictional Collaboration and Efficiency |
How to avoid duplication yet ensure a meaningful and robust scope in the EA/IA process between federal, provincial, and municipal processes (e.g., for projects that may trigger two or more processes). | |
Session 6: Format: Debate Panel, Interactive, Presentation, Case Study |
The Crystal Ball |
What should EA/IA processes focus on? Should there be one size fits all or flexibility to focus and scope based on environmental, social, technical contexts? If there is flexibility, how would practitioners build buy-in and trust with Indigenous communities and public participants? | |
Session 7: Format: Debate Panel, Interactive, Presentation, Case Study |
Technology |
What are the modern tools currently available and innovations that might help EA/IA? How is technology changing and how are we using it? How has technology created process efficiencies? |
Guidelines for Abstract Proposal Submissions
PLEASE SUBMIT ABSTRACTS BY May 31, 2024 BY COMPLETING THE Abstract Submission Form.
You can contact the planning committee at info@oaia.on.ca
Students
- OAIA is offering a student bursary of $2500. For more information, please see Ontario Impact Assessment Award – Student Bursary.
Guidelines for Writing a Proposal Abstract
- All abstracts (see General) must be submitted using the OAIA Abstract Submission Form.
- Ensure that the submission is clear in its intent.
- Information must be accurate; spelling errors and missing information may result in presenters or co-authors not being correctly linked to their contributions.
General
- Abstract Submissions are welcome from industry, government, Indigenous groups, academia, post-secondary and graduate students, EA/IA consultants and non-government sectors.
- One Abstract Submission Form is required for each topic (unless proposing an entire session).
- Format (see Format)
- Each case study or presentation should be approximately 15 minutes in length. Each presenter should anticipate interactive discussion with the audience and other presenters during the same session.
- Each session will be approximately 1.5 hours in length, including time for audience participation. Sessions could include a debate panel or interactive element to maximize engagement with the audience
- If you are interested in organizing a complete session, with a focus on a debate panel or interactivity element, please complete a series of abstracts and “detailed session plan” (located on the last page of the Abstract Submission Form).
- If you are presenting virtually, note this in the abstract section on the form. Otherwise, the selection committee will presume you will be presenting in-person.
- OAIA wishes to inform participants that social media and other modes of advertising your participation in the conference will be used. In addition, all presentation materials, including an audio-visual recording, will be made available to OAIA Members after the 2024 Conference on the OAIA website.
Format
Select the one that applies: Abstract submitters can do one of the following:
- Submit an abstract for a panel presentation that the organizers will place in conjunction with other speakers who submit abstracts on related topics based on the program areas or session topics for the 2024 Conference.
- Organize a complete session of panel presentations on one or more of program areas or session topics for the 2024 Conference. Such a submission should include a series of abstracts and detailed session plan with timelines, key objectives and outcomes including a list of the presenters and their biographies. Confirmation from the presenters must be sought in advance.
- Organize a complete session for a panel debate on one or more of the program areas or session topics for the 2024 Conference with multiple debaters and a proposal for audience participation. Such a submission should include an abstract and a detailed session plan with timelines, key objectives and outcomes including a list of the debaters and their biographies. Confirmation from the debaters must be sought in advance.
- Submit an abstract for a case study related to one or more of the program areas or session topics for the 2024 Conference. These case studies could be international in nature, but the presenter MUST clearly show its relevance within the framework of the Ontario environmental assessment processes. The case study may be grouped with other similar case studies into a session or it can be a stand-alone session.
- Submit an abstract for a interactive and/or facilitated audience participation/discussion on one or more of the program areas or session topics for the 2024 Conference. Such an abstract should include a detailed session plan with timelines, key objectives and outcomes.
Deadline & How to Submit
Submit your Abstract Submission no later than May 31st, 2024. To submit your proposed abstract, click here: Submit Abstract Proposal
Travel & Other Expenses
- All presenters must register and pay the registration fee. There are several registration options available.
- No reimbursement for travel costs will be made.
- In some instances, with prior arrangement with the conference organizing committee, some assistance may be available to offset some travel costs (Students, please refer to Ontario Impact Assessment Award – Student Bursary).
Selection Process
All proposals submitted to OAIA are subjected to a rigorous jury process. The first step of this process is a peer review of each proposal. Upon completion of the peer review process, the preliminary conference program will be drafted, and all submitters will be notified as to whether their submission has been accepted.
- The following criteria will be used by the selection committee:
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- Applicability to environmental and impact assessment practice or theory in Ontario
- Scientific and technical merit
- Clarity and linkage to the 2024 Conference theme, program areas, as well as the suggested sessions with format, topics and areas of focus.
- OAIA will respond to all submitters by July 10, 2024,to advise if your proposal has been accepted.
- If you are invited to proceed, you will be asked to register for the 2024 Conference, join as an OAIA Member, and confirm your participation by July 26, 2024.
- Where applicable, you will be asked to submit all electronic files related to your submission (e.g., PowerPoint presentations) no later than October 4, 2024.
PLEASE SUBMIT ABSTRACTS BY May 31, 2024 BY COMPLETING THE Abstract Submission Form.
You can contact the planning committee at info@oaia.on.ca