Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that a registry be created to capture all of the reporting requirements found in the various environment and resource management bills, allowing the public a one-window access point to information. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 186-18(3): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Review of Bill 39: Environmental Rights Act - Registry for Reporting Requirements in Environment and Resource Management Bills, Carried
In the Legislative Assembly on August 16th, 2019. See this topic in context.
Committee Motion 186-18(3): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Review of Bill 39: Environmental Rights Act - Registry for Reporting Requirements in Environment and Resource Management Bills, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 6111
Committee Motion 186-18(3): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Review of Bill 39: Environmental Rights Act - Registry for Reporting Requirements in Environment and Resource Management Bills, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
August 16th, 2019
Page 6111
The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. The motion is on the floor and has been distributed. The motion is in order. To the motion. Mr. O'Reilly.
Committee Motion 186-18(3): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Review of Bill 39: Environmental Rights Act - Registry for Reporting Requirements in Environment and Resource Management Bills, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 6111
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I mentioned earlier how the department, in carrying out the public consultations that went into the development of the bill, had said that they were contemplating the development of an environmental registry.
Ontario has such as registry already in place, and has had it in place for more than a decade. This is one place on the Ontario government website where any individual can go and find important decisions that are made with regard to the environment; proposals for policies, programs, new regulations, draft regulations; and there is an opportunity for the public to comment on these, so we already have a model or a system that works in another jurisdiction. Apparently, the department heard some concerns about duplication with the Land and Water Board registries or the review board public registry. That is not what I think this contemplates. Those registries do a great job of informing people of decision-making proceedings under the Mackenzie Valley Resources Management Act.
What we are talking about is areas of GNWT jurisdiction, things like the Forest Act or the Environmental Protection Act, where GNWT has specific authority and makes decisions, issues permits and so on. That is where these things could be located because right now there is not much access to some of that information, although, through committee's development review of a number of the resource management bills, there will now be registries for mining, for public lands. All of those could be combined and put into an environmental registry, providing some greater coordination and maybe even some cost savings. That is what the purpose of this is, to ask the department to further consider this idea of an environmental registry and how to allow our citizens to have more information about important decisions made about the environment and maybe even a chance to comment on decisions before they are made or drafts of things before the decisions are made. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 186-18(3): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Review of Bill 39: Environmental Rights Act - Registry for Reporting Requirements in Environment and Resource Management Bills, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 6112
Committee Motion 186-18(3): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Review of Bill 39: Environmental Rights Act - Registry for Reporting Requirements in Environment and Resource Management Bills, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 6112
Some Hon. Members
Question.
Committee Motion 186-18(3): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Review of Bill 39: Environmental Rights Act - Registry for Reporting Requirements in Environment and Resource Management Bills, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 6112
The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Mr. Vanthuyne.