Modernizing Approvals and Permits Initiative Progress Update

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Modernizing Approvals and Permits Initiative
Progress Update

• Presentation to Ontario Ministry Industry Cluster
  Council
• April 6th, 2006
• Thunder Bay, Ontario
• Candys Ballanger-Michaud

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Purpose of Presentation

• Background
• Magnitude of Complexity
• Progress Update
• Recommendations
• Next Steps

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Modernizing Permits and Approvals Efficient
permitting and approvals requirements for mine
development, while ensuring environmental
protection and worker health and safety.
Objectives
Increase certainty for investors by reducing time
and costs
Develop opportunities for efficiency and
coordination between processes
Seek more transparent systems that establish
expectations around timelines and accountabilities
Develop and enhance an one-window approach to
permitting, including electronic management
Drivers of Change Economic competitiveness Too
complex, confusing Overlap duplication Timelines
s Government Modernization Agenda Transparency Int
erjurisdictional Harmonization
Mineral Development Strategy Objective 1
Promoting Long-Term Sustainability and Global
Competitiveness
Northern Prosperity Plan Strengthening the North
and its Communities Listening to and Serving
Northerners Better Competing Globally and
Providing Opportunities for All
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Magnitude of Complexity
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Progress Update

• Mineral Exploration and Mining Ontario An
  Internet Gateway to Permitting for Mining
  launched December 13, 2005
• www.serviceontario.ca/mining
• Strategic Permits and Approvals Review
  Interministry Workshop held December 15 2005
• Preliminary recommendations identified
• Workshop Report finalized

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Progress Update

• Preliminary recommendations presented to
• OMA Industry Representatives January 2006
• IIE Regulatory Assistant Deputy Ministers
  Committee January 2006
• Recommendations endorsed/accepted
• Interministry Working Groups established to
  implement recommendations
• Working relationship established with Federal
  partners and other jurisdictions

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Recommendations

• Establish a One-Window Protocol
• Defines roles, responsibilities and
  accountabilities of regulatory partners
• Examine Potential Class Environmental Assessment
  for Mining Projects
• Identify options to improve efficiency of
  environmental assessment approvals process while
  meeting a specific set of objectives

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Recommendations

• Develop Service Delivery Standards
• Standards for government processing and decision
  making should be consistently established across
  the enterprise

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1. One-Window Protocol

• Interministry working group established
• Workshop held and framework developed
• Optimizing on positives of protocols in the
  system and incorporating lessons learned
• Framework to include
• Strong commitment by all ministries
  (accountability)
• Clear decision making process defined
• Awareness and training to ensure consistency

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1. One-Window Protocol

• Framework to include (contd)
• Right competency levels
• Clearly defined resolution mechanism
• Flexibility to customize approach based on size
  of undertaking
• Mechanism to monitor effectiveness
• Approved Protocol to be posted on gateway

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2. Potential Class EA

• Interministry working group established
• Workshop held February 2006
• Objectives defined
• Options developed to improve efficiency of
  environmental assessment approvals process
• Comparative analysis completed to assess each
  option against the defined objectives
• Options presented to OMA Environmental
  Subcommittee March 23, 2006 in Perth

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option not consistent with regulatory ministrys
mandate, therefore not explored further
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Potential Class EA

• Presented Proposed Approach
• Introduce in 2 Phases - Building Blocks
• Phase 1 - Interim
• Move forward with Options 2 3
• One-Window Protocol Development currently
  underway
• Industry Driven Practitioners Guide Development
• Phase 2
• Introduce Option 4 or 5
• Industry led Class EA Development or
• Development of Regulation under EAA

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3. Service Delivery Standards

• Interministry working group established
• Consensus for need to have standards
• To form part of the One-Window Protocol where
  appropriate
• Timelines and standards for government processing
  and decision making
• Clearly defined and published ministry
  requirements or expectations ability to reject
  sub-standard or deemed incomplete
• Transparency is critical

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3. Service Delivery Standards

• Predictability and consistency in process
  paramount
• Optimizing on opportunities to eliminate
  duplication and overlap bundling or alignment of
  permits
• Push as far as possible all service delivery
  channels available in-person (over the counter),
  telecommunications, internet
• E-permitting and tracking progress of
  applications in the system

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Next Steps

• One-Window Protocol
• Underway estimated completion summer 2006
• Expand to include Federal partners
• Sharing outcomes with other jurisdictions
• Potential Class EA
• Follow-up meeting tentatively scheduled April
  13th, 2006
• Service Delivery Standards
• Underway
• Estimated completion tbd

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Questions??

• Questions/comments
• Further contact information
• Candys Ballanger-Michaud
• Project Director
• Ministry of Northern Development and Mines
• 933 Ramsey Lake Road
• Sudbury, ON
• [phone]
• candys.ballangermichaud_at_ndm.gov.on.ca