Environmental Assessments and Agriculture:
Key Questions and Answers

What Provincial Ministry is responsible for the Environmental Assessment process in Ontario?

• The Environmental Assessment Branch of the Ministry of Environment (MOE) is responsible for the environmental assessment process within the Province of Ontario

What is the Environmental Assessment process in Ontario?

• The Environmental Assessment and Consultation Improvement Act, 1996 was proclaimed on January 1, 1997 and outlines the approvals process. The Act streamlined the environmental assessment process with emphasis being put on environmental effects, prescribed timelines, early identification and resolution of issues and promotion of greater certainty with approved Terms of Reference.

What is OMAFRA’s role in this process?

• OMAFRA is part of the government review process which evaluates Environmental Assessments (EA). OMAFRA Staff reviews EA's in light of government policy to ensure that agricultural issues, criteria and mitigating factors are considered by the proponent. The proponent is responsible for the collection, compilation and analysis of information.
  
  

What are OMAFRA’s objectives through the EA process?

• OMAFRA’s objectives through the EA process are as follows:
  • ensure that in the EA process, appropriated agricultural criteria are considered and are fairly;
  • ensure that primary consideration is given to avoiding prime agricultural areas and agricultural operations; and
  • where it can be shown that prime agricultural areas and operations cannot be avoided, ensure that adverse effects on agricultural areas and agricultural operations are minimize

Who makes the decisions about whether to landfill and where to landfill?

• These types are decisions are a municipal responsibility.

There is a proposed environmental assessment process commencing in my neighborhood for a project such as a landfill or new highway, who in OMAFRA should I contact for information on agricultural related issues?

• The Terms of Reference at the beginning of the EA process, as well as the EA submission, are forwarded by the Ministry of Environment to the Rural Planner who deals with the area of the Province in which the undertaking is planned. The Rural Planner reviews the documentation in consultation with other OMAFRA Staff as required. The documentation under the EA process is reviewed to determine it’s consistency with the policies and programs which OMAFRA administers. The Ministry’s position is sent to the EA Branch of MOE. The EA Branch considers OMAFRA’s comments in preparing the government’s recommendations.

Related Links

• Environmental Assessment - Ministry of Environment (MOE)