Permitting

Envirowest has a long history of success in obtaining development project permits and approvals from federal, provincial and local government agencies. This success is founded upon our extensive knowledge of environmental compliance issues, expertise in agency liaison, and industry-leading design of mitigation and compensation strategies and designs for development projects. We routinely address regulatory issues and deliverables associated with:

• Fisheries Act (Canada);
• Species at Risk Act (Canada);
• Migratory Birds Act (Canada);
• Canadian Navigable Waters Act (Canada);
• Environmental Assessment Act (British Columbia);
• Wildlife Act (British Columbia);
• Water Sustainability Act (British Columbia);
• Riparian Areas Protection Act; Riparian Areas Protection Regulation (British Columbia); and,
• Land Development Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Habitat (Canada/British Columbia).

Proponents of development projects are responsible for providing regulatory agencies with all appropriate plans, specifications, studies and other information required to allow an assessment of the potential impact of proposed works. Agency personnel assess this information and engage the agent of the proponent regarding the project for additional information as required. In addition to providing supporting documentation regarding environmental aspects of a project, Envirowest is actively engaged in facilitating the application and review processes for projects within many regulatory environments.

Agency liaison and negotiation is a critical component of the project review process, involving ongoing dialogue between the project proponent and the regulatory agencies to reach an amicable agreement. The key to this process is, on the one hand, the successful communication of the issues and constraints of the project to the agencies and, on the other, the effective translation of technical and regulatory criteria presented by the agencies to the proponent. Envirowest is adept at functioning as an intermediary in this process, possessing both the scientific and technical knowledge and the communication and negotiating skills needed to facilitate understanding and agreement between the proponent and the regulatory agencies.

Regulatory agencies typically require the proponent to submit an environmental impact assessment early in the project review process. Envirowest maintains a team of qualified professionals with expertise in conducting impact assessments for development projects. Impact assessments undertaken by Envirowest generally involve the documentation of vegetation, fish and wildlife resources sustained within, and in proximity to the proposed project, and the assessment of project-related impacts to these resources in a local and regional context. The scope of the impact assessment depends on project parameters and the regulatory requirements of the agencies with jurisdiction over the project.

A key outcome of an environmental impact assessment is the identification of mitigation and compensation strategies that can adequately address adverse environmental impacts. Envirowest possesses a demonstrated expertise in development such strategies and designing mitigation and compensation habitats. Mitigation typically involves the avoidance or minimization of impacts through modification of the project design, and/or implementation of specific construction protocols. Compensation typically involves the restoration, enhancement or creation of resource features, such as fish and wildlife habitats, offset unmitigable adverse impacts.