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Stewardship

Issue Summary | Industry Response | Issue Management |  Resource Library


ISSUE SUMMARY

The generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity can have an impact on species and habitat. Given the volume of power production, transmission and distribution across the country, many different species and their habitats come into contact with some dimension of the industry, and ensuring that this contact does not unduly harm the species and habitat in question is an on-going federal priority through several pieces of legislation. However, these impacts need to be seen in the context of the tremendous economic benefits afforded individual Canadians and our society as a whole by our affordable, reliable power supply. Striking a balance between protecting species and habitat and meeting Canadians’ electricity needs is an on-going challenge, and is being addressed through the efforts of CEA’s Stewardship Task Group.

INDUSTRY RESPONSE

For several years, CEA has been working closely with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) on stewardship issues related to fish and fish habitat.  In 1998, DFO and CEA undertook a joint effort to document activities for managing fish-related impacts at Canadian hydroelectric facilities. The document, Considering Fish and Fish Habitat in Existing Hydroelectric Operations and Maintenance: Electricity Industry Practices, represents the culmination of that effort.

Building on this success, CEA and DFO signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2002 that formally established an ongoing cooperative relationship focused on protecting fish and fish habitat impacted by electricity generation in Canada.  The MOU is a model for industry-government cooperation and organizes the work of CEA and DFO thematically under five headings: consultation, compliance, stewardship, education and training, research and monitoring.

Under the MOU, industry and government participate in regular national and regional consultation through meetings and national annual workshops. .Since the signing of the MOU, DFO has placed increasing emphasis on policy development under the Environmental Process Modernization Plan (EPMP). As a result, DFO has developed a series of policies to help clarify the application of certain sections of the Act. Through the MOU, CEA has had the opportunity to consult on the development of these policies and offer an industry perspective. 

With a series of national level policies in place, work has begun to help implement these policies into the various regions across Canada. This supports the overall objective of the MOU to encourage the clear and consistent application of the Fisheries Act across Canada. Already there are examples of regional MOUs and cooperative agreements across the country, and more are anticipated to be created. 

ISSUE MANAGEMENT

Stewardship at CEA is managed by the Generation Council.


Key Contact
Maureen Cassidy
Senior Associate
Tel:  613-231-5666 ext. 152
cassidy@electricity.ca


Resource Library

CEA Documents


Presentations from the Species at Risk Workshop
Ottawa May 31-June 1, 2005

Final Workshop Report


Issue 1: Reconciling the Habitat Protection Provisions of SARA, the Migratory Birds Convention Act and the Fisheries Act
 


Issue 2: Addressing Incidental Take/Harm through Permits and Licences under SARA, the Migratory Birds Convention Act and the Fisheries Act
 


Issue 3: Potential Impacts of the Application of SARA to Existing Facilities and Operations and to New Projects
 


Issue 4: Using Stewardship to Achieve Compliance under SARA
 


Issue 5: Incorporating Socio-economic Costs and Benefits of Species Listing and Recovery into Government Decision-making
 


Issue 6: Managing the Electricity Sector's Role in Developing and Implementing Recovery Strategies, Action Plans and Management Plans


Presentations from the CEA-DFO Stewardship Workshop
Niagara-on-the-Lake Session November 2004
 

CEA Stewardship Task Group St. John’s Session June 2004

SARA Deliberations:

Scientific Uncertainty Discussions: CEA Stewardship Task Group SARA Deliberations April  2003


Presentations from the CEA-DFO Stewardship Workshop "Drafting the Components of the In-stream Flow Interpretation Bulletin" Vancouver, April 2-3, 2003.
 


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