Translating strong principles into effective practice: environmental assessment in Ontario,Canada |
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Authors: | Beth Savan Christopher Gore |
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Institution: | 1. School of the Environment, Rm. 1016V, 33 Willcocks St., University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 3E8;2. Department of Politics and Public Administration, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St., Toronto, ON, Canada M5B 2K3 |
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Abstract: | This paper examines two fundamental and inter-related tensions relating to environmental assessment between the desire to be proactive, promoting sustainable development and the more traditional practice of preventing harm, as well as the need to balance a predictable, expeditious and efficient process with transparency and inclusive deliberation. Proposed reforms to the environmental assessment process in Ontario, Canada, are examined as a case in point, showing how the recommendations in Ontario are consistent with international trends. In particular, over-arching principles need to be embedded in more precise sector-specific policies to enable environmental assessment processes to meet these competing goals. |
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Keywords: | environmental assessment impact assessment environmental policy public participation sustainability |
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