Amendments to Time Limits Regulations

Summary#

These are final amendments to the Information and Management of Time Limits Regulations that tweak wording and remove some duplicated paperwork. The changes align the regulations with recent changes to the Impact Assessment Act and correct a few small procedural mismatches. The instrument was registered as SOR/2024-180 on September 18, 2024 and published in the Canada Gazette on October 9, 2024.

What it does#

• Clarifies that requests to pause time limits must be submitted to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, not to the Minister.
• Makes clear the time-limit suspension rule can apply to requests to designate a physical activity, not only to already-designated projects.
• Removes a duplicate requirement that proponents respond to a summary of issues inside a “detailed project description.” That response is still required, but now separately under the Act.
• Cuts other duplicated or inconsistent information requirements in the schedules that describe what must be included in project descriptions.
• Updates the lists and wording about possible adverse environmental effects to match the amended definition of “adverse effects within federal jurisdiction.” This includes effects on federal lands, marine pollution outside Canada, and interprovincial or boundary waters.
• Keeps and clarifies requirements to describe non-negligible impacts on the health, social, economic and cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples when information is available or comes from engagement.

Who's affected#

• Project proponents (developers) who must prepare notices and project descriptions for impact assessments.
• The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, which will receive time-limit suspension requests.
• Federal departments and agencies involved in federal lands or federal works and undertakings.
• Indigenous peoples, because the amendments touch how impacts on Indigenous rights, heritage and current use must be described when that information is available.
• The general public and stakeholders who follow impact assessments — the changes mostly affect how information is organized, not the scope of what is considered.

Why it matters#

• The changes reduce duplication and confusion about where certain information must be submitted. That can make the paperwork clearer for proponents and the Agency.
• The rule about where to send time-limit suspension requests (to the Agency) may speed up handling and reduce misdirected submissions.
• Aligning the regulations with the amended Impact Assessment Act helps ensure assessments follow the law as changed on June 20, 2024.
• According to the government’s regulatory analysis, these are technical corrections with no expected extra cost to businesses, including small businesses.