ID: 1800
Presenting Author: Clarisse Fiset
Session: 678 - Advancing government approaches to effective science communication in Impact Assessment
Status: pending
Natural Resources Canada’s analysis of technical reviews highlight the need for standardized reporting and tracking practices to improve the effectiveness of science communication in IA
Natural Resources Canada is required by federal assessment legislation to contribute its expertise to inform assessments of major development projects across the country. As a leader in the fields of earth sciences, energy, forests, and minerals and metals, the department provides crucial expertise to support decision making regulators. The department conducted an internal analysis of its technical review process - including assessment-related comments, to improve the effectiveness of its expert contribution to project reviews.
This work builds on previous research into how mine geochemistry data is reported in publicly available assessment documents. This research revealed that current practices often fall short of recognized standards for data accessibility and quality. To build on this research, the team explored these challenges further by compiling a database of comments submitted during project reviews and tracked key factors, such as review timelines, document formats, and the frequency of follow-up requests. The analysis revealed significant variability in how information is presented and how scientific input is incorporated into final assessments. These findings point to several opportunities to improve the process, including enhancing scientific communication by promoting more consistent and standardized reporting practices.
This presentation will share insights from the internal review and highlight how Natural Resources Canada is working to strengthen the quality and clarity of scientific communication in environmental assessments.
Clarisse Fiset is an Impact Assessment Officer at Natural Resources Canada, coordinating the department’s input of science, technical expertise and knowledge into assessments.
Coauthor 1: Jennifer Cole
Coauthor 2: Marie-Eve Lenghan