ID: 1816
Presenting Author: Catherine Claveau-Fortin
Session: 529 - Strategic, Not Generic: The Next Generation of Regional Assessments
Status: pending
Québec’s Strategic Environmental Assessment Framework: Advancing Regional Planning, Cumulative Impact Evaluation, and Inclusive Governance for Sustainable Development
Québec’s new legislative framework for sectoral and regional environmental assessments marks a major shift from traditional project-based evaluations, which often overlooked cumulative effects and long-term trends. By adopting a broader, regional approach, the updated procedure provides a more strategic and integrated understanding of environmental impacts across sectors and territories. This shift enhances efficiency, reduces redundancy, and promotes better use of data and scientific knowledge.
The new framework addresses key environmental challenges—climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource management—at a regional scale, enabling decision-makers to consider sustainability and cumulative impacts over the long term. Establishing environmental parameters at a higher, strategic level allows for more coherent planning and targeted project assessments.
The Québec framework is voluntarily initiated by proponents of plans or programs. Transparency and inclusivity are strengthened through systematic public hearings that ensure meaningful community engagement including First Nations. A government decision defines the acceptability and social criteria guiding subsequent authorizations.
Overall, this innovative framework represents a significant evolution in Québec’s environmental governance—one that integrates scientific rigor and public participation, to support long-term sustainability and regional resilience.
Catherine Claveau Fortin serves as Executive Assistant and Strategic Advisor in the Office of Québec’s Deputy Minister, supporting high-level planning, coordination, and policy development.
Coauthor 1: Julia Cyr Gagnon