Participant Funding Program - Regular Funding Envelope
Funding Review Committee's Report
Highway 914 - All Weather Roadway - McArthur River Mine Site to Cigar Lake Mine Site

Allocation of Regular Funding for Participation in the Environmental Assessment Process

The Participant Funding Program (PFP) was established pursuant to subsection 58(1.1) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (the Act), which states: For the purposes of this Act, the Minister shall establish a participant funding program to facilitate the participation of the public in comprehensive studies, mediations and assessments by review panels.

A funding review committee (FRC), independent of the environmental assessment (EA) of the Highway 914 - All Weather Roadway - McArthur River Mine Site to Cigar Lake Mine Site (the Project) being conducted by means of a comprehensive study, was established to assess the funding applications received under the Regular Funding Envelope (RFE) for the Project and to recommend funding allocations to the President of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) with respect to these applications. A total of $20,000 was made available by the Agency to assist applicants' participation in the EA process, including participation in meetings with the federal government regarding the EA; reviewing and providing comments on the proponent's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS); and reviewing and providing comments on the Comprehensive Study Report (CSR).

On December 6, 2010, the FRC met to review the three applications submitted for a total funding request in the amount of $46,969.80. The FRC members were Bruce Young, former Director of Panel Management at the Agency as Committee Chairperson; Paul Scott, retired Regional Director of the Agency's Pacific and Yukon Office; and Don Hovdebo, Principle Consultant for ASKI Resource Management.

Background

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure is proposing to construct a 51.71-kilometre all-weather road between the existing access road to the McArthur River Mine site and the existing access road to the Cigar Lake Mine site in northern Saskatchewan. The road would provide a more efficient route for truck traffic to access mines operated by Cameco and others in northern Saskatchewan. The Project will also include ring roads around the existing mine sites, which will facilitate public access to the region.

The Project will be reviewed federally by means of a comprehensive study pursuant to paragraph 29(b) of the Act's Comprehensive Study List Regulations, which refers to the proposed construction of an all-season public highway that will be more than 50 kilometres in length and will be located on a new right-of-way.

The Agency has assumed responsibility for the conduct of the comprehensive study of the Project until the point when the Comprehensive Study Report is submitted to the Minister of the Environment. The Project is also subject to review under The Environmental Assessment Act (Saskatchewan). As such, the Agency has initiated a cooperative EA with the Government of Saskatchewan.

Eligibility

Under the RFE of the PFP, funding may be provided to applicants to support their input to an EA. These activities must be linked to the EA of a proposed project through a comprehensive study, mediation or review panel.

To be eligible for funding, applicants must demonstrate that they meet one of the following eligibility criteria:

• Have a direct, local interest in the Project, such as a residence in the area, or historical or cultural ties to the area likely to be affected by the Project;
• Have community knowledge or Aboriginal traditional knowledge relevant to the environmental assessment; or
• Have expert information relevant to the anticipated environmental effects of the Project.

The applications received were deemed to have met at least one of these criteria.

Under the PFP-RFE, applicants can request funding for expenditures related to:

• Professional fees;
• Staff salaries and benefits;
• Travel expenses;
• Administration and reporting;
• Other expenses related to local collection and distribution of information;
• Office supplies and telephone charges;
• Rental of office space and meeting rooms;
• Legal fees;
• General media and advertising and promotion;
• Purchase of information material; and
• Other detailed expenses, with supporting information.

Rationale for Allocation

The FRC was generally pleased with the quality of the three applications. The FRC based its recommendations on the allocation of funding in light of the information provided in the applications; the nature of the activities being planned for this comprehensive study review process and their relevance to the completion of the review process; the costs of undertaking technical reviews and analysis; and finally, the amount of funding available.

Recommendation

The FRC recommends that the three applicants be awarded a total of $20,000 in funding to participate in the EA of the Project.

Participant Funding Program Funding Review Committee Regular Funding Envelope
Highway 914 - All-Weather Roadway - Mcarthur River Mine Site To Cigar Lake Mine Site

__________________________
Bruce Young, Retired Director of Panel Management at the Agency, acting Committee Chairperson

__________________________
Paul Scott, Retired Regional Director of the Agency's Pacific and Yukon Office

__________________________
Don Hovdebo, Principle Consultant for ASKI Resource Management

Recommended Participant Funding Awards
Regular Funding Envelope

Applicant	Funding Review Committee's Recommended Awards
Kineepik Métis Local	$9,350
English River First Nation	$4,450
Saskatchewan Environmental Society	$6,200
Total	$20,000