AER: Release of the New Pipeline Rules and Associated Instruments
Today, we released a new edition of the Pipeline Rules that came into effect on November 15, 2023. The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) administers the Pipeline Act, which is the enabling legislation that allows for the licensing of oil and gas pipelines in Alberta. The Pipeline Act also gives the AER the authority to set technical requirements in the Pipeline Rules for pipeline design, construction, operation, discontinuation, abandonment, and removal.
In conjunction with the release of the Pipeline Rules, we have released new editions of
- Directive 077: Pipelines – Requirements and Reference Tools,
- Directive 056: Energy Development Applications and Schedules,
- Manual 005: Pipeline Inspections, and
- Manual 012: Energy Development Applications; Procedures and Schedules.
Pipeline Rules
The main changes to the Pipeline Rules include
- allowing the use of temporary surface pipelines for water conveyance in support of the Water Conservation Policy for Upstream Oil and Gas Operations (Part 1);
- aligning with standard CSA Z662: Oil and gas pipeline systems concerning the Safety and Loss Management System and integrity management program (sections 14 and 15);
- clarifying requirements for minimum cover for existing or abandoned pipelines (section 29);
- removing duplicate requirements for pressure control and overpressure protection at pipeline tie-ins in cases where pressure control is managed elsewhere (section 31);
- reorganizing requirements for ground disturbance and including trenchless excavation techniques (Part 4);
- providing a limited exemption for release reporting of specific on-installation releases (low volume, low risk and not an indicator of pipeline integrity) (section 67);
- reorganizing requirements and updating the pipeline removal process to be consistent with current discontinuation and abandonment processes (notification after the activity is completed) (Part 9);
- allowing licensees up to 24 months (rather than twelve) to discontinue, abandon, or resume a pipeline managed under an integrity management program; and
- allowing for some system-wide abandonments without disconnecting tie-ins.
Directive 077
The main changes to Directive 077 include
- expanding the use of temporary surface pipelines for water conveyance (improving operational efficiency) and adding five associated forms (authorization requests and information submissions);
- improving alignment with CSA standards and revising references to CSA Z662: Oil and gas pipeline systems;
- revising sections on the use of gaseous and nonfresh water as test mediums for pressure testing, including two new forms;
- deleting redundant content or content that is no longer relevant;
- revising figures and interpreting jurisdictional boundaries for pipelines and piping; and
- adding a new section on commingling oil effluent and gas production streams.
Directive 056
The main changes to Directive 056 include
- reordering pipeline related sections to improve clarity;
- making minor changes to pipeline abandonment, discontinuance, removal, and line split;
- changing the pipeline technical audit documentation requirements for new construction and amendment applications; and
- changing application requirements in accordance with the revised Pipeline Rules and Directive 077 and in alignment with CSA Z662.
Manual 005
The main changes to Manual 005 include
- adding new sections to align with changes in the Pipeline Rules (e.g., Safety and Loss Management Systems, integrity management programs);
- reorganizing sections to group technical subjects together;
- adding specified enactment requirements to the manual; and
- updating references to standard CSA Z662.
Manual 012
The main changes to Manual 012 include
- adding and changing sections because of changes in the Pipeline Rules, Directive 056, Directive 077, and OneStop;
- reordering sections and adding section numbers to improve clarity; and
- consolidating information from frequently asked questions (FAQs).
On November 16, 2020, we released proposed changes to the Pipeline Rules for public comment (see Bulletin 2020-24), and on July 12, 2022, we released a proposed version of Directive 077 for public comment (see Bulletin 2022-24). We have considered the feedback from various stakeholders and rights holders, including Indigenous communities, industry, and environmental groups. A summary of what we heard and our responses is available on the Directive 077 landing page.
The revised editions of Directive 056 and Directive 077 are available on our website at aer.ca > Regulating Development > Rules and Directives > Directives. The revised editions of Manual 005 and Manual 012 are available on our website at aer.ca > Regulating Development > Rules and Directives > Manuals. If you have any questions, contact our Customer Contact Centre by phone at 1-855-297-8311 or by email at [email protected].
AER: Ongoing Implementation of the Liability Management Framework
As previously noted in Bulletin 2021-45: New Requirements and Guidance Related to Liability Management, we are implementing the Government of Alberta’s new Liability Management Framework in phases. This includes replacing the Licensee Liability Rating (LLR) Program, including the Liability Management Rating (LMR), and establishing a new security framework under the Oil and Gas Conservation Act.
The LLR program works together with the large facility and oilfield waste liability programs. With the replacement of the LLR program, it is expected that these programs, along with other regulatory instruments, will likely need to be updated. While this work is underway, we will look for opportunities to consolidate or remove duplicative requirements and reorganize information to make our requirements and information clearer for our stakeholders.
Some of the regulatory instruments likely to be affected include the following:
- Oil and Gas Conservations Rules
- Directive 001: Requirements for Site-Specific Liability Assessments in Support of the ERCB’s Liability Management Programs
- Directive 006: Licensee Liability Rating Program
- Directive 011: Licensee Liability Rating (LLR) Program – Updated Licensee Parameters and Liability Estimates
- Directive 024: Large Facility Liability Management Program
- Directive 068: Security Deposits
- Directive 075: Oilfield Waste Liability Program
- Directive 088: Licensee Life-Cycle Management
- Manual 023: Licensee Life-Cycle Management
We will engage with stakeholders in 2024. This engagement will occur before the draft documents are provided for public comment.
The LLR program defines “deemed liability,” which is used in the calculation of the orphan fund levy. The definition of deemed liability and the calculation formula will not change for the issuance of the 2024 orphan fund levy.
Security Framework
The current method of collecting security when a licensee’s ratio of deemed assets to deemed liabilities (its LMR) is less than 1.0 is not the best indicator of risk. Analysis of past insolvent licensees showed that many of them had an LMR greater than 1.0. To address these issues and to align with the Government of Alberta’s Liability Management Framework, we will replace the current security framework with one that considers the following guiding principles:
- Risk-based, using components of the holistic licensee assessment described in Directive 088 to determine when and how much security needs to be collected.
- Applies throughout the entire energy development life cycle (application, construction, operation, and closure).
- Complements our Inventory Reduction Program, which aims to increase the amount of closure work occurring in Alberta and reinforces a licensees’ regulatory obligation to clean up and close inactive and abandoned sites.
- Upholds the polluter-pay principle in a way that is fair and manageable.
- Financially and administratively feasible for industry and the AER, with requirements and processes that are explicit and defined.
This new framework will be implemented in phases, the first of which is targeted for late 2024. As more information becomes available about the requirements, it will be shared.
Liability Estimates
Directive 011: Licensee Liability Rating (LLR) Program; Updated Licensee Parameters and Liability Estimates was last updated in 2015. As a result, the estimated costs for abandonment and reclamation are outdated. The AER is assessing the actual closure costs collected through the mandatory closure spend quotas and the prior Area-Based Closure (ABC) Program, which we will then use to determine how best to update the estimated liability costs.
Liability Management Reporting
The Liability Rating Report in the Digital Data Submission (DDS) system is no longer supported and will eventually be removed as part of the changes described in this bulletin. Licensees should instead use the OneStop Liability Assessment Report, which will continue to be updated to align with the changes being made as a result of the liability management framework.
We are assessing the information and performance metrics that we can provide related to closure and liability. More information on reporting will be shared as it becomes available.
For general inquiries or assistance with OneStop, please contact our Customer Contact Centre at 403-297-8311 (toll-free 1-855-297-8311) or [email protected]. For questions related to the ongoing implementation of the Liability Management Framework or for general liability-related questions, please contact [email protected].
Amendment to the TDG Regulations – Site Registrations
Transport Canada has recently amended the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR) to include the regulatory requirement for Site Registration for all persons who import, offer for transport, handle or transport dangerous goods at a site located in Canada. The registration requirement will be found in a new part of the TDGR, Part 17. The amendment was published in Part II of the Canada Gazette on October 25, 2023. The details of the amendment can be accessed through this URL: SOR/2023-206.
All persons who import, offer for transport, handle or transport dangerous goods in Canada must register to the new registration database, if applicable. These persons have up to one year from the date of the amendment publication to complete their registrations (i.e., until October 25, 2024). All registered persons must provide administrative information and information concerning the dangerous goods and operations being conducted at their respective site they own or operate in Canada. For more information on the new database, please visit https://tc.canada.ca/en/dangerous-goods/client-identification-database-cid.
If you have any questions about this amendment, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-272-9600.
Ontario seeks comment on removing barriers to reuse for low-risk soils
(Source: esemag.com)
*The following regulatory news article is intended to be an overview of the report, legislation or proposal, and not a replacement for the actual guidance from the government. For the comprehensive data and all relevant information, please visit the linked source material within the article.
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is proposing a series of amendments to clarify certain regulatory requirements for its Excess Soil Regulation, and potentially remove some of the barriers to reuse for low-risk soils.
The proposed amendments to O. Reg. 406/19, Onsite and Excess Soil Management under the Environmental Protection Act, have been posted on the provincial environmental registry for public comment until Dec. 1.
“The proposed amendments would not provide additional compliance costs to developers, municipalities, infrastructure companies or others, as they would reduce burden or provide flexibility in relation to requirements that are already in the Excess Soil Regulation,” the ministry states in its regulatory impact statement.
A primary purpose for the amendments is to streamline the planning requirements process for the reuse of low-risk soils, saving time and money, particularly for smaller operations.
The ministry is recommending to exempt certain operations at some Class 1 facilities focused on excess soil management from requiring an environmental compliance approval, or ECA, for waste. This includes topsoil and landscaping reuse depots, aggregate reuse depots, and small liquid soil depots. Instead, each of these facilities would need to register on the Excess Soil Registry managed by the Resource Productivity & Recovery Authority before starting and when closing operations.
The proposal also looks to amend the rules enabling the use of salt-impacted soil. While salt-impacted soils can currently be used at industrial and commercial sites where non-potable excess soil quality standards can be applied, the proposal looks to add use for community, institutional, parkland or residential opportunities.
These new sites would require an expert-certified site plan to “identify areas and depths at which salt-impacted soil can be used without affecting existing or future anticipated vegetation, and the acceptable concentration of the salt-related contaminants in these areas.”
The added properties would require the reuse site owner to consent in writing to the receipt of salt-impacted soils. Additionally, the proposed new sites would still be required to be set back 100 metres from a surface water body or existing or planned potable wells, or properties expected to use groundwater wells.
Another proposed amendment to the current Excess Soil Regulation is to increase the amount of soil that Class 2 sites are allowed to handle. The ministry is proposing to allow up to 25,000 m3 of excess soil at a Class 2 site at one time, up from the current amount of 10,000 m3.
The ministry’s environmental registry posting is also looking to clarify some requirements around sampling and analysis:
- For salt-impacted soil, provincial officials note that there does not need to be testing for all required minimum parameters if the only reason an area of potential environmental concern is identified is due to salt application;
- The province wants to clarify for Record of Site Condition sites that Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessments prepared are “a type of past report” that can be used for the purposes of meeting the sampling and analysis requirements for excess soil;
- The province wants to clarify that the minimum number of samples required for stormwater management ponds when excavating and segregating based on zones can be distributed equally across the zones, based on expert judgment, and are not intended to be applied per zone;
- And lastly, the ministry notes that sampling requirements associated with tunnelling projects may be achieved through in-situ or stockpiling sampling, or a hybrid approach based on expert judgment, and sampling may be undertaken at a Class 2 site or local waste transfer facility, to help address practical/logistical challenges with deep in-situ sampling.
The new amendments also aim to provide greater flexibility for storage of soil adjacent to waterbodies. The latest proposal suggests allowing soil storage within 30 metres of a water body for projects excavating in or near that area to enable practical soil management, “while taking steps to prevent impacts on the water body.”
The proposal adds an exemption under Schedule 2 of the Regulation for landscape projects excavating soil at a low-risk part of an Enhanced Investigation Project Area. Up to 100 m3 of soil could be excavated in low-risk areas of industrial properties provided it can be reasonably assumed that the soil has not been contaminated.
New Montreal bylaw bans natural gas use in new buildings
(Source: esemag.com) Montreal officials are looking to transition the city away from the use of natural gas heating and cooking by implementing bylaw restrictions on its use in new small buildings starting next October.While city leaders acknowledge that the estimated 400 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per year that will be saved under the ban are a small portion of the more than 10 million tonnes emitted by the city overall, the fossil fuels ban is being framed as a way to inspire residents and other municipalities to decarbonize their buildings and embrace heating alternatives beyond natural gas.
Montreal’s executive committee approved the new bylaw to restrict natural gas, oil and propane for heating and cooking last week.
“The bylaw on GHG emissions from new buildings represents significant progress in our community’s ecological transition,” said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante in a statement.
Planted added that the measure will help Montreal reach its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
The first stage of the ban takes effect October 1, 2024 for new buildings up to three storeys and 600 square metres in area. The ban will come into effect for new, larger buildings on April 1, 2025.
The new bylaw will restrict the use of gas-powered heating systems, hot water systems and items such as stoves and barbecues. Gas-fuelled heaters for pools and spas will also be banned from being installed in smaller new buildings.
Although the new bylaw does not apply to existing buildings, the city plans to introduce mandatory reporting of GHG-emitting appliances in 2024.
Buildings which have not been granted a permit by the announced deadline will be required to build under the new regulations.
“Nature Québec applauds the City of Montreal for this initiative which, we hope, will pave the way for other municipalities committed to the energy transition that Quebec must implement without delay,” announced Emmanuelle Rancourt, energy project manager at Nature Québec, in a statement.
Some exemptions under the new ban include emergency generators, as well as heaters for construction work, commercial appliances in food establishments, and industrial buildings. Buildings that are hooked up to existing urban heating networks will also be exempt.
Outdoor barbecues with propane tanks are also exempt, however those which are hooked up to a propane network or natural gas line will be banned.
Montreal joins a growing list of cities that have banned natural gas for new developments, including Nanaimo, New York City, Seattle, and as recently as September, the small Quebec Town of Prévost.
Vancouver has been en route to a natural gas ban, but final votes to pass the resolution have failed in recent months.
In late 2022, Canada’s Competition Bureau opened an investigation into whether the Canadian Gas Association has falsely claimed natural gas as “clean and affordable.
Quebec adds $100M to industrial land cleanup effort in eastern Montreal
(Source: CBC News) The Quebec government is investing $100 million in an effort to acquire industrial lands in eastern Montreal and revitalize them in an effort to stimulate the economy in an area that has stagnated for decades.
The aim is to rehabilitate contaminated lands with high economic potential, said Pierre Fitzgibbon, minister of economy, innovation, and energy, in a statement Monday.
Working with partners, a new organization, Société de mise en valeur de terrains dans l’Est de Montréal (SMTEM), will purchase lands, conduct studies and do decontamination work in collaboration with the cities of Montreal and Montréal-Est.
Fitzgibbon said municipal authorities have limited powers in dealing with companies that have polluted these lands, so that’s where SMTEM comes in with its substantial financial backing — an investment that brings the Legault government’s spending on decontaminating land in Montreal’s east side to $275 million.
An initial sum of $75 million was allocated by the Legault government for decontamination in 2018. In 2019, another $100 million was allocated, notably for the decontamination of four million square feet of land on nine municipal sites, Radio-Canada reports.
Despite these investments, many developers complain of delays, both in Quebec City and at the municipal levels, as it takes time to get projects approved, permits issued and grant money released.
According to an access to information request made by Montreal’s Official Opposition, only $1 million of the $100 million obtained in 2019 has been spent by the city to date through these grants.
The city of Montreal, on the other hand, says it has committed to spending approximately $56 million even if the projects have not yet started.
The eastern part of Montreal, which became one of Quebec’s main industrial zones in the early 1900s, houses refineries, petrochemical complexes and heavy industry. It also borders the Port of Montreal for much of its length.
However, the sector also includes extensive residential areas and green spaces that public authorities have promised for years to develop by transforming former industrial areas into habitable zones.
This is no easy task given the intense industrial activity in this territory for more than a century.
Deprived of a rapid and modern public transportation system east of the Honoré-Beaugrand Metro station, eastern Montreal struggles to develop, even though about 10 per cent of Quebec’s population resides there.
The life expectancy in certain neighbourhoods of eastern Montreal is up to nine years lower than that of citizens on the west side of the island, according to data published in 2016 by the local health agency, CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.
On Monday, a summit was held at the Olympic Stadium, drawing politicians from all levels of government, including Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante and Anne St-Laurent, mayor of Montréal-Est.
The aim of the summit was to co-ordinate efforts between different levels of government, the private sector, the public sector, citizens and organizations to discuss how to take action.
“We know what needs to be done. We know the diagnosis. Now we need to take concrete steps,” said Soraya Martinez-Ferrada.
She is the member of Parliament for the Hochelaga riding in Montreal’s east end, and also Canada’s tourism minister and the minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the regions of Quebec.
“Yes, there is industry. The perception of the east is that it’s an area with refineries. It’s grey. Maybe it’s polluted, but it’s also an area where you can live well with a good quality of life, and we need to develop the east with that in mind,” she said.
On Friday, the federal government announced it was investing $8 million to create a linear park. And on Sunday, Montreal announced the transformation of nearly 700 hectares of wooded areas into a regional park in the east island.
Government of Canada’s response to the reports tabled by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
The Government of Canada welcomes the tabling of five reports from the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development and thanks him for his important work in reviewing federal programs and policies to help deliver the best possible results for Canadians. Environment and Climate Change Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and other departments are already taking action to address the Commissioner’s recommendations.
The Government of Canada is taking extensive action to meet its greenhouse gas emissions targets; promote sustainable development; increase the protection and conservation of nature, including the marine environment; and address the impacts of climate change. Important to the success of our actions is transparency and accountability of our programs and policies to ensure they achieve their objectives. The work of the Commissioner is an integral part of this process.
The Ministers of Environment and Climate Change, Energy and Natural Resources, Fisheries and Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard provided the following statements on the five reports tabled today.
Report 1 – The Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program
“I am grateful for the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development’s report today and his continued efforts to help the Government of Canada remain accountable as we work to achieve our ambitious objectives. I have accepted all five of the report’s recommendations, and I am pleased that work is already ongoing to address many of them.
Since 2019, we have worked to make EV charging more accessible for more Canadians through the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP).
Already, projects selected for funding will result in over 45,000 charging and refuelling stations, meaning over half of our target is already funded and, as the Commissioner recognizes, we are on track to meet our first target of installing 33,500 chargers by 2026. Further independent analysis has indicated that Canada needs 4,500 fast chargers in 2025 to meet increased demand. This is a target we have already achieved two years ahead of schedule.
Through ZEVIP and complementary programs, the Government of Canada has invested over $1 billion to help advance the deployment of up to 84,500 EV chargers by 2029.
A number of improvements have been made or are underway to improve the program, many of which are in line with the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development report’s recommendations about reliability, underserved areas, collaboration with the Canada Infrastructure Bank, and pace of funding rollout.
Work is already underway to address charging infrastructure gaps and identify targets focused on charger use types that will be in place in 2024, which will be used to guide ZEVIP funding decisions in the new year.
Additionally, work is being done to strengthen tracking and reporting to ensure the program is working as intended.
Canada is a global leader in EVs. We have recently been ranked as having the second-best EV battery supply chain in the world, due in part to historic multibillion-dollar investments from Volkswagen, Stellantis, and Northvolt, along with new critical mineral mining projects like the recently approved James Bay Lithium Mine Project.
I look forward to the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development report’s recommendations informing our continued acceleration of Canadian leadership in the EV economy to create jobs across the value chain, reduce costs for Canadians, and fight climate change.”
– The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
Report 2 – Monitoring of Marine Fisheries Catch
“Ensuring dependable and timely fisheries catch monitoring information is a priority for our Government. I want to thank the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development for his report, Monitoring of Marine Fisheries Catch, and agree with all his recommendations.
DFO has a number of sources of information that enable us to effectively monitor fisheries and incorporate data into the decision-making process. That said, better is always possible, and that is why we continue to make improvements to the management of our fisheries based on the best available scientific evidence, and in conjunction with other reliable sources of information, to promote healthy fish stocks and productive ecosystems that contribute to the economies of coastal communities and help us meet conservation and biodiversity objectives in the marine environment.
While many actions are already underway to implement the Commissioner’s recommendations, DFO will continue to work closely with his office and thus continue to sustainably manage the harvesting of commercial marine fisheries for future generations.”
– The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Report 3 – The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act
“I want to sincerely thank the Commissioner for his report and welcome his findings.
The climate crisis is clearly upon us, with record wildfires, floods, and hurricanes costing Canadians and governments more and more every year. As the Commissioner says, the window of opportunities to address it are closing quickly. We must act. Everyone in Canada, all our leadership, must take this seriously and have a vision for our future.
With the costs of climate rising dramatically year-over-year, a climate plan is a plan to make life more affordable for Canadians.
The Commissioner is correct—there is still work to be done to meet our ambitious, but achievable, 2030 goal of at least 40 percent emissions reductions compared to 2005 levels.
Our Government is already substantially bending the curve on emissions in Canada. Since we launched the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan last year, we have been working extremely hard with partners on over 130 concrete measures in the plan. Based on the 2023 editions of the National Inventory Reports, we now have the best emissions performance among G7 partners since 2020.
We still have major initiatives under development and will continue to look for more opportunities to reduce emissions. Every sector of the economy has a role to play, and by taking these actions, our economy will be stronger and more sustainable well into the future. Progress toward that future is already underway, as evidenced by booming supply chains supporting the up-and-coming electric vehicle industry and construction of clean electricity infrastructure, which are providing good jobs and helping create cleaner, healthier air.
Putting a price on pollution is a cornerstone of Canada’s climate plan, accounting for up to one-third of the emissions reductions projected by 2030. Pollution pricing works by encouraging businesses and consumers to choose less carbon-intensive options for energy production, home heating, and transportation. Canada’s pollution pricing policy is designed to make life affordable while growing a clean economy by providing rebates to families, with low- and middle-income families benefitting the most. It’s a system that gives both an incentive and the means to switch to cleaner options wherever possible.
Make no mistake, failing to address climate change will only make things more expensive for Canadians. The Canadian Climate Institute estimates that climate damages could slow Canada’s economic growth in 2025 by $25 billion annually, effectively cutting projected GDP growth in half. Our Government’s climate plans are having a positive impact, far beyond what we could have envisioned just a few short years ago. We will continue working hard to bend emissions toward our 2030 goals, so that Canadians can count on having a more secure, more prosperous future.”
– The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister Environment and Climate Change
Report 4 – Departmental Progress in Implementing Sustainable Development Strategies-Zero Emission Vehicles
“In December 2022, the Government of Canada announced proposed regulations for new light-duty vehicles with requirements. These regulations will soon be finalized and will ensure that at least 20 percent of new vehicles will be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2026, with 60 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2035. These regulations will help increase supply and reduce wait times for federal departments that need to add ZEVs to their fleets. Furthermore, the supply chain issues we saw in the auto industry during the COVID-19 pandemic have greatly improved with many types of ZEVs now available today that Canadians can drive home.
The shift to zero-emission vehicles is good for our workers; for our automotive, battery, and mining supply chains; and for our economy, creating jobs and prosperity for generations of workers to come. The shift is good for our environment, keeping our air clean.”
– The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister Environment and Climate Change
Upcoming Industry Events
Canadian Environmental and Engineering Executives Conference (CE3C)
January 24-25, 2024
Wosk Centre for Dialogue, Vancouver
The Canadian Environmental and Engineering Executives Conference (CE3C) was specifically created as an exclusive forum for executives at the highest level of the environmental engineering and consulting industry in Canada. Since the inaugural conference in October 2018 demand has been high for this event; Presidents, CEOs, COOs, CFOs, senior executives, and owners from across the country have attended.
The panel discussions provide a comprehensive overview of the current trends and challenges within the environmental and engineering consulting domain, strategic business development, and the evolving landscape of Human Resources, particularly in enhancing employee engagement. These sessions are designed to equip attendees with practical insights and strategies to effectively navigate the intricacies of the industry.
On the second day, the conference agenda highlights the “Keynote Forum” where notable figures, Michael Campbell and Nik Nanos, will examine the economic, political, and international factors impacting Canadian business, with a specific focus on the environmental and engineering consulting industry.
CE3C is not merely a congregation of professionals, but rather a catalyst for industry evolution, and an incredible platform for networking and collaboration. Witness the confluence of ideas, strategies, and professional camaraderie, all set against the serene backdrop of Vancouver. Join us and be part of the narrative driving the future of the Environmental and Engineering Consulting sector in Canada.
Detailed program at: https://ce3c.ca/program/.
Contact [email protected] for information or visit https://ce3c.ca/.
November 2023 Wetland Knowledge Exchange Webinar
November 27th, 2023
Cassandra Chabot-Madlung, County of Grande Prairie presents – Wetland Replacement Program: How it Started & Who Can Participate
This is a Municipal viewpoint of Alberta Environment and Protected Areas’ Wetland Replacement Program and how it came to be. Learn the basic of what the program is about, what is included, how to participate, and the requirements. Take a look at some of the County of Grande Prairie’s projects from 2020 to now and gain an understanding of project diversity and some of the unique partnerships that have occurred.
Contact: Leanne Mingo
Website Link To Register: https://events.teams.
Announcing Smart Remediation 2024: Topics & Ticket Information
The 14th annual SMART Remediation Seminar Series will consist of two in-person events: Toronto and Ottawa. Early bird registration is still open for both events from now until December 31!
Toronto: January 25, 2024
Ottawa: February 8, 2024
This year we have another great lineup of interesting talks on a wide variety of topics, including Emerging Contaminants, Excess Soils, Chlorinated Solvents and Life or Something Like It!
For more information or to register, please visit www.smartremediation.
Join Us for ARMA’s EPR Virtual Lunch and Learn Series!
Welcome to an exciting new endeavor by the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA) – the EPR Virtual Lunch and Learn Webinar Series!
For over 30 years, ARMA has led the way in managing Alberta’s stewardship recycling programs, covering electronics, paint, tires, and used oil materials. As we step into a new phase, we’re excited to introduce the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system. This significant shift aims to transfer the responsibilities of waste collection, sorting, processing, and recycling from municipal governments and taxpayers to the producers themselves.
While EPR might be familiar to producers and suppliers, it’s a new concept for many Albertans and marks a substantial change for our communities. To help guide stakeholders through this transition, we’ve created the ARMA EPR Virtual Lunch and Learn Webinar Series. Targeted to specific audiences, this series is designed to provide opportunities to interact with our organization and expert guest speakers, keeping you updated on the latest developments and processes within the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework, while also providing a direct avenue for addressing any questions or concerns you might have.
This is your opportunity to gain valuable insights and help you progress on your journey to EPR. For your convenience, the following dates and topics have been created:
Lunch and Learn Session Date | Topic | Who should attend? |
Nov. 9, 2023
| Session: Intro to Alberta EPR for Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) This is a dedicated session for PROs! In our first webinar, we introduced PROs to ARMA and EPR in Alberta including reviewing the various stakeholder groups (Community, Producers, PROs, and Processing Facilities) in our province. We also looked at the registration process for PROs. |
|
Nov. 16, 2023 | In this webinar, we will cover the foundations of EPR such as definitions and timelines. We will include how to work through the Community Registration Application Form for PPP and HSP. |
|
Dec. 13, 2023 Noon – 1 PM MST | Session: The Mechanics of EPR: Systems, Processes and Approaches In this webinar, we will delve into EPR best practices and real-life examples of EPR. |
|
Jan. 10, 2024 Noon – 1 PM MST | Session: TBA To be Determined |
|
Feb. 14, 2024 Noon – 1 PM MST | Session: TBA To be Determined |
|
Mar 13, 2024 Noon – 1 PM MST | Session: TBA To be Determined |
|
*Please be advised that these virtual webinar sessions will be recorded and available online for later viewing.
To sign up for any of these upcoming sessions, please register here.
Thank you for your ongoing support and collaboration. We understand that the transition to EPR represents a significant change for communities, and our goal is to ensure this transition is as seamless as possible. We look forward to your attendance and assistance in inspiring a future without waste for Alberta!
If you have any questions or require further information, please email us at [email protected] or call us toll-free at 1.888.999.8762 and we will be pleased to assist you.
ESAA Job Board
Check out the new improved ESAA Job Board. Members can post ads for free.
Current Listings:
- Environmental Specialist – Summit
- Regulatory Advisor – Trace Associates Inc.
- Planner, Lands –ATCO Electric