Environmental Applied Science and Management Graduate Program

Yeates School of Graduate Studies

ES8923: Environmental Assessment, Fall 2019

VIC 201, 285 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, Tuesdays 6-9 PM

Instructor’s Name: James Francis

Course Website: my.ryerson.ca (D2L)
Email: jamesfrancis@ryerson.ca

Assignment: Environmental Assessment Modernization Memo

Weight (% of final grade): 10
Due Date: November 26, 2019

Assignment Description:

Building on the Environmental Assessment (EA) Critique assignment, a memorandum is to be prepared

examining EA modernization. Students are to select and critically address how one of the following
concepts were or could have been applied to the EA selected for the EA Critique assignment:

a) Gender-based analysis plus

b) Regional assessment
c) Climate change assessment
d) Use of sector-based Terms of Reference / Impact Statement Guidelines
e) Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – Free,
Prior and Informed Consent
f) Regulated EA consensus-seeking and dispute resolution processes with interested parties,
including Indigenous groups and organizations
g) Indigenous-led assessment for part of the EA (e.g., assessment of potential effects of the
project on an Indigenous group or organization)
h) One project, one assessment (only selectable if the project for your EA Critique was subject to
multiple, uncoordinated EAs)
i) Shortened or new statutory timelines

The memorandum is to be written from the perspective of an environmental non-governmental

organization (NGO) and addressed to the regulatory body that approved/denied the EA. The
memorandum must be written as though the EA is not yet approved/denied, and the memorandum
from the NGO is being sent during a public review period for the draft EA.

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The memorandum must:

Structure
• be submitted in pdf format
• contain a header that uses the following format
 To:
 From:
 Date:
 Subject:
• contain headings (and subheadings if useful), page numbers, and a reference list
o in-text citations and the reference list are to be prepared according to a standard
academic format (e.g., APA, Chicago, MLA)
• use bulleted or numbered lists to organize important points or details where possible

Content
• identify the purpose of the memorandum
• identify if/critique how the selected concept was applied in the EA
• identify potential benefits and disbenefits of application of the selected concept in the EA,
including those that relate to:
o accurate prediction of impacts
o enhancement of potential positive effects
o mitigation of effects
o incorporation of stakeholder concerns
o informed decision-making
o timing
o complexity
o completeness of the assessment
o EA outcomes
o social license / support by interested parties for EA decision
o contribution to sustainability
• identify recommendations and suggested actions/next steps, including:
o further study by the proponent
o requests for legislative or regulatory change
o requests for regulatory guidance materials
o requests for enhanced enforcement or compliance action

The memorandum (excluding reference list) is to be no more than 3 pages. Please include references to
EA literature and resources (e.g., Noble 2015, Ontario EA Modernization Discussion Paper, BC
Environmental Assessment Revitalization Intentions Paper, Impact Assessment Agency guidance
materials) in support of your narrative.

Please confirm the concept for which you intend to undertake the EA modernization memorandum by
November 12, 2019.

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Evaluation Criteria

Criteria Weighting
Content 30%

Required content provided; sources are cited

Quality of identification of if/critique of how the selected concept was applied, 50%
identification of benefits/disbenefits of application of the concept, and recommendations
and suggested actions/next steps

Literature, legislation, regulation, EA guidance materials and course concepts inform the
narrative; meaningful recommendations and suggested actions/next steps are identified
Structure and formatting 10%

Logical, intuitive sequence of information; clear use of headings/ bulleted lists to structure
information
Language 10%

Language is clear and concise; free of unnecessary detail; no spelling/grammar errors

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