R"""rd rel••sed pu.....ant to the Access to Information Act I Document dlvulgue en vertu de I. 101 sur r.ede • l'lnformatlon s.21(1)(b) PROGRAMS GROUP CCM # AHE-2013-415157 RDIMS # 8819780 TO: MARIE LEMAY, P.ENG., ING., ASSOCIATE DEPUTY MINISTER OF INFRASTRUCTURE TRANSPORT CANADA'S REVISED APPROACH FOR DETERMINING NAVIGABILITY UNDER THE AMENDED NAVIGABLE WATERS PROTECTION ACT For information ISSUE: • Transport Canada's (TC) Navigable Waters Protection Program is moving forward with a substantially revised approach for determining the navigability of waterways. The revised approach is expected to decrease the· number of Order in Council exemptions under the new Navigation Protection Act (NPA) which will enter in force in April 2014. BACKGROUND: Navigable WatelS Protection Act section 23 (current legislation) • Mines create large volumes of waste rock and tailings that require safe disposal. In some cases, the use of a natural waterbody as a tailings impoundment area may present the preferred disposal option from an environmental, technica', and socio-economic perspective. Mining projects may also involve dewatering a waterbody in order to access minerals. As these activities are prohibited under sections 21 and 22 of the Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA), a Proclamation of exemption under section 23 of the NWPA, authorized by the Governor in Council, is required. This requirement is continued in the new NPA. • A Proclamation of exemption under NWPA section 23 effectively allows a proponent to extinguish navigation on a waterbody. In contrast, works interfering with navigation on a waterbody require only the issuance of a NWPA approval with mitigation requirements (a Ministerial discretion). CONSIPERATIONS: Review of Te's Approach to Determining Navigability • The requirement for a Governor in Council authorization to exempt prohibited activities occurs only when a particular waterbody is determined to be 'navigable' under the NWPA (and under the new NPA. Under TC's current approach, the 'navigability' of a waterbody has been considered broadly (i.e. the ability to float a small vessel like a canoe), thereby subjecting waterbodies of limited or no interest to Canadians to a rigorous Governor in Council process. 1 000005 Reeord rel",...od purauant to the Acc... to information Act / Document dMJlgUe en vertu de io 101 sur race•• a tinlormatlon 8.23 PROGRAMS GROUP CCM # AHE-2013-415157 RDIMS # 8819780 • The new NPA does not define navigability. A determination of navigability by TC for a given project remains an opinion that may ultimately be challenged in the Courts as a matter of statutory interpretation. The fact of navigability can only be established through a Court of Law. • • " • "". •• •• , ' ~ ••• ~ ~ •••• ~ .~ • • • ~ • • • ~ ••• , • • . . . . . . . . . ~ • • • ~~~., ~ ••• > ., • • • • • • • • • ~~ • • " .. ~ < ~ . . ••• • • - '" '~' ... ~ ~.~,~.'".~ ~.... r':.~:: - .. ~~ . . . . < •• ~~ • • • • • • • • ~, " •••• ., :::::::: •••••• •• ~ ~, "'~ > •• ~ ~'".~~., ~':::'~::;~'; .. ......,,'" .. . .... :~ .~f~:r :~~;~;::; .~g:;: ;:;~;' g;~ g:;:~ ~~~: g;:~: gL~:' ~.;gggg __ . . . . . " • • • • .',. "." ....... • ,<,~., ~,. :;;:: ::~~ ~: ;:~~~;:~~;;~:~ ~;;~ ~~ :~:' r.,: ~~ ., • • > . . . . . ~.~.", ••• .,,;. " ~.,~ " ....... '" ,,~. . . . . . ,.. ... :.; ~: " • ~ .•• ~ " •• '~: ~ ~ ••••• ~ ~.~ ~ ~ •• ~ ,,~ :::~. ~ • • • s . . . .. " H .. ~4~ . . . . . . . . . "u,* .. ~. ... ~ .. • • • • • • • • • • • • ',. ....... . . . . . . . . . . . , •• , ••••• " ' , • • :'::n::::;:, ".~~ ~ •• * • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ,~ "'~ •.•• ••• ••. , •• ,.< •.•• " ••. •, • • .. .,,, . . . . . . . . . . . . " •• , ....... ~ :::'; • • < ... ~,."., . . . . ,.~ • • • • • • • • • • v~.~ ~ . , . . . . . . . . "' • • • • • • " • • • • ~~ • • • • , . . . . >~> ~ . . . . . . . . . .. ::::::::::: :'::'.::'; ::::::::: • The entry into force of the new NPA in April 2014 provides an opportunity for TC to implement a revised approach for determining navigability. • TC is moving towards a definition that better aligns with recent case law by considering the actual or historical usage of a waterbody for naVigational purposes, the reasonableness of the waterbody's appeal for navigation by the public, and a waterbody's connectivity within a broader navigational network. Anticipated Impacts of New Approach • TC forecasts that up to 30 Order in Council exemptions (a process requiring up to 11 months following a positive environmental assessment decision) could be required under the current approach, if all the identified mining proposals proceed. The new approach is anticipated to reduce the number of Order in Council exemptions, thereby allowing for more efficient use of existing resources, within both and the nArmrtm NEXTSTEP$: • TC officials will continue to engage key stakeholders, including the Mining Association of Canada and its members, to ensure that current regulatory requirements are clearly communicated. • TC will finalize its revised approach and implement an outreach strategy so as to bring the changes into effect concurrently with the coming into force of the NPA, targeted for April 2014. Date: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Catherine Higgens AlAssistant De Minister, Pro rams Alec Simpson A/Director General, Stewardship and Sustainable Transportation Programs Group Head: Catherine Higgens AlAssistant Deputy Minister, Programs Phone: (613) 990-0512 Phone: (613) 990-3001 Date: October 18, 2013 2 000006