Notice of the Establishment of Time Limits with Reasons

Ottawa – September 20, 2024 – The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) has established an overall time limit of 600 days for the Impact Assessment Phase for the proposed GCT Deltaport Expansion - Berth Four Project (the project).

On May 31, 2022, IAAC started the impact assessment pursuant to the Impact Assessment Act (the IAA) for the project. The assessment was referred to an independent Review Panel on November 3, 2021.

Time limit

As required under subsection 37(1) of the IAA, IAAC has established an overall time limit of 600 days for the Impact Assessment Phase for the project. The time limit will consist of two parts:

Part 1 - Impact Assessment Phase led by the Review Panel: the time limit for the Review Panel to submit its Impact Assessment Report to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (the Minister) is 450 days. This time limit starts the day after IAAC posts a notice on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry confirming that the Impact Statement contains the required information or studies; and

Part 2 - Impact Assessment Phase led by the Governments: the time limit for IAAC to post its recommendations to assist the Minister in establishing conditions with respect to the Decision Statement for the project is 150 days. This time limit starts the day after the Review Panel submits its Impact Assessment Report to the Minister.

As required by paragraph 65(4)(b) of the IAA, the time limit for the Decision-Making Phase for the project is 90 days.

Reasons

In establishing the time limit of 600 days, IAAC has considered the following factors:

• Opportunities for cooperation: a time limit of 600 days will allow for effective coordination with the British Columbia's Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) throughout the assessment process. Through the Cooperation Agreement, the EAO has committed to varying their timelines to match the time limits outlined in this notice.
• Transparent, efficient, and timely decision-making process: establishing this time limit will give GCT Canada Limited (the proponent), members of the public, and Indigenous nations certainty on the time limits and allow for a decision on the project to be made in a timely manner.
• Opportunities for consultation with Indigenous nations and engagement with the public: in consideration of the number of potential impacted Indigenous nations and the public's interest in the project, a 600-day time limit will allow for the independent Review Panel, IAAC and the EAO to consult and engage with Indigenous nations and the public and maximize public participation.

For more information on this impact assessment, please contact:

GCT Deltaport Expansion - Berth Four Project
Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
160 Elgin Street, 22nd Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H3
Telephone: 343-572-7144
Email: deltaport@iaac-aeic.gc.ca