Regional Assessment Support

The oil and gas industry has made significant economic support to the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador. This is reconized in the draft assessment.

Maintaining exploration wells in the designated project list would have an adverse effect on the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador. The current assement time under the current CEAA process is over 900 days. With international comparisions ranging from 144 to 18 days. This makes Canada uncompetitive with other jurisdictions. This includes strongly regulated jurisdictions such as Norway, United Kingdom and Austrialia. 

Exploration wells do not meet the risk threshold to be considered a designated project as the draft regional assessment indicates there are not significant adverse effects as a result of offshore exploratory drilling.

Under the Atlantic Accord joint management is a guiding principle. As such the C-NLOPB should be the body respsonible for the offshore.