This submission reflects and builds on a submission by a group of environmental non-profit organizations, including ECEL, to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada’s (the “Agency”) on its consultation paper, “‘One Project, One Review’: Cooperation Agreements for the Assessment of Major Projects” (the “Joint Submission”), and submissions ECEL has made on draft cooperation agreements between the government of Canada and the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island

In recent months, we have received inquiries from individual community members, community groups, and environmental organizations in Nova Scotia concerning the procurement process that the Nova Scotia Independent Energy System Operator (“NS IESO”) initiated in autumn 2025 to seek the construction of one or two fast-acting power generation facilities in Pictou County.

As an organization that supports an equitable energy transition away from fossil fuels and toward clean, renewable, and sustainable energy sources like offshore wind, East Coast Environmental Law (“ECEL”) opposes new oil and gas exploration and development in Nova Scotia’s offshore.

The perspectives shared through these workshops demonstrate that youth in New Brunswick are eager to contribute to environmental decision-making. They view environmental rights not only as legal protections, but as essential to their health, well-being, and future.

This submission reflects and builds on a submission by group of environmental non-profit organizations, including ECEL, to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada’s (the “Agency”) on its consultation paper, “‘One Project, One Review’: Cooperation Agreements for the Assessment of Major Projects” (the “Joint Submission”), and submissions ECEL has made on draft cooperation agreements between the Government of Canada and the provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Our clients continue to have serious concerns about how critical habitat is purportedly identified in the 2025 Proposed Update, especially when compared to the clear identification of critical habitat in the original Recovery Strategy for the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus melodus) in Canada (2012 Recovery Strategy).

This submission responds to the questions posed in the Call for Information feedback form on the CNSOER website, addressing those questions in the same order in which they appear online.

East Coast Environmental Law Responses to Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Advancing Environmental Equity Survey

This new work is more important than ever, as the government pursues major projects on fast timelines and with reduced regulatory oversight. Exacerbating environmental racism and injustice is not in the national interest. Advancing environmental justice is a nation-building strategy.

Submission to the New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government on New Brunswick’s “Draft State of the Coast Report Development”

Recommendations to the NB Department of Environment and Local Government on Modernizing the Clean Water Act

Submission to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada: One Project, One Review – Comments on The Co-operation Agreement between Prince Edward Island and Canada

Submission to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada: One Project, One Review – Comments on The Co-operation Agreement between New Brunswick and Canada

Joint ENGO Submission on Impact Assessment Agency of Canada Consultation Paper, “‘One Project, One Review’: Co-operation Agreements for the Assessment of Major Projects”

Brief to the NB Department of Environment and Local Government on Modernizing the Clean Air Act: Protecting the Right to Clean Air.

Submission to the Canada-Nova Scotia Energy Regulator on the Petroleum-related Call for Bids NS25-1P.

As we near the end of yet another summer of heatwaves, drought and wildfires that have ravaged our forests and led to the evacuations of thousands of people, we urgently need to build projects that will help decarbonize our economy. At the same time, designating and prioritizing projects in the national interest should not put our communities or nature at risk.

Brief to the Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Stewardship in New Brunswick re: Modernizing the Clean Air Act: Protecting the Right to Clean Air.

The development of the MPA Network Plan has involved more than a decade of extensive investment from many stakeholders and rightsholders, as well as public consultation from communities in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Given this level of engagement and the support it reflects, it is both timely and appropriate for the federal government to move forward with its release as soon as possible.

The Government of Canada sought input on an Intentions Paper in which it proposes to develop a regulatory framework for offshore sub-seabed geological carbon dioxide (CO2) storage. This work is being undertaken as part of Canada’s Carbon Management Strategy.