User Notice: Cookies

This website uses cookies to enhance your user experience and improve our website performance.

By continuing on this website, you consent to the use of the cookies.

For more information on the cookies we use and how to manage your cookies settings, please read this Privacy Statement

Class EA Backgrounder

The Environmental Assessment Act (EAA) provides for the protection, conservation and wise management of the environment in Ontario, where environment is broadly defined to include not only the natural environment, but also the socio-economic, cultural and built environments. The Government Property Class Environmental Assessment (this Class EA) is a planning tool for assessing the potential environmental effects of proposed projects in respect of Government property.  The classes of projects to which this Class EA applies have predictable and manageable environmental effects and typically do not give rise to significant concerns from Indigenous communities and stakeholders. In accordance with the EAA this Class EA must be used to assess undertakings to which it applies, subject to the possibility that the proponent applies to the Minister for approval to proceed with the undertaking as a Part II.3 project, as part of a comprehensive environmental assessment (Part II.3 of the EAA). The main goals of this Class EA are:

  • to match the potential environmental effects of a project with the appropriate category and level of assessment;
  • to support and promote the Ontario Government's policies and objectives, particularly those concerning protection of the environment; and,
  • to ensure proper consultation and documentation are completed, demonstrating how environmental concerns are being addressed.

This Class EA is intended to assist proponents in determining whether projects related to Government property are exempt from this Class EA, Category B or Category C based on the potential for adverse environmental effects, the ability to mitigate these impacts and the level of concern from Indigenous communities or stakeholders. Additionally, projects may be screened to be exempt if there are no or low-level impacts to environmental considerations and/or Community Concerns.  Since the projects are related to Government property, they could be varied in nature depending as well on the proponent.  Based on this there are no specific projects described in this Class EA for Category B or C but instead the level of environmental effects is used by the proponent to determine the applicable category.

  • Exemptions: Undertakings that are exempt from meeting the requirements of the EAA and can proceed to implementation.
  • Category B projects are not exempt undertakings and have some potential for environmental effects, but they are predictable and mitigation measures are well understood. They are subject to a standard evaluation of environmental effects that is documented in an Environmental Report.
  • Category C projects are more complex where: a) there is the potential for more significant adverse environmental effects; b) mitigation measures may not be well known and may need to be designed for the project to mitigate these effects; or c) where there is a significant level of concern anticipated from Indigenous communities and stakeholders. A Category C undertaking would typically require a larger study area and may result in longer term (generally beyond the construction period) potential environmental effects as compared to a Category B project.  Category C projects are documented in the form of a detailed Environmental Study Report.

Consultation is an essential element when planning Category B and C projects. For Category B projects, consulted parties normally include government ministries and agencies, parties that may be affected by a project (e.g., owners of adjacent properties), Indigenous communities and others who may be interested in a project (e.g., community groups).  Category C projects are subject to a more comprehensive consultation, including mandatory points of consultation with the general public at key milestones. For both category levels, the final documents must be posted for a mandatory 30-day Notice of Completion public comment period. A Notice of Intent is posted after the 30-day Notice of Completion period is complete to provide notification that the project is proceeding to implementation.