Public Participation
Public participation is essential for an open, honest, and balanced impact assessment process
Why is public participation important?
Every EMRIRB screening has a public comment period of 21 days. When a screening is initiated, a Notice of Screening is issued and is made public. Interested parties are invited to submit their comments regarding the proposed project and its potential effects to the EMRIRB for consideration. All comments made during an assessment are posted to the EMRIRB Public Registry and can be viewed by the public.
The EMRIRB operates under the principle that public participation is an important element of an open, honest, and balanced impact assessment process. Effective public participation strengthens the quality of the screening and review processes, resulting in better decisions and better projects.
The EMRIRB considers the potential eco-systemic impacts (e.g., land, air, water, fish and wildlife) and socio-economic impacts (e.g., health and well-being of people and communities) of proposed projects to determine whether a project has the potential to have significant adverse impacts on the environment. In order for your comments to be most useful to the EMRIRB, you will need to outline the ecosystemic and socio-economic impacts you deem important.
How can I get involved?
Follow the EMR Facebook Page and look out for notices of new projects undergoing screening
Send an e-mail to info-irb@eeyoumarineregion.ca to be added to our distribution list. That way, every time a proposed project in the EMR is undergoing screening, you will be notified.
Review our information guide in English or in Cree
How can I submit comments?
There are three ways to submit comments to the EMRIRB:
- Fill out a comment form on the Public Registry (see guide below for more information)
- Send an email to info-irb@eeyoumarineregion.ca with your comments
- Call the EMRIRB at: 819-895-2202
What kind of information will I be asked to provide?
What do you value in the proposed project area?
Values may include specific wildlife species, environmental elements (water, islands), or cultural values and activities (trapping, way of life).
How will this project impact you? Do you have suggestions for how these impacts could be reduced or eliminated?
How to submit a comment on the EMRIRB Public Registry
1. All projects are listed on the EMR Public Registry dashboard at https://emrpublicregistry.ca. To find the project you would like to comment on, you can search the registry by typing in the project name, EMRIRB file number, or keyword in the search box on the top left.
2. You can also filter projects by type, area, or assessment status by checking the boxes on the left side, then clicking “Search Registry”. If you check the box labelled “Public Commenting” under the “Assessment status” heading, you will see all projects that are currently open for public comments.
3. Click on the project you would like to comment on, which will bring you to the Project Details page. The Project Dashboard page will show you all the project details, such as the complete project application, maps, additional documents, and what phase of assessment the project is currently undergoing. On the far right, click on the “Comment Form” tab.
1. The comment form will load, which you are asked to fill out. If any of the questions are not applicable to your comment, you can enter “N/A”.
2. If you would like to keep your comments anonymous, you can select, “I would like to keep my name and email private”. If you check this box, your name and contact information will not be included in any public report or publicly available information. Please note that EMRIRB staff and Board members will still be able to see your name and contact information.
1. Once you have filled out your comments, you will need to first verify your email address. Select “Send Verification Code” to receive a code at your email address.
2. Once you receive the verification code, copy it into the box provided and select “Submit Comment” to send your comments to the EMRIRB.
3. EMRIRB staff will then receive and review your comments before posting them on the Project Dashboard, along with other comments received.
