Ways to get informed and follow projects being reviewed by the government

Howdy folks. Just a couple of resources that you can use to keep track of various projects and to learn how you can participate/comment on them. I follow these sites regularly as they are a great way to stay informed on projects that can impact on wild Atlantic Salmon.

Many projects require environmental assessments or other impact assessments. These can be federal or provincial assessments. Federally these assessments are managed by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (formally the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency or CEAA). Provincially in NS and PEI these assessments are managed by provincial environment departments (NS: Nova Scotia Environment, PEI: Environment, Water, and Climate Change). As a member of the public you can learn more about these assessment programs, what projects are currently being assessed, and how you can participate at their respective websites.

Federal Environmental / Impact Assessment Agency

https://www.canada.ca/en/impact-assessment-agency.html?utm_campaign=not-applicable&utm_medium=vanity-url&utm_source=canada-ca_ceaa

NS Environment

https://novascotia.ca/nse/ea/

PEI Environment, Water, and Climate Change

https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/environment-water-and-climate-change/environmental-impact-assessment-eia-review

Aquaculture projects in NS and PEI typically don't go through the assessment programs described above. Instead these are handled by separate processes and legislation at the provincial level. There are currently efforts underway to create a federal aquaculture act, which ASF would like to be focused on protecting native wild species like Atlantic Salmon, but that is a story for another post.

To stay up to date on NS government aquaculture activities you can visit their aquaculture website of the NS Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture to get news updates and to learn about opportunities for you to learn about and comment on applications from proponents.  Licensing and regulation of aquaculture on PEI is mostly focused on shellfish since this is a major industry on the Island and finfish production is not. Regardless you can learn more about PEI aquaculture from the Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Industry website's Aquaculture and Fisheries page.

NS Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Aquaculture Division

https://novascotia.ca/fish/aquaculture/public-information/

PEI Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Industry - Aquaculture and Fisheries

https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/topic/aquaculture-and-fisheries