EBR Requirements for Instrument Proposals Posted on the Environmental Registry

Many permits and approvals (instruments) issued by provincial ministries are subject to the EBR because they are environmentally significant. The EBR spells out very specific public rights to participate in decision-making on these instruments.

• A minister shall do everything in his or her power to give public notice of a proposal for certain instruments that are listed in the EBR and under consideration within the ministry.
• The notice must be posted for a minimum 30-day comment period on the Environmental Registry before a ministry decides whether or not to grant the permit or approval.
• The notice must include the following information at a minimum:

1. a brief description of the proposal
2. how and by what date the public may participate in decision-making
3. where and when the public may review written information about the proposal
4. an address to which the public may direct written comments, and written questions about the public’s right to participate in decision-making on the proposal.

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This is an article from the 2001/02 Annual Report to the Legislature from the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. Table of Contents Information on the official document and its release.

Citing This Article
Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. 2002. "Field Audit: Access to Information." Developing Sustainability, ECO Annual Report, 2001-02. Toronto, ON : Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. 29.