The James Bay Advisory Committee on the Environment (JBACE)

The following is a summary of the activities undertaken in 2020-2021. A detailed description of the activities can be found in the report available here.

Provincial

As part of the implementation of the revised Environment Quality Act, the JBACE sent its comments on the draft Regulation respecting the regulatory scheme applying to activities on the basis of their environmental impact. The committee also reviewed and commented on the Tactical Plans for Integrated Forest Development (PAFIT) for the territory covered by Section 22 of the JBNQA. Regarding critical and strategic minerals, the JBACE commented on the Québec Plan for the Development of Critical and Strategic Minerals 2020-2025. During the year, the JBACE took interest in the issue of residual materials management by participating in the work on the modernization of deposit and selective collection systems and by initiating discussions concerning the consultation of the BAPE on the status and management of final waste. Finally, the committee participated in the public hearings of the Committee on Transportation and the Environment of the Assemblée national on Bill 46 – An Act to amend the Natural Heritage Conservation Act and other provisions. The JBACE also commented on the development of the Government Policy on Wildlife.

Federal

As part of the implementation of the Impact Assessment Act, the JBACE provided comments on certain chapters of the Practitioner’s Guide to Federal Impact Assessments under the Impact Assessment Act. The committee also started to work on the various initiatives related to the implementation of the revised Fisheries Act which came into force in 2019.

Other initiatives and Secretariat operations

The JBACE began work on sharing the information from the climate change report published in 2018. The committee also continued to reflect on cumulative effects in order to identify priority issues on the matter. In response to a request, the JBACE studied and commented the Cree Nation of Mistissini‘s draft Environmental Protection Law. Finally, during the year, the JBACE finalized the modernization of its IT tools and equipment.