The Government of Canada continues the rollout of the monitoring program related to offshore oil and gas exploratory drilling off Newfoundland and Labrador. This mechanism aims to oversee the implementation of commitments made by the state following the regional assessment completed in 2020. The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) has released a draft report covering the 2024-2025 period and invites stakeholders to submit comments.
A process centralized on the Canadian Registry
Submissions can be made through the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry under reference number 80156. The draft report is available online, and participants also have the option to send feedback directly by email. All comments will be included in the public project record, ensuring traceability and accessibility of contributions.
Approval and publication of the final report
Once the consultation period ends, IAAC will incorporate the necessary adjustments into the draft report. The revised document will then be sent to federal and provincial ministries that are signatories of the regional agreement for approval. Publication of the final report on the Registry will formally confirm the monitoring of commitments made by the government.
A follow-up to the 2020 regional assessment
The regional assessment, completed in February 2020, was designed to streamline the review process for exploratory drilling projects in the offshore study area. It led to the creation of the monitoring program that now governs control measures and regular data updates. This framework structures interactions between federal and provincial authorities and stakeholders, while providing ongoing visibility on the progress of drilling projects in this strategic region.
