Environmental Law & Regulation in Alberta

Registration Opens and Coffee Served

Opening Remarks from the Co-Chairs

Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) In Practice: Assessing its Impact on Industry

• What does the AER look like?
  • An explanation and breakdown of AER composition and governance structure
  • What does the AER’s relationship with the AESRD and other bodies now look like?
  • How far along are we with the single window approach?
• What is the process for obtaining project approvals?
  • Has the notification and consultation process changed?
  • What is the environmental approvals process under the new regulator?
  • When does a public hearing get called? Who is entitled to participate?
• Critical assessment of the AER in practice
  • Identifying efficiencies
  • What are the areas for improvement?
  • One year later – is the new world better for industry?

KEYNOTE ADDRESSES:Priorities from Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development

Networking Coffee Break

Direct from the Alberta Energy Regulator

• The AER transition process (approaching the one year anniversary)
• The AER’s roles, responsibilities, and functions
• Regulating Alberta’s energy development from start to finish
• What it means to be best-in-class
• The AER’s regulatory evolution
• The AER’s strategy and foresight

The Effects of the AER’s Creation on Alberta’s Environmental Regulatory System

• What environmental matters will the AER take over?
• Will Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (AESRD) still have a role in regulating energy development?
• Managing transitions from AESRD to AER oversight
• Will any part of environmental regulation in Alberta stay the same?
• Future prospects for a level playing field for environmental protection and regulation in Alberta

Networking Luncheon

Trends in Water Regulation and Management

An update on changes in laws, regulations, policies and partnerships that have recently taken place, regarding water management.

• A review of water related priority focus areas
• In-depth review of water management plans in Alberta
• Industrial water regulation and management: stay up-to-date on anticipated changes
• How might industry and other stakeholders best prepare for these changes?

Networking Coffee Break

Resilience Practice and Adaptive Co-Management: Examining Alberta’s Current Legislative Regime for Managing Land-Use In Riparian Lands

This presentation will provide an overview of recently developed concepts of resilience practice and adaptive co-management through the lens of riparian lands in the Calgary Region. Alberta’s current legislative regime for managing land-use in riparian lands will be examined for effectiveness in preventing further degradation

• A look at the 2013 flood as a catalyst for improved riparian land management in the complex social-ecological system associated with the Bow River Basin
• Analyzing how population and economic growth has impacted the regional landscape causing continued degradation of riparian lands located in floodplains along the Bow and its tributaries
• Exploring opportunity for the Province and municipalities to manage land uses in riparian lands for resilience
• Managing the region’s riparian lands for resilience: practically speaking, what will this mean?
• Recommendations to the Province and municipalities for improving riparian land adaptive co-management for resilience

Closing Remarks from the Co-Chairs, Forum Adjourns

Coffee Served

Opening Remarks

Prayer

PART I Industry Perspective: Maximizing Business Opportunities Through Industry Engagement

PART II First Nations Perspective: Concerns About Roles of Government and Industry

PART III Legal Perspective: Understanding the Law and How it Attempts to Balance Interests

Networking Coffee Break

MULTI-STAKEHOLDER ROUNDTABLE: A Balanced Guide to Alberta’s Consultation Policy

• What is the impact of Alberta’s 2013 revised Consultation Policy?
• What are the consequences of the limitation on the jurisdiction of the Alberta Energy Regulator regarding the adequacy of Crown consultation?
• How will the Aboriginal Consultation Levy Act be implemented and what are the implications of this for industry and First Nations?
• How can developers cope with changing regulatory requirements and expectations?
• What best practices can industry and First Nations adopt to work together cooperatively in the current Alberta regulatory environment?

Regulating Air Emissions & Ensuring Compliance

• Update on key provincial and federal announcements regarding climate change, including coal fired emissions and preparing for curbing provisions in the oil and gas sector
• Defining the regulatory issues associated with Carbon Capture and Storage and the status of CCS projects in Alberta
• Analyzing the effectiveness of the Alberta Greenhouse Reduction Program, including CCS, initiatives sponsored by the Climate Change and Emissions Management Fund, and the Alberta Offset System

Networking Luncheon

Understanding the Intersection of Water and Land Use Regulations with the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan

Regional Plans, Land Use and the role of Watershed Councils: WPACs in Alberta are developing plans for managing our watersheds while government creates regional land use plans. How do these planning processes align and what does this mean for the future of Alberta’s land and water management policies?

• A general assessment of Regional Plans: what are they and how could they affect my business?
• Discussing the recently approved South Saskatchewan Regional Plan
• Examining the intersection of the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan with Water and Land Use regulations

Networking Coffee Break

Controlling Risk and Limiting Liability in the Remediation and Reclamation of Contaminated and or Abandoned Sites

• Understanding responsibilities concerning contamination
  • to the public
  • to individuals
• Delineation and remediation: Overcoming the challenges of redeveloping urban lands
  • Delineating the contamination
  • What are the statutory requirements?
• Who is responsible?
  • Determining and defining who is the polluter
  • To the individual:
    • Current Owner, Previous Owners, Other Parties
  • Contaminated Site Liability Report

Concluding Remarks