Canada, Yukon sign EA co-operation accord

OTTAWA, ONT-The latest in a series of bilateral agreements on environmental assessment between the federal and provincial/territorial governments was signed last week by Environment Minister David Anderson and Yukon Premier Dennis Fentie. Under the Canada-Yukon Agreement on Environmental Assessment Co-operation, a proposed project subject to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act as well as to the Yukon's Environmental Assessment Act will undergo a single environmental assessment which will meet the legal and regulatory requirements of both governments. The agreement, the first of its kind on environmental assessment between Canada and the Yukon, was subject to a 35-day public consultation period last July-August. Public comments were reviewed prior before the accord was finalized. This co-operation agreement and Yukon's Environmental Assessment Act will serve as efficient transitional measures until the full implementation of the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Act.