Cumulative effects are the effects of activities that, when combined, may produce measurable changes in the human or physical environment. Cumulative effects assessment is a required component of regulatory applications and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments.
Project proponents are guided in their assessment of cumulative effects assessment in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and Regulations and the Environmental Impact Screening Committee and Review Board Guidelines. Although cumulative effects assessments are required in the region, there is no consistent approach.
The Cumulative Effects Working Group worked towards a regional framework that will enable all stakeholders to participate and support the process. A regional collaborative approach to developing the assessment framework provides a consistent approach in project assessments and provides a better means for regulators to ensure that cumulative effects are being properly addressed.
The development of the cumulative effects assessment framework complements the establishment of a baseline understanding of environmental conditions in the offshore Beaufort Sea through the BREA science program.
Read the Final Report to the BREA Cumulative Effects Working Group here.