Sustainable Fisheries: Applying Modern Safeguards to the Fisheries Act

The Government of Canada is undertaking a review of environmental and regulatory processes, including the Fisheries Act. The Fisheries Act review will be undertaken by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans (FOPO) with the following mandate:

“[T]he Committee, in light of the letter provided by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and the Minister of Transport, review and study the scope of application of the Fisheries Act, and specifically the serious harm to fish prohibition; how the prohibition is implemented to protect fish and fish habitat; the capacity of Fisheries and Oceans Canada to deliver on fish and fish habitat protection through project review, monitoring, and enforcement; the definitions of serious harm to fish and commercial, recreational, and Indigenous fisheries; the use of regulatory authorities under the Fisheries Act; and other related provisions of the act, and provide its recommendations in a report to the House, no later than Tuesday, February 28, 2017.” (Approved: September 19, 2016.)

The Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) respectfully submits this brief for consideration by FOPO in fulfillment of this mandate. The Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) represents the electricity generation, transmission and distribution industry in Canada. Founded in 1891, the CEA represents a broad range of companies that generate, transmit, distribute, market electric energy to industrial, commercial and residential customers across Canada every day and provide valueadded services to the electricity sector and other sectors. CEA utility member companies are committed to delivering reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity, to support Canada’s economic growth and advance the federal government’s international climate change commitments and commitments to promote a growing low carbon, clean energy economy.