Project IA scoping following a regional or strategic assessment

Workshop perspectives from Canadian federal IA regulators and authorities

Bibliographic Data

ID21153590
AuthorsSteve Bonnell (Memorial University of Newfoundland, corresponding author)
Year2026
Pages1-12
Publication date2026-05-05
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueImpact Assessment and Project Appraisal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1461-5517 • E-ISSN: 1471-5465
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14615517.2026.2665949
OpenAlexW7160258446
LanguageEN
References cited31

Regional and strategic assessments (RAs/SAs) can influence the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of subsequent project impact assessments (IAs) in various ways. This can include improving project proposals by affecting the nature, intensity and distribution of future development, by addressing important issues through larger effects management approaches, or by contributing information, analysis, mitigation and context to these later assessments. This article presents the findings of two workshops held in late 2025 with federal government personnel that are involved in project IAs in Atlantic Canada. Through questions about overall RA/SA objectives and their various potential outputs, the workshops sought participants’ views on whether, how and to what degree these may be influential in project IA scoping decisions by government. RAs/SAs are viewed largely as foundational and contextual pieces for later project IAs, rather than replacing or significantly streamlining most aspects of these assessments due to issues of scale, and the need to still consider environmental conditions, potential effects and mitigation in a project-, site- and time-specific context. RA/SA outputs are therefore seen primarily as a means of ‘scoping better’ rather than ‘scoping out’, and for informing project IA conduct by proponents

Public policy · Strategic planning · Construction Project Management and Performance · Environmental and Social Impact Assessments · Regulation and Compliance Studies

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