Halton’s Environmental Impact Assessment Guideline

Halton’s planning vision includes a natural heritage system that is integrated with communities and the rural countryside to preserve and enhance the natural environment.

Building, development and site alteration in or near Halton’s Natural Heritage System can impact the environment. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) may be required to demonstrate that there will be no negative impacts to the environment resulting from these activities.

An EIA is a study prepared by a qualified professional to determine if proposed development or site alteration will have a negative impact on the features and function of Halton’s Natural Heritage System (PDF file).

About the EIA Guideline, 2020

Regional Council endorsed the EIA Guideline on June 17, 2020. You can read Council's resolution by reviewing the Council Committee Documents page on our website.

The EIA Guideline builds upon the strong history of environmental protection in Halton and provides details on the requirements for undertaking an EIA in accordance with Regional Official Plan policies and provincial requirements.

The purpose of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Guideline is to:

• explain the Regional Official Plan (ROP) policies regarding the Halton Natural Heritage System (NHS) and requirements for triggering an EIA;
• provide tools to support the EIA process, direction on the EIA process and content required for an EIA;
• identify ways to avoid or minimize potential impacts to the NHS and its key features and ecological functions; and,
• enable municipal decision-making on development or site alteration proposals which have the potential to impact the NHS.

Related Links

• Natural Heritage
• Regional Official Plan Review
• Rural Agricultural Strategy
• Regional Forests
• Water Quality and Protection
• Water and Environment