Health and environmental impact assessment in Canada

Potential health effects of proposed development activities are an important component of environmental impact assessment (EIA). I report results of a survey to determine the nature and extent of health impact assessments in EIA in Canada. Most proponents conduct health impact assessments when there is an identified health concern. However, few Canadian jurisdictions require health impact assessments in their EIA legislation. The extent to which health is considered depends on several factors and concerns can be addressed at several different stages of the EIA process. Health impact assessments have dealt with a wide range of concerns, although the specific health issues addressed depend on the nature of the project. Several procedures and methods have been used by proponents and government reviewers. Often health impact assessments are qualitative or rely on relevant standards or guidelines. Occasionally, quantitative risk assessments are conducted. Survey respondents identified several problems which hinder health impact assessments including a shortage of suitably trained and experienced health professionals, inadequate communications between government agencies and insufficient or conflicting scientific data to allow accurate prediction of any health effects.