Evaluating Committee (EVCOM)

Mandate

The Evaluating Committee (EVCOM) is commissioned to examine preliminary information supplied by the proponent of a project located on land that is governed under the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement (JBNQA) and located south of the 55th parallel. On the basis of this information, the EVCOM makes a recommendation to the Provincial Administrator of the JBNQA (the Deputy Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks) whether or not to submit the project to the assessment and review procedure to determine impacts on the environment and social milieu set forth in Chapter II of the Environment Quality Act. Where a project is submitted, the EVCOM drafts a plan governing the scope of the environmental impact assessment to be conducted and recommends to the Provincial Administrator to forward it to the proponent of the project. If a project is not submitted to the procedure, the EVCOM must draft a notice of exemption.

Minister responsible

The Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks.

Secretariat

Evaluating Committee (EVCOM)
Édifice Marie-Guyart, 6th Floor, Box 83
675 René-Lévesque Est
Québec, Québec G1R 5V7

Legal Basis

Environment Quality Act (R.S.Q., c. Q-2): sections 148 to 150 and sections 153 to 159

James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement (JBNQA): section 22.5

Membership

Members appointed by the federal government:

Members appointed by the government of Québec:

Members appointed by the Cree Regional Authority (CRA):

Secretary

Ms. Nathalie Girard
Telephone : 418 521-3933, poste 4633
Fax : 418 644-8222 ou 418 646-0266
Email : nathalie.girard@mddep.gouv.qc.ca

Budget

Under the Environment Quality Act the James Bay Advisory Committee on the Environment (JBACE) is responsible for maintaining the operations of the EVCOM using the budget it is allocated by the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks. In accordance with the provisions of the JBNQA and an administrative agreement, the government of Canada must reimburse Québec one-half of the operating expenses of the JBACE, including those of the EVCOM.

Human Resources

The Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et des Parcs assigns some of its employees the responsibilities of maintaining the secretariat operations of the EVCOM and analyzing projects handled by the EVCOM.