The Commission's mandate

The KEQC was established by virtue of section 23 of the James Bay and Northern Agreement (JBNQA) and is governed by section 181 to 213 of the Environment Quality Act (EQA). The KEQC is responsible for evaluating and examining projects located on land governed under the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement (JBNQA) and located north of the 55th parallel. After analyzing preliminary information provided by the project initiator and information forwarded by the Provincial Administrator of the JBNQA (the Deputy Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks), the KEQC determines 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 EQA. Where a project is submitted, the KEQC drafts a plan governing the scope of the environmental impact assessment to be conducted. If a project is not submitted to the procedure, the KEQC must issue a notice of exemption. The KEQC also analyzes impact assessments that are submitted to it and can hold public consultations within the communities that are affected by a project. It subsequently renders a decision whether or not to authorize a project, with or without condition.