Evaluating Cumulative Effects Assessment within Environmental Impact Assessment: A Case Study on the LNG Canada Export Terminal

Cumulative effects are the accumulated spatial and temporal impacts to environmental and socioeconomic values from multiple projects and other activities. Cumulative effects assessment (CEA) assesses these accumulated impacts. This project used best practices for evaluating CEA under environmental assessment (EA) through a case study analysis of LNG Canada’s proposal to build a liquefied natural gas plant and port in Kitimat, British Columbia. Strengths and weaknesses of the current CEA process are identified. Overall, the evaluation found that only two of seventeen best practices were met. Recommendations are made to mitigate the deficiencies, including undertaking CEA as part of a comprehensive regional planning process instead of as part of EA.