Funding to support the review of the Onshore Pipeline Regulations

Are you an Indigenous-led organization interested in hosting Indigenous community engagement for the review of:  

If yes, here is some important information about funding opportunities for you.

What are the OPR and Filing Manuals?

The OPR are the main regulations we use to oversee pipelines in Canada. The FM explains what to include in an application for a potential project.  

The CER is looking to amend the OPR and the FM in a manner that incorporates specific localized knowledge held by Indigenous Peoples, as well as Indigenous laws, policies, practices and protocols. The CER is seeking to strengthen measures to prevent and address impacts to Indigenous rights and interests, including heritage resources and sites of Indigenous significance. If your community has thoughts to share on the topic papers, the CER would like to hear from you! 

Areas of Focus

The CER has carefully reviewed the input that was received during the first phase of engagement, as well as advice received through previous CER engagement activities with regulated companies, municipalities and from the Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committees (IAMCs) for the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMX) and Enbridge Line 3 Replacement Program (Line 3).

The CER is now ready to engage on specific issues to update our regulations, enhance our guidance and improve CER processes and is seeking feedback on various topics related to the OPR and FM. Background information and 13 topic-specific papers can be found on the CER Dialogue website:

  • Background Information
  • Damage Prevention 
  • Deactivation and End of Lifecycle 
  • Emergency Management 
  • Environmental Protection 
  • Filing Manual - Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment 
  • Filing Manual - Lands  
  • Filing Manual - Rights and Interests of Indigenous Peoples 
  • Human and Organizational Factors 
  • Management Systems and Contractor Management 
  • OPR - Rights and Interests of Indigenous Peoples, Socio-Economic Effects, Engagement  
  • Pipeline Integrity 
  • Reporting Harm 
  • Safety

Who can Apply?

Indigenous-led organizations located in Canada, including: 

  • Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) communities, groups, or other legal entities; and
  • Indigenous governing bodiesFootnote * and organizationsFootnote ** (as defined in CER Act Section 2).

What you need to know before you apply:

Applications received by the deadlines will be reviewed by a CER Funding Review Committee (FRC). Funding decisions will be based on the recommendations of the FRC subject to available funding. Funding decisions will be provided approximately one month after the application deadline. Successful applicants will receive a contribution agreement or a grant letter to sign. 

The call for proposals has two options:

Track A – Contributions up to $150,000 to organize and host engagement with multiple Indigenous-led organizations and prepare a written summary of feedback (publicly available). Track A proposals are due by Tuesday, 16 July 2024.

Download Track A application form [PDF 355 KB]

Track B - Grants up to $20,000 to engage with community members to prepare a summary of feedback to submit (publicly available). Track B proposals are due by Friday, 16 August 2024.

Download Track B application form [PDF 258 KB]

A total of $2 million is available for this funding opportunity to be divided between Track A and Track B proposals. Applicants may submit more than one proposal for Track A provided there is no duplication.

To distribute the limited funds as broadly as possible, applicants with Track A proposals are asked to provide a list of the Indigenous communities and/or organizations they plan to engage AND provide an estimate of the total number of people to be engaged.  If a community is involved in a Track A proposal and then also applies to Track B, CER staff will reach out to both applicants before a funding decision for Track B is made.

Need more information?

Sign up below to attend an information session and learn more about the review process and how to submit a funding proposal:

Contact

Email OPR_RPT@cer-rec.gc.ca for more information about this project or if you have any questions. 

Email GC.SC@cer-rec.gc.ca to submit your proposal or request more information about funding.

Date modified: