Land Matters Group Advisory Committee (LMAC AC) Meeting Minutes - Virtual Meeting - 30 April 2024

In Attendance

In Attendance

Amy Jarek, VP Communications & Engagement Véronique Duhamel, Director of Engagement Carole Léger-Kubeczek, LMG Coordinator
Canadian Federation of Agriculture	Lynn Jacobson
New Brunswick Federation of Woodlot Owners (NBFWO)	Riley Côté-DeMerchant
Union des producteurs agricoles du Québec (UPA)	Isabelle Bouffard
BC Farmers Information Service	Maria Reschke
Ontario Federation of Agriculture	Brian Crews
Alberta Farmers’ Advocate Office	Darcy Allen
TC Energy	Graeme Wright
International Right of Way Association	Jenna Wood Josh Vass
Alberta Energy Regulator (AER)	Fiona LeBlanc
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)	Julie Siddons
Canada Energy Regulator (CER) (LMG PWG)	Anne-Marie Erickson Paul Georgison Shannon Neufeld Nadia Prévost-Lowry Amber Butterworth Ray Yang

Absent:

Josh Brading, Director of Public Participation (CER), Stéphanie Levasseur (UPA), Ron Smith (NBFWO)

Meeting Opening

• Participants welcomed and meeting opened by Amy Jarek
• Territorial acknowledgement

Review and Approval of Meeting Agenda and Meeting Minutes

• Approval of the meeting agenda
• Approval of the January 2024 Minutes

Roundtable

• UPA and Ontario Federation of Agriculture: Members were happy to connect with CER staff members at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture Annual General Meeting held in Ottawa, Ontario in late February.
• TC Energy: Portfolios have changed within the organization. Graeme is no longer managing the file regarding liquid pipelines.

1) Filing manual updates – Guide A.4 Land Matters

Speaker: Anne-Marie Erickson, Technical Leader, Public Participation

Overview:

CER staff presented a Filing Manual 101 document, examples of land matters submissions in applications, and a proposed draft of Guide A.4. Participants overall impressions were that the proposed updates to the text made it easier to follow and understand. Most of the discussion and feedback was centered on the new sub-section on compensation methodology. The impact of this feedback will inform the proposed updates to the text of Guide A.4, as well as the broader Filing Manual project.

Discussion:

• Feedback: it is difficult to compare the older filing manual document to the modified version due to changes to the headings.
• Suggestion to list/clarify which sections of the CER Act are being followed in the Filing Manual.
• Members discussed the pros and cons of providing more details about compensation:
  • Challenges could include a variety of processes for each company: if a process is included in an application, this means the company would be committed to it even if the context or needs necessitated a change during the project phase.
• A timeline for the next phase of the engagement timeline for the filing manual was requested. A CER representative responded that a fixed date has not yet been set.
• It was noted that there are capacity and resource inequities between landowners and companies. Industry may be able to afford a higher level of expertise, when compared to the capabilities of most landowners. Language in the Filing Manual should reflect this.

Actions:

• The Filing Manual project working group will revise the draft based on feedback received.
• Updated draft will be shared with the LMG AC via the project page on CER Dialogue.

2) 2024-2027 Roadmap

Speaker: Nadia Prévost-Lowry

Overview:

CER staff presented a draft version of the 2024-2027 Roadmap (the “Roadmap”). The content of this draft was based on comments collected from the facilitation during the January meeting and the draft Terms of Reference (“ToR”) (see item 3 below). The objective of this presentation was to collect feedback from LMG AC members regarding clarification on deliverables for the Draft Roadmap, setting priorities and, where applicable, setting target dates.

The Roadmap contains an Introduction, Guiding Principles, and three overarching streams: Education and Information, Internal Management and Operations, and Strategic Planning. During the presentation discussion centered on receiving feedback on the topics under the three themes, whereas the Guiding principles are based on the ToR, and will be modified based on that document’s updates.

Discussion:

• Feedback began with identifying that some items had already been completed, and some consolidated into other documents or deliverables within the Roadmap, and the remainder were clarified and organized by priority level.
• Some key comments were:
  1. to focus on prioritizing and closing out the one outstanding items (early engagement) from the 2019 Work Plan;
  2. producing an information kit for landowners; and
  3. developing clear targets, including evaluation measures of outcomes.
• Participants also discussed developing a high-level guidance document on how members can share information and report back to their own organizations.
• When preparing the information kit to landowners, accessibility must be prioritized (language and variety of communication methods)
• The LMG AC should develop information or education on how Indigenous land matters could impact other stakeholders’ land interests.
• Participants expressed satisfaction that work on the Roadmap was progressing and that it is a good tool to support the work of the LMG AC.

Actions:

• Roadmap Working Group (consisted of LMG Secretariat members) is to update the plan based on feedback received.
  • Resource assignments to be prioritized at the next quarterly meeting and follow up discussions will take place as the work progresses.
• Updated version will be sent to LMG AC members for comment with a 10-day deadline for additional revisions and feedback.
  

3) 2024-2027 Terms of Reference

Speakers: Carole Léger-Kubeczek, Paul Georgison, Amber Butterworth

Overview:

CER staff presented a draft version of the LMG AC ToR; this document will reflect how the group operates and provide input regarding CER initiatives (non-adjudicative) and deliver recommendations that meet the needs of the organization.

The primary objectives of the LMG AC include the following:

• Guide and support the CER in identifying, prioritizing, and implementing actions as set out in the Roadmap; actions that are supported by annual action plans that foster continual improvement of the CER’s regulatory framework and approaches for addressing land matters;
• Review and provide feedback on CER regulatory initiatives, to ensure land matters perspectives are accounted for in their development and implementation; and
• Foster and facilitate information sharing, continual learning and education, and the exchange of best practices amongst stakeholders and the public regarding land matters as they relate to the CER’s strategies and work.
  

Discussion:

• Proposed name change from LMG AC to the LMAC:
  • Decision to follow.
• On the composition of the LMG AC:
  • Specificity in terms of the number of representatives may be limiting
    • Suggestion that we could instead opt for an ideal range for each category.
  • Desire for more regional representation.
  • Consensus that there is a need to increase the representation within the industry category:
    • Other groups could be considered to represent the service providers group of professionals besides lands professionals (for example, land developers or contractors, surveyors, lawyers, etc.).
    • Increase diversity and inclusion with representation from the following sectors:
      • Tier 2 companies (such as TNPI), because these companies tend to have different realities and resources when compared to Tier 1 companies.
      • Hydro-Quebec was suggested as an interesting potential member.
• Recommendation to remove the history section from the ToR.

Actions:

• ToR Working Group is to update based on feedback received.
• Updated version will be sent to LMG AC members for comment with a 10-day deadline for additional revisions and feedback.

CER Dialogue

Purpose: To improve AC members’ access to LMG AC generated documents and provide members with a portal that allows access to discussion forums.

LMG AC portal*: LMG – Advisory Committee / Comité consultatif du GQF

For ease of information sharing, the project page on CER Dialogue will become the main point of access and the CER documentation will be posted in both official languages. The members can contribute content in the language of their choice.

*Please note that the page is an access protected page, so members need to register and be admitted to the group to view and comment on the information.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be virtually held on the 15 November 2024 from 10:00am – 1:00 pm (Mountain Time).