Environmental Assessment Analyst

What is an environmental assessment analyst? An environmental assessment analyst researches and analyzes environmental data and information for the preparation of environmental assessment reports following federal and provincial environmental assessment legislation.

At a Glance

Imagine you are standing in the quiet shade of an undisturbed forested area in the northern part of the province. Until a few years ago, there wasn’t much interest in this area, but the discovery of a large natural gas reserve lying underneath the forest has the potential to change all that.

An energy corporation is proposing to tap this natural gas field and build an underground pipeline to carry natural gas to southern markets.

You are an environmental assessment analyst, and you and your team are visiting the site as part of an environmental assessment on the proposed project.

Your job is to ensure the project’s potential environmental effects are identified, assessed, and mitigated, and that accurate information is provided to decision-makers to decide whether the project should proceed.

As the lead environmental assessment analyst for this project, you must decide what kind of assessment the project needs and what provincial, federal, and other environmental legislation applies.

Since the pipeline is a large-scale project, federal funds and regulatory approvals are required. Because the area is susceptible to human disturbance, it has been decided that a comprehensive study level of assessment is required.

A comprehensive study is an intensive environmental assessment under federal environmental assessment legislation designed to identify, assess, and mitigate adverse environmental effects and evaluate the significance of the residual effects of a proposed development.

You and your team will spend months gathering data and information from the site and reviewing case studies from similar developments.

You will also spend time consulting with area residents and members of a local Indigenous community to gather their comments on the pipeline, as well as posting assessment information on the internet for additional feedback from the public.

Once you have all the required information, you will prepare an environmental assessment report that outlines the potential environmental consequences of the development and provides conclusions on the significance of the residual effects on the environment.

If the project is approved, you may also be involved in following up on the assessment, for example, monitoring during pipeline construction to ensure that mitigation measures are implemented and effective, and the residual effects remain insignificant.

Job Duties

Job duties vary significantly from one position to the next, but in general, environmental assessment analysts are involved in the following activities:

Maintain awareness of environmental assessment legislation, policies, procedures, and significant environmental assessments conducted on a regional and national scale
Gather and analyze project and environmental data and information on the environmental effects of proposed development projects
Conduct pre-assessment studies and site visits and post-assessment monitoring and inspection during project construction and operation
Determine the scope of projects and assessments to be undertaken to focus the environmental assessment on essential issues, concerns, and effects, including identifying spatial and temporal boundaries for the project and the degree of assessment needed concerning these points
Identify environmental effects, assess the adversity of environmental effects, propose mitigation measures, and evaluate the significance of residual environmental effects
Design and implement follow-up programs to determine the adequacy of the environmental assessment and the effectiveness of mitigation measures
Coordinate and review environmental assessment reports with other provincial and federal departments, agencies, and organizations to ensure that the assessments comply with environmental legislation and national and international standards and best practices
Coordinate public information and involvement programs, conduct public open houses and meetings and participate in public hearings for significant projects
Develop procedures, guidelines, and best practices for the implementation of environmental assessment laws
Advice on the development of environmental assessment legislation

Work Environment

Environmental assessment analysts can work in a variety of locations, including:

The office:

Meeting with proponents, stakeholders, and federal and provincial officials to determine the project’s scope and the environmental assessment required
Using environmental assessment methods, including computer mapping, GIS, and models, to identify and assess environmental effects
Consulting with discipline experts on the effects of proposed projects, alternatives to projects, and mitigation measures to address environmental effects
Researching and analyzing environmental information, for example, species-at-risk, environmentally sensitive areas, wildlife data, and groundwater data
Researching and consulting with other environmental assessment practitioners and reviewing other environmental assessments
Advising on project approvals, mitigation measures, follow-up requirements, and permit or license terms and conditions
Preparing environmental assessment reports and implementing environmental protection plans and follow-up reports

The field:

Conducting site visits and investigations and collecting baseline environmental information
Visiting other projects to obtain information, for example, potential environmental effects, mitigation measures, and alternatives
Conducting studies and research to fill information gaps and address critical deficiencies
Conducting follow-up programs to determine the adequacy of the environmental assessment and effectiveness of the mitigation measures
Conducting baseline monitoring of environmental parameters
Conducting public consultation and involvement programs, for example, open houses, public meetings, surveys, and interviews

Where to Work

There are a number of places environmental assessment analysts can find employment. They include:

Federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal government departments
Environmental and engineering consulting firms
Aboriginal organizations
Self-employed consultant
Industrial companies
Non-profit organizations, for example, conservation and environmental advocacy groups

Search for jobs on the ECO Canada job board.

Education and Skills

If you are considering a career as an environmental assessment analyst, you should have a keen interest in:

Mathematics
Biology
Social studies
Geography
Chemistry

In most cases, the minimum education requirement is a university undergraduate degree. If you are a post-secondary student considering a career as an environmental assessment analyst, the following programs are most applicable:

Environmental Management
Environmental Assessment
Ecosystem Management
Natural Resource Management
Ecology
Biology
Botany
Zoology

It is generally not necessary to be certified to work as an environmental assessment analyst, though professional status is recommended, which can be obtained through their provincial associations. You may also find the Certified Environmental Professional (EP) designation useful.

Skills

Hard/ Technical Skills (skills obtained through formal education and training programs)

Microsoft office
Risk assessment
Environmental safety
Modelling and data collection
Best practices and compliance
Technical reporting

Soft Skills (personal attributes and characteristics)

Verbal and written communication
Research
Monitoring and evaluation
Supervision
Problem-solving
Planning and coordination

Environmental employers look for professionals who can combine technical knowledge with soft skills. Watch our free webinar “Essential Not Optional: Skills Needed to Succeed in Canada’s Environmental Industry” or take our Essential Skills courses.

Role Models

Mel Falk

"It was a combination of luck and ambition that I found a job in the environmental assessment industry.” In 1971, Mel Falk had just completed his master’s in zoology from the University of Manitoba. "There were few jobs for people like myself at the time on the prairies.” But Mel took a chance and walked into the Department of Fisheries and Oceans office in Winnipeg. To his surprise, they were hiring people with a master’s in natural sciences. They needed scientists to assess the environmental impact of the then-proposed Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline.

Before he knew it, Mel was working in the Northwest Territories as an environmental assessment analyst. "Our job was to study fish, and it was up to us to determine what kinds of fish were there, where they travelled to, and how the pipeline could affect them.” Mel went on to work for Parks Canada and Public Works and Government Services Canada, where he refined his environmental assessment skills. More than 30 years later, Mel is now the president of his own company, Falk Environmental Inc., based in Winnipeg. The company provides professional environmental assessment and environmental education services to the public and private sectors.

Mel usually works seven days a week, with three to five projects going at a time. His private-sector clients include engineering and environmental consulting companies and a variety of industries, everything from transportation, communication, to heritage buildings and sewage treatment plants. "An environmental assessor is a jack of all trades and needs to be knowledgeable in a variety of disciplines and current in environmental assessment practices.” Mel spends most of his time at one of four desks, each representing a different project.

Whether he’s working at his desk in downtown Winnipeg or downtown Victoria, or his home office in suburban Winnipeg or Sidney, BC, most of his time is spent in front of a computer. His tasks include reading environmental publications, reviewing specifications, and writing and reviewing environmental assessment reports. When Mel is at a project site, he might be collecting soil, vegetation, and water samples or taking photos of the project in its various stages. According to Mel, one of the most important on-site tasks is speaking to potentially affected people such as landowners, neighbours, Aboriginal people, resource users, and harvesters. "For an environmental assessor, speaking with the people will yield far more information about the project location and potential effects than taking samples.” But sometimes taking the time to speak with people isn’t possible. Some clients have their own agenda.

The company may want the environmental assessment completed as quickly as possible in order to obtain a licence or approval so it can move on to the project’s construction. "There have been cases when it is not ethical or is immoral to proceed with a project because the environment may be compromised.” Mel believes the industry is not to blame for this unethical approach, but there needs to be a better understanding of the role of environmental assessments and assessment analysts in the early stages of proposed projects. According to Mel, the solution lies with the implementation of assessment standards and national professional certifications, such as Canadian Certified Environmental Practitioner. "Certification is the only way to ensure the industry can operate properly while the environment and the public are protected.”

Your Impact

As an environmental assessment analyst, you consider environmental effects and mitigations early in the project planning cycle.

Your work helps inform better decision making that contributes to responsible development of natural resources. You have a strong interest in the environment and your assessment cuts across various aspects such as forestry, trees, water, waste, agriculture and cleanliness of surroundings.

Most environmental assessment analysts have a background in engineering or sciences such as biology, ecology, chemistry, or geography. With their skillset and experience in environmental assessment, they can contribute to important concerns such as pollution, climate change, and waste management.

Using both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyse and understand the complexities, costs, and benefits to the environment and project development their assessment reports aim to reduce project costs and delays and the risk of environmental harm or disasters.

Occupational Classification

Individuals employed as Environmental Assessment Analysts may be classified in one or more of the following occupational groupings:

NOC Code: 4161- Natural and Applied Science Policy Researchers, Consultants and Program Officers

What is a NOC Code?

The National Occupation Classification (NOC) provides a standardized language for describing the work performed by Canadians in the labour market. It gives statisticians, labour market analysts, career counsellors, employers, and individual job seekers a consistent way to collect data, describe and understand the nature of work within different occupations.

The NOC is developed and updated in partnership with Statistics Canada to coincide with the 5- year census cycles. It is based on in-depth occupational research and consultations conducted across Canada, to reflect changes in the Canadian labour market.