Major Projects Management Office (MPMO)

Improving Regulatory Efficiency

The Major Projects Management Office (MPMO) is a new Government of Canada organization whose role is to provide overarching project management and accountability for major resource projects in the federal regulatory review process, and to make improvements to the regulatory system for major resource projects. Further information on the MPMO can be found at http://www.mpmo-bggp.gc.ca/index-eng.php.

The MPMO will act as a single point of entry to the federal regulatory process to ensure that all appropriate federal departments are engaged and coordinated. An online project tracking system (http://www2.mpmo-bggp.gc.ca/MPTracker/disclaimer-avis-eng.aspx) will allow the regulatory review process to be tracked in an open and transparent manner.

The National Energy Board (NEB) is partnering with the MPMO to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the federal regulatory review process. The MPMO's public tracking of project milestones and its dispute resolution mechanism are tools that can bring improved accountability, transparency and efficiency to the regulatory process.

NEB Regulated Projects

The MPMO process will apply to all section 52 (pipeline) and section 58.16 (power line) NEB Act applications for the construction of new facilities.

Since applications to the NEB will still be reviewed and processed in the same manner as in the past, NEB timelines and filing requirements will not change.

Changes that are anticipated, however, include:

• project proponent should contact the MPMO early on to alert the MPMO to their potential project; and
• a project description, formerly called a preliminary information package (PIP), needs to be submitted to the MPMO, as well as to the NEB, some months in advance of an NEB Application.

Proponents with a potential project are encouraged to continue to contact the NEB to request a pre-application meeting, at which time NEB staff can provide more information.

The MPMO is presently developing project description (PD) guidelines with input from stakeholders. For more information on this contact the MPMO.

Maintaining the Integrity of NEB Processes

The authority to approve NEB regulated projects remains solely with the NEB. The NEB hearing process will continue to follow its normal course. Typical NEB application processing timelines will remain the same and continue to be set out in Hearing Orders, and post-hearing service standards remain unchanged. The MPMO is expected to improve coordination between all federal departments, and ensure the timely processing of all major resource project applications.

Aboriginal Consultation

The NEB is working with its federal partners to develop a coordinated approach for consultation with Aboriginals whose rights may be affected by NEB projects. For more information on the NEB's current approach to dealing with Aboriginal interests please refer to Consideration of Aboriginal Concerns in National Energy Board Decisions. The NEB's filing requirements regarding project impacts on Aboriginal peoples for pipeline or electricity applications have not changed.

Next steps

The NEB will continue to keep stakeholders informed of NEB-MPMO related developments through updates to this web page. In addition, any new developments that may directly affect NEB stakeholders will be communicated accordingly.

For additional information you can send your questions or comments to mpmo.info@neb-one.gc.ca.

Dated 18 July 2008