Environmental Assessment Applications

To avoid delays in the review process, TRCA strongly encourages applicants engage in pre-application consultation.

A pre-application consultation meeting before you apply will help:

• Identify how your proposal is affected by applicable programs and policies.
• Identify potential issues, constraints, and study requirements.
• Direct you to the correct TRCA application process.
• Inform you of what lies ahead in the application review process.
• Determine complete application submission requirements.

To submit your application, please refer to: Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) Meeting.

The concept review service allows TRCA staff to review your proposal:

• Conduct a site visit
• Review preliminary proposals
• Confirm or provide information on the delineation of natural hazard limits
• Based on applicable policies, provide preliminary comments on your proposal

To submit your application, please refer to: Concept Review.

Click on the links below for additional information:

• How to Submit to TRCA: Environmental Assessment Review
• Learn More About:
• TRCA Planning and Permits
• Development Planning and Permits
• Infrastructure Planning and Permits
• Who is Responsible for Infrastructure Project Review at TRCA
• How TRCA Defines Environmental Assessment Review
• Municipal Infrastructure Project Review
• Provincial and Federal Infrastructure Project Review
• Oil, Gas and Utility Infrastructure Project Review
• Telecommunication Tower Project Review at TRCA
• How TRCA Coordinates with Other Agencies

1. In advance of your formal submission, TRCA recommends you request a pre-application consultation meeting with TRCA staff to confirm our requirements.
2. All environmental assessment applications must be submitted to TRCA through the TRCA Application Portal. As part of this process, applicants will be asked to confirm proponent and consultant contact details.
3. If you have not yet created an account, you can learn more about the portal and follow the instructions provided HERE.
4. Once you have created your account, follow the instructions to APPLY ONLINE.
5. If your application is currently under review by TRCA staff, it is already available online. Once you have created your account (above), log in to the portal. You will be able to view the status of your application on your personal dashboard. Note: If you cannot see your application, reach out to your planner and they can assist.
6. Required documents must be uploaded at the time of application and TRCA’s Approved Document Names and File Conventions for all TRCA Online Application submissions must be followed.
7. Administrative review fee: Once your application is received, your TRCA planner will review its complexity, determine the fee, and send you an invoice.

Applications are based on type.
To apply, click on the appropriate button:

Legislation	Includes	TRCA Online Application Link
Ontario Environmental Assessment Act or equivalent	Review of projects designated as: Comprehensive Environmental Assessment (CEA) (formerly Individual Environmental Assessments) Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) Project List Declaration Order Designation Regulation Exemption Regulation	APPLY NOW
Canadian Impact Assessment Act or equivalent	Physical Activities Regulation projects as identified in the Project List	APPLY NOW
Canadian Energy Regulator Act or Ontario Energy Board Act	Canadian Energy Regulator Act (CERA) Project Review Ontario Energy Board (OEB) Project Review	APPLY NOW

1. As your project progresses, the following should be included as part of the review process:
1. Context map (Required)
2. Notice of Commencement
3. Technical advisory committee meeting agendas, as well as draft and final meeting minutes
4. TRCA technical meeting agendas, as well as draft and final meeting minutes
5. Draft public information boards, prior to public review
6. Notices of public meetings, including final display material and handouts
7. Draft Phase 1 and 2 Report, if applicable, and a covering letter that outlines the project purpose and lists the reports enclosed for review
8. Draft technical reports and associated materials, including a covering letter that outlines the project purpose and lists the reports enclosed for review
9. Draft evaluation criteria and matrices, including a covering letter and summary that details how the criteria and weighting (if applicable) were established
10. Draft environmental assessment document, including a covering letter that outlines how previous TRCA comments have been addressed
11. Final environmental assessment document, including a covering letter that outlines how previous TRCA comments have been addressed
12. Notice of Completion
2. Prior to submitting your environmental assessment application, we recommend you request a pre-application consultation meeting with TRCA staff to review requirements and ensure submission materials are scoped to the TRCA areas of interest. If you have already conducted this review and meeting, please include the TRCA File Reference Numbers, together with all identified plans or studies following the Resources for Applicants: Policies, Guidelines and Checklists.
3. TRCA has select digital data available through its Open Data Portal that can be used to supplement the existing conditions analysis in the development of the environmental assessment.
4. Upon request, TRCA can provide additional data for areas of interest not available on the web. Email your request to infrastructureplanningpermits@trca.ca. TRCA may charge an administration fee for the compilation of this additional data.
5. If you need extra time to prepare information, you can save your application as draft at any time in the process. When you are ready to complete the application, re-open your draft application and complete the final steps.
6. The required TRCA administrative review fee will be confirmed by your planner once the application is submitted and an invoice will be sent.
7. Resubmission requirements: If TRCA advises that additional information is required, materials must be submitted online:
1. The Applicant (or Lead Contact) should be responsible for managing the application.
2. All resubmission materials must be uploaded at the same time.
3. Once a submission is made, the system will change the application status to “awaiting review” and no additional information can be uploaded.
4. Additional instructions are provided HERE.
8. Additional information is available at: TRCA Application Portal: Frequently Asked Questions.

1. Once the application is submitted, a TRCA planner will be assigned to your project.
2. Your planner will:
1. Guide you through the review process.
2. Be responsible for all communications with applicants and consultants, including the coordination of meetings and site visits, and obtaining information from TRCA technical staff.
3. Ensure that legislation, regulation, and policy obligations are implemented.
4. Ensure technical review comments are cohesive and integrated.
3. You should expect confirmation from your planner within two (2) business days of application receipt.

1. The TRCA planner will review the complexity of the application, determine the administrative review fee, and send an invoice.
2. The TRCA planner will circulate the application to TRCA technical staff for review.
3. TRCA will work directly with the applicant to clarify submitted information and comments.
4. The TRCA planner will identify if a meeting or site visit is required to clarify comments or responses:
1. An agenda is required for these meetings.
2. Meetings are generally held between the proponent or consultant and the TRCA planner only:
• At their discretion, the TRCA planner may also invite TRCA technical review staff to the meeting. The agenda is used by the planner to inform this decision.
• The TRCA planner will then advise the applicant if they should also bring their technical team to the meeting.
3. Meetings are generally 30 minutes in length but may be extended depending on the scope of the agenda.
4. Meetings generally occur between 2 and 15 business days of receipt of request, depending on the scope of the agenda.
5. All meetings are generally conducted in a virtual environment.
5. The TRCA planner will ensure timelines are met in accordance with prescribed standards. Application review status is tracked in real time in the TRCA Application Portal.

1. Application Status is visible on the TRCA Application Portal to the registered contacts for a particular application. It can be found on the application dashboard, located on the menu bar of your homepage.
2. On the dashboard, applicants will be able to see the name of the planner working on your file (“Assigned to”), all documents submitted for review, file status, fee balance and payment link, the project description, and a Client Access tab.
3. All TRCA communications will be available in the Client Access tab. The client will be notified via email when there is new information available for download.

• Learn More About:
• The Role of a TRCA Planner
• TRCA’s Service Level Agreements with Infrastructure Partners
• Permission to Enter TRCA-Owned Land and Request for TRCA Archaeological Review
• Resources for Applicants: Policies, Guidelines, and Checklists
• TRCA Administrative Review Fees
• TRCA Application Portal: Frequently Asked Questions