Industry Challenges

New technologies are bringing increased oil and gas extraction, new pipelines, production and drilling activities in large resource plays in both Canada and the United States. The need to transmit all forms of electricity is increasing the building of transmission lines across North America. Public stakeholders and landowners are increasing their demands to be heard about issues and impacts that these plays create such as water use, aquifer contamination, noise, trucking and traffic, infrastructure proliferation, threats to health and safety and environmental damage. Special interest groups and ENGOs are putting pressure on politicians and regulators that are creating roadblocks keeping industry from moving forward in a timely manner.

Public and stakeholder consultation

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Whether you are a corporation or a public sector organization you will be facing increased expectations from the public and stakeholders to have their say.

Value Proposition

Certus will work with your project team to assist in assessing the consultation risks to your project so that early mitigation strategies can be planned, implemented and tracked and documented. These strategies and early planning activities position your company to gather meaningful stakeholder input into your project options and alternatives and demonstrates to the regulator or decision makers your public consultation program has been fair, effective and compliant.

Service Offering

Certus delivers strategies and solutions for your projects when faced with the need to effectively consult and engage your stakeholders and the public. Certus can integrate as part of your project team and supplement in-house capacity to build a customized regulatory compliant and effective public consultation plan for your project and work to implement, track and document the plan.

Certus will coach and train your internal teams in interest-based conversations and all aspects of conducting consultations. Using the principles of information architecture where complex information is made easy to read, organized and understandable, Certus will take the story of your project and develop documentation to meet regulatory public consultation requirements and support your organizations’ commitment to engage your stakeholders.

 

What experience do we have?

Certus has experience in conducting public consultation and stakeholder engagement for energy developers, municipalities, provincial, state and federal agencies, governments and public school boards.

 

 Public and Stakeholder Consultation - Experience - Sour Oil

Sour Oil and Gas Exploration Company

Issue: Certus assisted an oil and gas exploration company to conduct compliant and effective public consultation and stakeholder engagement to develop and license sour oil wells and facilities in the Pembina area in Alberta.

Tools and Processes: Project Management Services, Project Descriptions and Updates, Early Consultation Tools, Sour Gas and Oil Area Development Plans, Community Consultation Events, Risk Assessments, Strategic Advice, Applications and Audit Materials/Packages, Coaching for Hearings and Hearing Documentation

 Coal Mine Company and the Provincial Regulator

Coal Mine Company and the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB)

Issue: Certus worked in North West Alberta assisting a coal mine company proposing a coal mine and power generation plant in the Canadian Rocky Mountains to conduct effective and compliant public consultations and stakeholder engagement.

Tools and Processes: Risk Assessments, Project Bulletins, Community Consultation Events, Surveys, Reports and Preparation of Regulatory Materials

Multi-National Pipeline Company

Multi-National Pipeline Company, the National Energy Board (NEB) and Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB)

Issue: Certus worked with a pipeline company to obtain an NEB Section 52 license for a 30% H2S pipeline travelling from British Columbia into Alberta and managed the public consultation and regulatory compliance assurance component from inception to licensing.

Tools and Processes: Public Consultation Program Plan, Community Consultation Events, Project Descriptions, Timeframes, Schedules and Milestones, Relationship Management between the Company, the NEB and the ERCB, Applications and Audit Materials, Coaching for Hearings and Hearing Documentation

Oil Exploration Company

Oil Exploration Company and the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB)

Issue: The ERCB denied an oil and gas company a license to operate an already constructed battery because of deficiencies in the public consultation program. Certus helped the company rebuild community trust and offer stakeholders the opportunity to provide inputs into alternate locations through a criteria gathering approach. The company was able to demonstrate compliant and effective stakeholder engagement and the company received their license to operate.

Tools and Processes: Participant Involvement Plan, Project Descriptions, Community Consultation Events, Criteria Building Tools, Coaching for Hearing, Appropriate Dispute Resolution (ADR), Reports and Hearing Documentation