One of the priorities of the energy strategy is to develop oil and gas resources in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in an environmentally safe way. The region’s geology, which is favourable to hydrocarbon deposits, has attracted the interest of government and industry, but the development of offshore oil and gas resources requires a responsible approach.

The strategy contains guidelines on natural gas exploration, based on the recommendations of the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE). They involve:

• harmonizing the environmental assessment procedure with the federal government and the maritime provinces;
• restricting activities in certain zones for protection purposes;
• establishing a legal framework for environmental concerns.

To follow up on these recommendations, the Government intends:

• to collaborate in the preparation of a guide of good practice for seismic surveys in the marine environment with the federal government and other Canadian provinces. The guide will include various measures to prevent or mitigate the potential effects of seismic surveys in the marine environment, such as:
  • a surveillance program for marine mammals;
  • standards concerning the security perimeter to be maintained between survey ships and marine mammals;
  • rules governing the periods of the year when survey work may be undertaken.
• to conduct a strategic environmental assessment of the marine environment;
• to introduce legislative amendments to ensure that licence holders are aware of the constraints and concerns identified in the strategic environmental study and the guide of good practice.