ARCHIVED – National Energy Board – 2018–19 Departmental Results Report – Results at a glance

For more information on the NEB’s plans, priorities and results achieved, see the “Results: what we achieved” section of this report.

Over the course of 2018–19, several significant events influenced the course of the NEB’s work, impacting our planned activities and resource use.

• Upon coming into force of Bill C-69: An Act to enact the Impact Assessment Act and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act in August 2019, the NEB became the CER. The NEB proactively planned for and carried out an aggressive modernization agenda to ensure a seamless implementation of the legislative change, while we continued with the critical work under our Core Responsibilities.
• In August 2018, a Federal Court of Appeal decision^Footnote 2 overturned the Order in Council approving the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP)^Footnote 3. In September 2018, the government referred aspects of the Board’s recommendation report back to the NEB for reconsideration within 22 weeks (or by February 2019).
• In November 2018, the Minster of Natural Resources Canada asked the NEB for a report on potential options to further optimize oil pipeline capacity^Footnote 4. NEB employees consulted extensively with a broad cross-section of industry, government agencies and other experts, and the NEB publically released a comprehensive report in March 2019^Footnote 5.

In addition to these shifts in our organizational priorities, the NEB identified four key areas of focus for 2018–19 that impacted the way in which we delivered on our Departmental Results.

Major Project Construction: Enhance and Integrate Oversight Processes

In 2018–19, the NEB committed to implementing processes to improve the effectiveness and coordination of its regulatory oversight, and to work with Indigenous groups and stakeholders to address potential issues early and effectively as major pipeline construction activity ramps up.

The NEB introduced hearing process improvements to facilitate engagement from Indigenous groups and landowners, and in particular those impacted by the Enbridge Line 3 Replacement Program (Enbridge Line 3)^{Footnote 6} and TMEP projects. We expanded our use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), enabling NEB staff to facilitate solution-focused discussions between stakeholders, companies and Indigenous Peoples along proposed and existing pipeline corridors. By resolving issues early where possible, we reduced the need for formal Board hearings, resulting in more positive, timely outcomes for all parties.

To ensure that our regulatory oversight of Enbridge Line 3 and TMEP were integrated, transparent and effective, the NEB established Integrated Project Management Plans as a part of our Major Projects oversight. These plans identify critical path items and risks, and provide an early warning system for issues across all streams of regulatory oversight. They also increase public awareness of the two pipeline projects by providing accessible, up-to-date information about the regulatory measures in place.

Enhance Engagement: Strategic and Integrated Planning and Performance

The NEB developed processes and tools to enable consistent and coordinated engagement activity planning across programs, teams and regions. Our engagement is aimed at helping us ensure issues and interests of importance to Canadians are understood and addressed, as well as to seek feedback that helps us to improve how we work.

Engagement activities were integrated into regulatory oversight on the TMEP and Enbridge Line 3 projects, as was the co-development of policies and procedures to support the objectives of the TMEP^{Footnote 7} and Enbridge Line 3^{Footnote 8} Indigenous Advisory Monitoring Committees (IAMCs). Over the year, Indigenous Monitors participated in 35 inspections and emergency management events with the NEB. The result was an increased, shared understanding of Indigenous interests and NEB’s regulatory role.

The NEB also increased the staff complement in its offices in Vancouver and Montreal to better serve Canadians in those regions. Experts in damage prevention, emergency management, environmental protection and pipeline integrity were added to those teams, enabling face-to-face meetings with Indigenous groups and stakeholders to identify and discuss issues. The NEB is using that input to inform program improvements.

Transform Data and Information Management

Over the last year, the NEB invested in strengthening its data capacity and systems to ensure effective data and trend analysis. The NEB held cross-organizational Data Science Workshops that enabled us to build capacity in data analytics, experimentation culture and data-driven decision making. We implemented both “hands-on” data science training and created an on-line version of the training that we are testing with the eventual goal of incorporating it into the Canada School of Public Service educational offerings.

The NEB also undertook a leading edge information project which focuses on the interactive visualization of pipeline safety and energy information. Canada’s pipeline system portal^{Footnote 9} focuses on enhancing publicly available facts, statistics, and analysis related to the finances, safety, and lifecycle regulation of Canadian pipelines. As a result of these efforts, Canadians have better access to the unique kinds of information that is created and collected by the NEB, and we are better positioned for continual improvement in the way we offer that information in the future.

Invest in People & Management Systems

Over 2018–19 the NEB developed an integrated vision and approach to support a workplace that is agile, inclusive and equipped, and that reflects the diversity of Canada. The NEB also implemented a renewed management system in support of the organization’s focus on regulatory and management excellence. To support this, we created a performance framework for all Internal Services, and undertook a comprehensive review and renewal of all core NEB processes to ensure all leaders are aligned to successfully deliver on the NEB’s mandate.