EACRC 2019-2021: Meeting Summaries

For a brief record of what was discussed at the EACRC meetings from 2019 to 2021, review the meeting summaries below.

Meeting Summary for May 10, 2019

Meeting objectives

To discuss how the Committee will implement its mandate to improve regulatory competitiveness in Canada and support the modernization of Canada’s regulatory system
To consider the second round of Regulatory Reviews

Participants: Laura Jones (Chair), Catherine Beaudry, Stewart Elgie, Ginny Flood, Anne Fowlie, Don Mercer, Keith Mussar

Regrets: Nancy Olewiler

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat: Erin O’Gorman, Tina Green, Jeannine Ritchot, Kyle Burns, Lindsay Wild, Claire Penny, Ian Allan, Allison Krogh

Introductory remarks

The Chair welcomed Committee members to their first meeting and highlighted the important role of this new body.

Visioning session

Members participated in a visioning session to identify themes that will guide the work of the Committee, including:

further improving the culture between government and stakeholders
building trust by having all relevant perspectives in the room, focusing on evidence, and drawing from the best regulatory practices both domestically and internationally
simplifying processes while pursuing regulatory excellence
recognizing the interconnections between regulatory issues and promoting collaborative solutions
examining the issue of the cumulative impact of regulations across jurisdictions

Proposed sectors and themes for the second round of Regulatory Reviews

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat presented an overview of the targeted Regulatory Reviews, including:

objectives, outcomes and lessons learned from the first round of reviews
criteria used for identifying potential sectors and themes
summaries of the potential sectors and themes for the next round of reviews based on stakeholder feedback, recommendations from the Economic Strategy Tables, and departmental input

Working lunch

John Knubley, Deputy Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), and Lorraine Mitchelmore, former CEO of Enlighten Innovations, and Chair of the Resource of the Future Economic Strategy Table, situated the Committee’s work within broader Government of Canada initiatives to advance economic growth and innovation. The Committee was encouraged to focus on:

regulations as an enabler of innovation and economic growth
improving efficiency and effectiveness with better risk management
aligning with global best practices
embedding a collaborative approach between industry, academics and regulators
making regulatory excellence a competitive advantage for Canada

Overview and lessons learned from the first round of sectoral reviews

The Deputy Ministers of Health Canada and Transport Canada, as well as the President of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, shared their perspectives on the first round of Regulatory Reviews with the Committee. Key points raised included:

Regulatory Reviews require clear scoping, considerable effort and coordination to ensure positive outcomes
focused efforts can identify greater use of risk-based approaches, identify tools to drive innovation, and design agile regulatory frameworks that can keep pace with changing technology and the economy

Second round of Regulatory Reviews

Members identified three areas that they would recommend for the next round of Regulatory Reviews:

digitalization and technology-neutral regulations
clean technology
international standards

Members noted that as the sectors and themes are broad, they will each need to be scoped appropriately in order to address stakeholder issues and identify tangible solutions.