The Environmental Assessment Act (EAA) requires proponents to consult with such persons as may be interested. To make this a meaningful activity, proponents should include their immediate neighbours, government review agencies, the public, and affected aboriginal communities in their considerations leading up to the preparation of the Terms of Reference (ToR) and the preparation of the Environmental Assessment (EA).

This public consultation is a key component of the EA process. Mandatory consultation enables potentially significant issues to be identified early in the decision-making process and enables the proponent to justify any restrictions related to the EA study.

Any individual who is interested in an EA proposal, or may be affected by such a proposal, is encouraged to become involved in the process, as early as possible, before irreversible decisions are made.

In the case of an individual EA, the proponent must give public notice of the submission of a ToR or an EA to the Ministry. The notice indicates when and where members of the public may inspect the ToR or the EA. Any person may comment in writing on the ToR or the EA (or undertaking) and submit the comments to the Ministry. If the comments are submitted by the required deadline, they will be considered by the Ministry's Environmental Assessment and Approvals Branch in the review of the ToR or in preparation of the Ministry Review document for the EA. Interested persons may also provide comments to other review agencies that will be making submissions to the Ministry related to their areas of interest. Consultation is also an important component of a Class EA process.

Following publication of the Ministry Review, the public has an opportunity to comment on the Ministry Review, the EA, and the proposed undertaking. Any comments received will be considered prior to the Minister making a decision. The public may also request that the Minister of the Environment refer a matter to a hearing before making a decision on the EA.