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Ontario Association for Impact Assessment

2018 OAIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

CALL FOR PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS

Planning and Protecting Water Resources: Emerging Issues, Approaches and Technologies

CONFERENCE – OCTOBER 17-18, 2018 TECHNICAL WORKSHOP(S)1 – OCTOBER 16, 2018

Bay Adelaide Centre, 34th Floor, East Tower 22, Toronto

Water is an essential component of our life, well-being and economy. Water is the focus of many environmental assessments (EAs): either as a water resource-related project subject to an EA or where a proposed project may have an impact on our water resources. With technological advancements, improvements in our use and understanding of scientific and Indigenous knowledge, policy enhancements, climate change, cumulative effects, regional and strategic EA and increased public scrutiny, EA practitioners are facing emerging water-related issues in EAs at an ever-accelerating rate.

These emerging issues present challenges as well as opportunities. To tackle these issues, EA practice must evolve by using innovative approaches and new technologies and tools to help plan, manage and protect water resources.

What are the emerging water-related issues that are changing the way EA is practiced in Ontario and elsewhere? How are EA practitioners tackling these issues through innovative approaches or new technologies and tools to help protect water resources?

This year’s conference will explore these themes by considering:

Baseline data collection and interpretation.

Potential impacts modelling, prediction, and evaluation.

Impact management measures and follow-up monitoring program design and implementation.

Indigenous knowledge in EA design, baseline studies, impact assessments and community-based monitoring programs.

Indigenous community, the public and other stakeholder engagement and process improvement.

Water quality and quantity, and addressing related themes of climate change, biodiversity loss, and cumulative effects.

… and so much more.

Come, listen, and share your thoughts… and you will leave with new ideas to tackle emerging issues within your own work.

Join us!

For more information, visit our website: www.oaia.on.ca

1 For abstract submission details, please see page 2. The selected topic for the workshop will be announced at a later date.

Save the dates of October 17 and 18, 2018 in Toronto.

We are also considering hosting a technical workshop on October 16, 2018 at an additional cost. Details on that will be provided at a later date so check the website.

We are currently soliciting abstracts for the conference or the workshop!

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Ontario Association for Impact Assessment

2018 OAIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

CALL FOR PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS

Planning and Protecting Water Resources: Emerging Issues, Approaches and Technologies

GUIDELINES FOR ABSTRACT PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS

OAIA is accepting proposals for the main conference.

The deadline for submission is June 15, 2018.

Submit an abstract and share you wisdom!

Come and join us for a spirited discussion!

CONFERENCE – OCTOBER 17-18, 2018

Abstracts should explore the main conference topic, “Planning and Protecting Water Resources:

Emerging Issues, Approaches and Technologies,” and reference the applicable “consideration bullets” identified on the previous page.

Pick one of the following formats for sharing your work: panel presentation, debate, case study, or facilitated audience discussion.

Please follow all instructions and complete all the questions in the abstract submission forms that follow!

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Instructions to Submitters

Important note for student submitters: This year the OAIA will be offering a student bursary. For more information, please see Ontario Impact Assessment Award – Student Bursary ($2,500.00)

Conference – October 17 and 18, 2018

Abstract submitters can do one of the following:

Submit an abstract for a panel presentation that the organizers will place in conjunction with other speakers who submit abstracts on related topics to one or more of the “consideration bullets” for the 2018 Conference (listed on page 1 above).

Organize a complete session of panel presentations (e.g., symposia) on one or more of the “consideration bullets” for the 2018 Conference. Such a submission should include a set of 3-4 abstracts (i.e. several abstract submission forms) and detailed session plan with timelines, key objectives and outcomes including a list of the presenters and their biographies. Confirmation of participation by the presenters must be sought in advance.

Organize a complete session for a panel debate on one or more of the “consideration bullets” for the 2018 Conference with multiple debaters and a proposal for audience participation. Such a submission should include an abstract and a detailed session plan with timelines, key objectives and outcomes including a list of the debaters and their biographies. Confirmation from the participating debaters must be sought in advance.

Submit an abstract for a case study related to one or more of the “consideration bullets” for the 2018 Conference. These case studies could be international in nature, but the presenter MUST clearly show its relevance to Ontario’s environmental assessment regime. The case study may be grouped with other similar case studies into a session or it can be a stand-alone session.

Submit an abstract for a facilitated audience discussion on one or more of the “consideration bullets” for the 2018 Conference. Such an abstract should include a detailed session plan with timelines, key objectives and outcomes.

Person(s) planning to be in a panel presentation or a case study must be prepared to make a 15 minute talk on their topic. The conference organizers will group similar presentations into presentation sessions with two or three other presenters and will assign a moderator to facilitate discussion.

Person(s) organizing a session of panel presentations, panel of debaters, or a facilitated audience discussion will be allotted 1.5 hours, which must include at least 30 minutes for audience questions and participation.

Proposal Deadline & How to Submit:

All abstracts must be submitted no later than June 15, 2018 using the submission form.

Completed submission forms should be uploaded to the OAIA website. Instructions will be available on www.oaia.on.ca

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Guidelines for Writing a Proposal Abstract

Abstracts for conference sessions are welcome from industry, government, Indigenous groups, academia (including students – see information related to Ontario Impact Assessment Award – Student Bursary), EA consultants and non-government sectors.

All abstracts (see Instructions to Submitters) must be submitted using the submission form. Please ensure that the submission is clear in its intent.

The following should be included for all abstracts:

Title

Name of Presenter(s), including affiliations and email addresses. Note: please include any co-presenters

Co-Authors whom you wish to acknowledge (if any)

Biographies (presenters and co-presenters only) (no longer than 100 words each)

Abstracts should not exceed 200 words

Information on whether the presentation can be posted on the OAIA website after the Conference

Include the following for all conference sessions:

Explain how the submission relates to the “consideration bullets” for the 2018 Conference.

Provide a general description of research question(s), objective(s), theoretical framework(s), method(s) and expected outcome(s)/finding(s) or result(s) (no more than 200 words).

Identify a preferred format for presentation by choosing a, b, c, d, or e, from the Instructions to Submitters section above. If you need to provide a detailed session plan (as requested in the Instructions to Submitters section above), kindly include one as an attachment

Please take care in providing accurate information; spelling errors and missing email addresses may result in presenters or co-authors not being correctly linked to their contributions.

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Deadlines, Stipulations and Selection Process

You will hear from OAIA by July 30, 2018 about whether your proposal has

been accepted.

If you are invited to proceed, you will be asked to register for the Conference, Join as an OAIA Member and confirm your participation by

August 15, 2018.

You will be asked to submit all electronic files related to your submission

(e.g. PowerPoint presentations) no later than September 22, 2018.

The following criteria will be used by the selection committee:

Link to one or more of the “consideration bullets” for the 2018 Conference

• Applicability to environmental assessment practice and/or theory in Ontario

• Scientific and/or technical merit

• Clarity of presentation (e.g. abstract begins with a clear statement of issues)

Travel and Other Expenses

All presenters must register and pay the registration fee. There are several registration options available. No reimbursement for travel costs will be made. In some instances, with prior arrangement with the conference organizing committee, some assistance may be available to offset some travel costs (Students, please refer to Ontario Impact Assessment Award – Student Bursary).

PLEASE SUBMIT ABSTRACTS BY June 15, 2018 BY COMPLETING THE SUBMISSION FORM BELOW.

THIS FORM WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE ON THE OAIA WEBSITE AT

www.oaia.on.ca