Evaluating the Conceptions of Public Participation in Environmental Assessments in Alberta: How Proponents and Regulators Understand the Practice

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atmire.migration.oldid5479
dc.contributor.advisorMiller, Byron Andrew
dc.contributor.authorHiguerey, Mariel Beatriz
dc.contributor.committeememberBlue, Gwendolyn Gail
dc.contributor.committeememberJacobson, Rupert Daniel
dc.contributor.committeememberKeough, Noel Gerard
dc.date.accessioned2017-04-26T17:07:35Z
dc.date.available2017-04-26T17:07:35Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.date.submitted2017en
dc.description.abstractThe use and encouragement of public participation in policy and decision-making, and in environmental and risk assessment, has increased considerably over the past couple of decades. However, there is a lack of consistency in the justification of public participation exercises to stakeholders and sponsors. This research explores the range of variations that exist in the understanding and implementation of public participation in environmental legislation in Alberta, and how those variations affect the evaluation of success. Proponents and regulators were surveyed and interviewed to examine their understanding and perceptions when dealing with public participation under two dimensions – intentionality and geographic framing. It was found that the success of public participation is constructed from both, but the understanding of how each dimension can guide the results is not fully grasped. Public participation is in danger of becoming a tokenistic practice if the tensions arising between these two dimensions are not addressed. The language and practice that surrounds public participation in environmental assessment needs to be redefined before lack of trust and public confidence become further barriers to development.en_US
dc.identifier.citationHiguerey, M. B. (2017). Evaluating the Conceptions of Public Participation in Environmental Assessments in Alberta: How Proponents and Regulators Understand the Practice (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25971en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/25971
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11023/3727
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.facultyGraduate Studies
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subjectGeography
dc.subject.otherPublic Participation
dc.subject.otherEnvironmental Assessment
dc.subject.otherSpatiality
dc.subject.otherEnergy
dc.subject.otherAlberta
dc.titleEvaluating the Conceptions of Public Participation in Environmental Assessments in Alberta: How Proponents and Regulators Understand the Practice
dc.typemaster thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineGeography
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Arts (MA)
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
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