In 1995, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act came into effect legislating for the first time that cumulative effects be considered for every federal environmental impact assessment (EIA) completed. The purpose of this Master's Degree Project (MDP) is to evaluate the status and practice of Cumulative Effects Assessment (CEA) in Canada since the introduction of the Act. The main objectives are: (1) to determine the quality of CEA practice in Canada and (2) identify weaknesses and recommend practical measures toward improvement.

The evaluation approach involved designing 'best practice' criteria to test against a range of Canadian assessments. Toward developing the criteria, an intensive literature review of pertinent CEA frameworks, methodologies, guidelines, experience narratives and case studies was carried out. Many aspects of the literature helped to inform the development of the 'best practice' criteria. Additionally, persons experienced in CEA application and/or theory were consulted informally, in order to gain 'insider' perspective and knowledgeable opinions.

Following the evaluation of twelve Canadian CEAs, recommendations were developed to improve both the administration and practice of doing CEA. The recommendations include proposed improvements to Cumulative Effects Assessment scoping approaches, administrative issues, public involvement, systematic quality review, and the implementation of follow-up measures, among others.