 When applications for developments are submitted to government, decisions must be made with the assurance that social, economic and environmental values are respected. The Environmental Mitigation Policy is a provincial policy that provides guidance and tools for project proponents planning environmental mitigation associated with development projects in British Columbia. The Environmental Mitigation Policy does not replace any existing BC legislation or create new legal requirements. Rather, it supports various acts such as Environmental Assessment Act, Water Sustainability Act and the Land Act to name a few. The foundation of the policy is the mitigation hierarchy, a step-wise way to consider avoiding impacts, minimizing impacts and restoring areas before moving to the final option, an environmental offset. Together, the policy and accompanying procedures lay out what information should be considered when determining which values are affected by the project, and they underscore the linkage between the type of impact occurring and an appropriate mitigation measure. The procedures document that accompanies the policy contains all of the principles and considerations for how to use the policy to guide mitigation planning for a project. Though it was developed for large projects like mines and hydropower, the Environmental Mitigation Policy can also apply to smaller projects that may impact the environment, such as building a trail to a dock in a riparian area. The Environmental Mitigation Policy will usually be applied to projects proposed on crown land, but the principles and process can also be applied to developments on private land. In addition to providing guidance to proponents, the policy and procedures can also guide stakeholders and government decision-makers who review development projects. The Environmental Mitigation Policy, together with the procedures, support durable, transparent decision-making on projects affecting provincial lands. To learn more about the Environmental Mitigation Policy, visit us online.