Involving the Public

The National Energy Board's vision is to be active and effective in Canada's pursuit of a sustainable energy future. The NEB's purpose is to regulate pipelines, energy development and trade in the Canadian public interest.

The Public's Role

The National Energy Board is committed to ensuring that stakeholders are effectively engaged in the Board's public processes. The NEB encourages regulated companies to communicate with and involve the public when they are developing projects. The level of public engagement should be appropriate for the setting and the nature and magnitude of each project. The NEB recognizes that public involvement, including that of Aboriginal peoples, is a fundamental component during each phase in the lifecycle of a project (i.e. project design, construction, operation and maintenance, and abandonment) in order to address potential impacts. The NEB processes are designed so that decision makers are presented with the complete range of views required to make fully-informed decisions in the Canadian public interest.

The NEB wants to hear from people with an interest in a project before making a decision about a company's proposal. The public can participate in all NEB application processes in various ways. For public participation in a Hearing, click on the link below "Participate in a Public Hearing".

For all other projects that do not require a hearing, you can participate by submitting a letter of comment to the Secretary of the NEB during the project assessment process. You must also send a copy of any letters of comment to the company applying for the project. A letter of comment should include your view on the project and also include information to support that view.

All letters of comment become public documents once they have been submitted. They will be available on the NEB website and copies are sent to all parties participating in the process. Click here to complete the online template to file a letter of comment.

Click on the links below for more information on:

• Arctic Offshore Drilling Review - Application for Participation
• Participate in a Public Hearing
• Aboriginal People
• Landowners
• Land Matters Consultation Initiative (LMCI)
• TransCanada Alberta System
• Additional Information

The NEB's Approach

The National Energy Board is an independent federal agency established to regulate international and interprovincial aspects of the oil, gas and electric utility industries.

• Oil and Gas
• Electricity
• Additional Information