Source: https://www.nrcb.ca/confined-feeding-operations/application-process-and-time-required-to-issue-a-decision
Timestamp: 2019-12-12 17:08:34
Document Index: 314877720

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 1']

Application Process & Time Required to Issue a Decision: NRCB | Natural Resources Conservation Board
› Application Process & Time Required to Issue a Decision
The Agricultural Operation Practices Act (AOPA) sets out the requirements that an application must satisfy before it can be approved. AOPA also sets out the three types of permits, the requirements for public notice, and the involvement of affected parties. The NRCB’s Approvals policy (Operational Policy 2016-7) provides NRCB approval officers with additional guidance.
AOPA has three types of permits:
Authorizations—minor changes to existing facilities require an authorization permit.
Registrations—small confined feeding operations require a registration permit to change or increase their livestock.
Approvals—large confined feeding operations require an approval permit for any change or increase in their livestock.
Before starting the application process, operators should always contact an approval officer at their closest NRCB office to confirm which type of permit they need to apply for, and the documentation they will be required to provide.
Time Required to Issue a Decision
The NRCB aims to issue decisions within 65 working days after applications are determined to be complete. The number of working days to issue a decision start to be counted as soon as the Part 2 application is determined to be complete and therefore ready to be processed. The reality is that while most decisions are issued sooner, some more complex applications can require more time.
From the time an applicant submits their Part 1 application, they have up to six months to submit their completed Part 2 application. Applicants may request extensions of up to a total of six months to submit their completed Part 2 application. Extensions of more than six months, or a combined total of more than one year, require the applicant to resubmit their Part 1 application and begin the process over. For more information, please contact an approval officer at your nearest NRCB field office.
Public notification and the type of application—authorization applications don’t require public notification. Approval and registration applications do require public notification. They involve an increase in livestock and can be complex applications. Public notification includes a notice period, an opportunity for the public to submit statements of concern, and an opportunity for the operator to respond to those concerns, at the operator’s discretion. These are important steps in the process. The notice period for the public to respond to the application is 20 working days.
The status of the operation—if a pre-2002 operation has a municipal permit, its status and permitted livestock numbers and facilities are usually clear. If this information is not on the permit, or the operation doesn’t have a previously-issued permit, the NRCB must make a grandfathering determination. This can take time if clear records aren’t available for the operation for the time period around January 1, 2002. Operations that pre-date 2002 should retain any existing livestock and facility records, as well as photos and other documents, to show the working status and livestock capacity of their operation in that time period.
Consistency with the land use provisions in the municipal development plan—AOPA requires approval officers to deny applications that are not consistent with the land use provisions. Operators can request the Board of the NRCB to review an approval officer's denial of their application that is based on inconsistency with the land use provisions.
Concerns from neighbours or the local municipality—concerns about an application may require the approval officer to ask for additional information. They can also result in special conditions being attached to a permit, or appeals of the decision if a permit is issued. Operators who have good neighbour relationships often receive more support for their application.
The completeness of the application—approval officers can’t deem an application complete until all of the information required by AOPA is provided. Applications that clearly address all technical requirements require less time to process and issue a decision.
Extensions—extensions requested by the applicant can add to the time to issue a decision. Operators may request extensions of up to six months, to a maximum combined total of one year, to submit their completed Part 2 application. If an extension exceeds six months, the applicant must begin the application process over by resubmitting a Part 1 application. If the extensions exceed a combined total of one year, the approval officer notifies the operator. The operator can then request a shorter extension or decide if they would like to re-submit their Part 1 application.
The applicant must submit their completed Part 2 application within six months of submitting the Part 1. They may ask for an extension of up to six months to submit their Part 2. If the application is not submitted within six months, and the applicant did not request and was not granted an extension, the applicant must re-submit their Part 1 application. The MDS is reset as of the date the NRCB receives the new Part 1.
The approval officer finalizes the technical review document and writes the decision summary and permit.
The approval officer contacts the applicant to review the permit and any conditions attached to the permit, including the need for a post-construction inspection and timeline for the inspection.
Copies of the decision, permit and technical document are provided to the applicant and the municipality. All of the decision documents are posted on the NRCB website.
All parties have 15 working days to submit a request for review to the Board of the NRCB if they wish to appeal the approval officer’s decision. The number of working days to issue a decision are calculated and recorded.