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Post Hearing Survey Results 2001-2002

Introduction

The Board is committed to providing quality services to Canadians and to meeting the evolving needs of the public to engage in NEB matters. One way in which the Board ensures continuous improvement in these areas is to encourage those involved in our hearing process to complete a post hearing survey. At the conclusion of a hearing, surveys are sent to those on the Board's registered parties list (e.g. applicants and intervenors).

The feedback received from hearing participants is then compiled and used to review current practices and procedure pertaining to the hearing process. The goal of the survey is to measure participants' satisfaction with the Board process, information and interaction; it is not designed to measure parties' satisfaction with the hearing outcome.

Hearings held in 2001-2002

The following are survey results from hearings that concluded between 1 April 2001 and 1 April 2002. They include:

  1. Westcoast Energy Inc.'s Pine River Gas Plant Sulphur Pipeline (Westcoast)
  2. BC Gas Utility Ltd. (BC Gas) decision review
  3. Cartier Pipeline and Company, Limited Partnership (Cartier) toll treatment
  4. TransCanada PipeLines Limited (Trans-Canada) tolls for transportation
  5. Cedars Rapids Transmission Co. (Cedars Rapids) power line reconstruction

1. Westcoast (MH-1-2001)

In April 2001, the National Energy Board held a public hearing on the operation of Westcoast 's Pine River Gas Plant Sulphur Pipeline. The purpose of the hearing was to determine if the sulphur pipeline may be safely operated; whether the Board should order Westcoast to repair, reconstruct or alter part of the sulphur pipeline in order to ensure that it may be safely operated; and, if conditions should be imposed on Westcoast in order to ensure the safe operation of the sulphur pipeline. The hearing was held in Chetwynd, British Columbia.

2. BC Gas (RH-2-2001)

In September 2001, the National Energy Board held a public hearing on an application from BC Gas to review and vary a decision that the Board rendered in March 1999. The decision followed a public hearing (RH-2-98) regarding an application by BC Gas for access to the pipeline system of Westcoast Energy Inc. (Westcoast) and the appropriate tolls for the service. The hearing was held in Vancouver, British Columbia.

3. Cartier (RH-3-2001)

In April 2002, the National Energy Board held a public hearing on a filing submitted by Cartier for consideration of the toll treatment of the Northwest Facilities that Cartier would like Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline Management Ltd. (M&NP) to construct. The hearing was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

4. TransCanada (RH-4-2001)

In February 2002, the National Energy Board held a public hearing on an application from TransCanada for approval of tolls that it may charge for transportation services on its Mainline for the year 2003. The hearing was held in Calgary, Alberta.

5. Cedars Rapids (EH-1-2002)

In March 2002, the National Energy Board held a public hearing on an application by Cedars Rapids to reconstruct an international power line (IPL) from Les Cèdres, Quebec to Cornwall, Ontario. The hearing was held in Cornwall, Ontario.

Hearing Order

The Hearing Order is the document which contains details about a particular hearing and directions on how to participate. It is issued prior to the hearing and includes information such as: date, time, location, description of the application, list of issues to be raised at the hearing and a preliminary list of parties. Knowing what participants think about information contained in the Hearing Order allows the Board to determine whether it clearly meets the information needs of interested parties.

Hearing Order

2001-2002 Post Hearing Survey

Information Request Process

The information request process allows all registered intervenors to request information or ask questions of the applicant or other intervenors. This question measures participants' satisfaction with the information request process.

Information Request Process

2001-2002 Post Hearing Survey

Hearing Logistics

The Board realizes that it cannot always accommodate everyone's preferences, but it does try to ensure that hearings are accessible by creating an environment that facilitates participation. Examples include holding hearings in local communities where people have the greatest interest in an application and adjusting hearing hours to meet the needs of intervenors.

Hearing Logistics

2001-2002 Post Hearing Survey

Hearing Process

The Board strives to ensure that its hearings process encourages and facilitates participation. Effective two-way communication is a key ingredient to success in this area.

Hearing Process

2001-2002 Post Hearing Survey

Environmental Assessment

The environmental assessment is one of many factors considered at a hearing that has an impact on the outcome. Due to its importance, the Board wants to ensure intervenors believe that environmental issues have been appropriately addressed.

Environmental Assessment

2001-2002 Post Hearing Survey

Language Services

It is the Board's mandate to provide quality services in both official languages that are clear and easily understood. The following measures participants' satisfaction with these services.

Language Services

2001-2002 Post Hearing Survey

Hearing Transcripts

To facilitate participation, the Board provides hearing transcripts of daily proceedings prior to the next hearing day. These are an official court record used to capture testimony of all intervenors. These questions ask about the quality and timeliness of these documents.

Hearing Transcripts

2001-2002 Post Hearing Survey

On-line Broadcast

For those unable to attend a hearing in person, the Board provides a real-time audio broadcast of the proceedings through its Internet site. The quality of this service is important and feedback from interested parties is key to ensuring on-going improvements.

On-line Broadcast

2001-2002 Post Hearing Survey

NEB Staff

The Board takes pride in its work and in its professional team of employees. Knowing how well the Board and staff interact with participants throughout the hearing process is important to be able to continue to provide quality services.

NEB Staff

2001-2002 Post Hearing Survey

Overall Satisfaction

One way to measure the success of the Board's efforts is through the satisfaction of participants involved in its hearing process. This question determines the quality of the experience hearing participants' had with the NEB.

Overall, how satisfied were you with your interaction with the NEB?

2001-2002 Post Hearing Survey

Participants

Hearing participants are those which have expressed an interest in a particular hearing and were granted intervenor status by the Board. Having a better understanding of which groups participants represent provides the Board with a better understanding of which sectors of society are participating in Board hearings.

Participants

2001-2002 Post Hearing Survey

Follow-up Actions

Thank you to everyone who responded to our questionnaire regarding participation in our hearings. As a result of the feedback the Board has received, the following enhancements have been made:

  • refining of public information sessions - timing, location, content and how we advise the public of the sessions;
  • holding public information sessions for aboriginal groups;
  • inviting local governments to public information sessions;
  • holding special information sessions for intervenors shortly before the hearing to assist with the process and last minute questions;
  • adopting a plain language standard for Hearing Orders; and
  • sharing the results of the post hearing surveys on the Board's Web site.

 

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Date Modified:
2011-10-28