Post Hearing Survey Results 2003-2004

• Introduction
• Hearings held in 2003-2004
• Hearing Order
• Information Request Process
• Hearing Logistics
• Hearing Process
• Environmental Assessment
• Language Services
• Hearing Transcripts
• On-line Broadcast
• NEB Staff
• Overall Satisfaction
• Participants
• Follow-up Actions

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 2003-2004

The following are survey results from hearings that concluded between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2004. They include:

1. Sumas Energy 2 (SE2)
2. EnCana Ekwan Pipeline Inc. (EnCana)
3. Trans-Northern

1) Sumas Energy 2 Inc. (EH-1-2000)

From January 2001 to September 2003, the National Energy Board held 39 days of public hearing on an application by Sumas Energy 2, Inc. to construct an international power line from Sumas, Washington to Abbotsford, British Columbia. The hearing was held in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

2) EnCana Ekwan Pipeline Inc. (GH-1-2003)

In July 2003, the National Energy Board held a public hearing on an application from EnCana Ekwan Pipeline Inc. (EnCana) to construct and operate a sweet natural gas pipeline from the EnCana Oil & Gas Partnership's Sierra Plant near Fort Nelson, British Columbia to a tie-in point on Nova Gas Transmission Ltd.'s northwest mainline - approximately four kilometres east of the Alberta/British Columbia border near Rainbow Lake, Alberta. The hearing was held in Fort St. John, British Columbia.

3) Trans-Northern Pipelines Inc. (OH-1-2003)

In August 2003, the National Energy Board held a written public hearing on an application from Trans-Northern Pipelines Inc. (Trans-Northern) to relocate one section and lower two other sections of its 406.4 millimetre (16 inch) refined petroleum products pipeline. This application was made in order to accommodate the construction of the Red Hill Creek Expressway in King's Forest Park in Hamilton, Ontario. Written requests for intervention were filed with the Board.

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.

2003-2004 Post Hearing Survey

Comparison between 2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004

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.

2003-2004 Post Hearing Survey

Comparison between 2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004

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.

2003-2004 Post Hearing Survey

Comparison between 2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004

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.

2003-2004 Post Hearing Survey

Comparison between 2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004

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.

2003-2004 Post Hearing Survey

Comparison between 2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004

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.

2003-2004 Post Hearing Survey

Comparison between 2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004

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.

2003-2004 Post Hearing Survey

Comparison between 2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004

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.

2003-2004 Post Hearing Survey

Comparison between 2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004

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.

2003-2004 Post Hearing Survey

Comparison between 2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004

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.

2003-2004 Post Hearing Survey

Comparison between 2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004

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.

2003-2004 Post Hearing Survey

Comparison between 2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004

Follow-up Actions

Thank you to everyone who responded to our questionnaire regarding participation in our hearings. The feedback the Board has received has resulted in continued enhancements to electronic filing.

The Board also has available two videos - a general awareness video and an educational video on the hearing process. These videos will assist in familiarizing intervenors with the National Energy Board's role and the hearing process itself.

A copy of the videos can be requested by contacting our Publications Officer at publications@neb-one.gc.ca.