April Breakfast Session - Regulatory & Permitting Compliance

The environmental regulatory and permitting landscape for major projects is rapidly evolving, presenting both opportunities and challenges for project proponents. With recent emphasis from both federal and provincial governments on more predictable, certain and timely regulatory and permitting decisions – this is an ideal time for proponents, practitioners, regulators and contractors to come together to discuss the current landscape, lessons learned and to identify key risks and opportunities that governments and industry can take forward to address these challenges.

Join us on April 17th, for Part 1 -  a moderated panel discussion with senior industry leaders representing major project proponents, environmental consultants, and contractors as they discuss opportunities and challenges in the regulatory, permitting and compliance space for major infrastructure projects.

And join us on May 15th, for Part 2 – a roundtable format, facilitated discussion to gain further insights on this topic, share your learnings, and build deeper connections with industry peers. 

Panelists

Autumn Cousins, President of Bravo Zulu Strategy Ltd., specializes in environmental, regulatory, and compliance strategy for major resource development projects. During her time as a regulator, she led environmental assessments and the development of the Compliance and Enforcement Branch at B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office. As a consultant, she supports clients with compliance management, environmental management plans and the intricacies of the interface between regulators, owners and contractors. Autumn has worked on 20+ major projects, including Coastal GasLink, Site C, and Highland Valley Copper Mine.

Sean McNulty is the Regulatory and Permitting Director for the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. With 20+ years of experience, he has led environmental assessments and permitting for major infrastructure projects in Europe and Canada. He oversaw the RBT2 environmental assessment, securing federal and provincial approval in 2023. Sean leads a multi-disciplinary team managing key permits and compliance programs for the project’s 400+ approval conditions. A highly collaborative leader, he fosters strong relationships across government, Indigenous groups, and contractors to ensure regulatory success and compliance.

Deborah Lacroix, R.P. Bio, is a Project Director at Ecofish, leading a team of 180 scientists and assessment professionals. With 20+ years of experience, she specializes in environmental assessments and monitoring for major energy, transport, and mining projects, including Site C and Roberts Bank Terminal 2. She has advised proponents on construction monitoring and regulatory compliance and has provided guidance to the B.C. government on environmental assessment regulations, including the 2018 B.C. Impact Assessment Act. Deborah is recognized for her expertise in navigating complex environmental approvals and compliance programs.

Cory Turkington, Environmental Director at Aecon, is a seasoned environmental management professional with nearly 20 years of experience. He has led environmental compliance for major infrastructure projects, including the Trans Mountain Expansion, Centerm Expansion, and Port Mann Highway 1. Currently, he oversees environmental management for the Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project, ensuring compliance with regulatory approvals. With extensive contractor experience at Kiewit and Dragados Canada, Cory excels at collaborating with owners, regulators, and First Nations to achieve environmental compliance on complex projects.  

Moderator

Art Kanzaki P.Eng, MBA, PMP, Q.Arb, is a senior project management professional with 32+ years of experience, specializes in major infrastructure projects, including at FortisBC. As Principal Consultant at Kanzaki Project Management Consultants Inc., he drives project success across all phases. He has led large-scale EPC initiatives, managed regulatory approvals, optimized delivery models, and resolved complex claims. Art tailors management systems to unique challenges and has contributed to industry standards through CSA Z662 and UBC’s Pipeline Integrity Institute. He holds an MBA and a B.A.Sc. in Metallurgical Engineering from UBC.

Thank you, Hatfield Consultants for sponsoring this event.