Caroline Burgess

Owner, Burgess Environmental Planning

Caroline is a consultant with 21 years’ experience in public and Aboriginal consultation, environmental assessment and regional environmental and land use planning. Caroline built and led a group of human environment professionals in Alberta and Ontario for a large multi-national consulting firm. Over the years, Caroline has worked on projects across Canada, consulting with and assessing the effects on human communities resulting from major resource and infrastructure developments such as pipeline and oil sands projects, mining projects, conventional and alternative energy developments, and municipal and provincial infrastructure projects.
 
In 2015, Caroline established her own consultancy, Burgess Environmental Planning. Based in Ottawa, the company’s mission is to align indigenous community goals with development benefits through empowering Aboriginal peoples in environmental planning, assessment and associated consultation processes. Within the first year of operation, the company has prepared consultation and decision-making policies for two north eastern Ontario First Nations, an environmental stewardship plan for a Carrier Sekani First Nation in British Columbia, and has worked with McLeod-Wood Associates on the Aboriginal engagement process for the provincial land use plan reviews, the Conservation Authority Act review and the provincial wetlands strategy.  Supporting Mattagami’s response to the two CN train derailments in their territories earlier this year, Burgess Environmental Planning prepared and supported the implementation of a Mattagami First Nation Action Plan. The Action Plan includes work plans to address environmental response and monitoring, community engagement, a traditional land use and knowledge study, a community health study, employment, training and business opportunities and agreement negotiations.  
 
Caroline is a Registered Professional Planner in Ontario, a full member of the Canadian Institute of Planners, a member of the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2), and the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada. Caroline has served for 3 years on the Executive of the Ontario Association for Impact Assessment as Treasurer and is President Elect. She holds an MA and an Honours BA, both in Human Geography, from the University of Alberta and the University of Saskatchewan respectively. She has training in public participation, project management, negotiation, and Aboriginal cultural awareness.    
 

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