Resources

Legislation

Scientific Advisory Group (SAG)

The Scientific Advisory Group was given five tasks to complete for the Ministry of Environment:

  1. Review and submit comments on the methods of analysis applied to the monitoring data provided through the Interim Monitoring Program and the Focused Study — to measure the relationship between physical and chemical parameters and the biological response.
  2. Review and submit comments and recommendations to WLAP on the performance-based standards and monitoring protocols in the draft regulation.
  3. Provide comments on the data requirements for enforcement, and for review of the regulation in three years, to facilitate future possible amendments.
  4. Review stakeholder comments obtained by WLAP through consultation, and provide advice on the validity of these comments.
  5. Provide comments on the final draft regulation.

The Scientific Advisory Group submitted to the ministry three PowerPoint presentations, two reports, and minutes of a meeting — all available here:

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Member Biographies

Dr. Doug A. Bright
UMA Engineering Ltd.
Adjunct Professor Royal Roads University

Dr. Doug A. Bright obtained his PhD from the University of Victoria in 1991. While working on his PhD, Dr. Bright was a visiting researcher at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK After completion of his doctorate, he was a Senior Research Associate at Royal Roads Military College. In 1995, Dr. Bright joined Royal Roads University as Professor of Applied Research, with a close affiliation with the Science, Technology, and Environment Division and continued in that position until 2002. Dr. Bright is currently employed with UMA Engineering Ltd. and is an Adjunct Professor at Royal Roads University. Dr. Bright has had extensive experience on local and national scientific panels, advisory boards, and committees involved with liquid waste management, marine and ecosystem monitoring, sewerage discharges, Canada Wide Standards for petroleum hydrocarbons and dioxin / furans, bivalve environmental effects, as well as DDT soil quality standards for BC. To date, he has published over 25 scientific papers in international journals along with more than 45 technical reports. Dr. Bright's research interests at Royal Roads University include the following:

  • Use of multivariate statistical and other pattern analysis techniques to provide a clear picture of the spatiotemporal redistribution of anthropogenic releases.
  • Interpretation of environmental fate processes in marine and freshwater sediments, as influenced by the magnitude of organic matter inputs, texture and sedimentation rates and both natural and anthropogenically influenced redox changes at or beneath the sediment-water interface.
  • Interactions of marine organisms (both pelagic and benthic) with sediment environments.
  • Wastewater treatment and the consequences of sanitary wastewater or other nutrient and organic releases to coastal environments.
  • Research on the historical frequency and intensity of harmful algal blooms for individual algal species such as Heterosigma akahiwo using biochemical markers of cysts and detrital remains that are preserved in sediments.

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Dr. R. Scott McKinley
NSERC Industrial Research Chair (Biotelemetry)
Professor, Canada Research Chair (Aquaculture and the Environment)
Centre for Aquaculture and the Environment
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences
The University of British Columbia

Dr. Scott McKinley obtained his PhD from the University of Waterloo in 1993, receiving the W.P. Pearson medal for creative research in a Doctoral Thesis. Prior to completion of his PhD, Dr. McKinley spent 20 years with Ontario Hydro Research Division and the Ontario Ministry of Environment. In 1995, Dr. McKinley joined the faculty of the University of Waterloo. In September 2001, Dr. McKinley joined the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the University of British Columbia where he is Professor and holds a Canada Research Chair in Aquaculture and the Environment, and is theme leader for the Environmental Integrity Project with AquaNet. In addition, he has participated in numerous national and international environmental working groups, scientific panels, and advisory boards throughout his career, with over 50 scientific papers published in international journals as well as over 40 technical reports and conference proceedings.

Dr. McKinley's research interests at UBC include the following:

  • Development and evaluation of physiological / biochemical sensors to monitor the health of free ranging fish.
  • Development of physiological telemetry procedures to assess fish performance and activity levels in the wild, habitat preferences and the evaluation of fishways / barriers.
  • Use of physiological telemetry to evaluate chronic exposure of fish to natural and anthropogenic environmental perturbations.
  • Development of remote sensing technologies to assess physical and chemical changes in habitat relative to aquaculture facilities.
  • Establishment of site selection criteria for the aquaculture industry.

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Dr. Asit Mazumder
Professor and NSERC Senior Research Chair in Environmental Management of Drinking Water, Ecosystems and Watersheds
Department of Biology
The University of Victoria

Dr. Asit Mazumder obtained his PhD from the University of Waterloo in 1988. After completion of his PhD, Dr. Mazumder held positions of Researcher at Environment Canada and Assistant and Associate Professor at the Université de Montréal. In 1999, Dr. Mazumder joined the University of Victoria as Associate Professor and Senior NSERC Research Chair (Environmental Management of Drinking Water Ecosystems and Watersheds). Since 2000, he has been a Professor in the Department of Biology. While at the University of Victoria, Dr. Mazumder has participated in scientific panels and advisory groups dealing with drinking water quality and watershed ecology. To date, he has published over 40 scientific papers in international journals, served as editorial board member for several international journals, grant and fellowship committee members for provincial and national granting councils, and as executive board member for international societies.

Dr. Mazumder's research interests at the University of Victoria include the following:

  • Nutrient-trophic interactions of lakes, reservoirs, streams and coastal habitats.
  • Ecosystem and watershed-level ecology of drinking water sources.
  • Foodweb and nutritional ecology of Pacific and Atlantic salmon.
  • Comparative ecology of temperate, subtropical and tropical ecosystems.
  • Transport and pathways of nutrients, organic contaminants and heavy metals.
  • Isotope biogeochemistry of aquatic foodwebs.
  • Collaborative Mercury Research Network (COMERN).
  • Ecological Interactions of Atlantic and Pacific Salmon in British Columbia and Alaska.

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Dr. Thomas F. Pedersen
Professor and Director, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences
University of Victoria

Dr. Tom Pedersen obtained his PhD from the University of Edinburgh in 1979. After completion of his PhD, Dr. Pedersen held NSERC post-doctoral and University Research fellowship positions at UBC. In 1983, Dr. Pedersen joined the University of British Columbia as Assistant Professor, and was a Professor in Oceanography and Earth and Ocean Science from 1994 to 2002. As of September 1, 2002, Dr. Pedersen has been with the University of Victoria as Professor and Director, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences. In addition, he has held visiting fellowships at Cambridge University, Centre des Faibles Radioactivitiés near Paris, and the University of Bordeaux. In 2000, Dr. Pedersen was appointed Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Development. During his career, Dr. Pedersen has participated in numerous scientific panels and advisory groups such as the Marine Science Panel that advised BC and Washington state on the health of the inland waters of Georgia Strait, Puget Sound, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. To date, he has published over 50 scientific papers in international journals and more than two dozen book chapters and conference proceedings articles.

Dr. Pedersen's research interests at the University of British Columbia include the following:

  • Quaternary palaeoceanography and palaeochemistry.
  • Organic matter and trace metal cycling and interstitial water chemistry in marine and lacustrine sediments.
  • Diagenesis of submerged tailings deposits in marine and lacustrine basins.
  • Stable isotope geochemistry in sedimentary systems.
  • Controls on organic matter accumulation and distribution in coastal, hemipelagic and pelagic sediments.