19. As of the date on which an environmental impact assessment statement is filed with the Minister under section 31.3.2 of the Act, with the fees payable under the Act, the Minister must, within a period not exceeding 13 months, send to the Government, for its decision, his or her recommendation regarding the project.
The period in the first paragraph is increased to 18 months in the case of projects referred to in sections 1 to 7, subparagraph a of subparagraph 1 of the first paragraph of section 11 or section 31 of Part II of Schedule 1.
The periods prescribed by this section exclude any period during which the Minister is waiting for supplemental information that he or she requested from the project proponent, as well as the time to prepare an additional study or research made at the request of the Minister under section 31.4 of the Act.
In addition, any extension of a period allotted to the Bureau under section 17 to carry out a mandate conferred on it is added, if applicable, to the periods provided for in this section.
287-2018O.C. 287-2018, s. 19.