Project Description

Through a series of task orders under a standing offer agreement, Bronson has supported the Northern Contaminated Sites Program (NCSP) of the federal department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs (CIRNA) with a wide range of program and project management activities. NCSP manages a portfolio of contaminated sites in Canada’s North that have become the responsibility of the federal government as a result of historical contamination from private sector mining, oil and gas and military activities.

The activities that Bronson has performed included:

1. Policy and Procedure Development – Bronson performed a series of tasks to develop and update NCSP’s program management and corporate procedures documentation and processes. This work also included the development of documentation, guidance and tools related to the program’s project change management process, quarterly reporting process, Internal Controls Management Framework, lessons-learned tracking, project charters and closure reporting.

2. Performance Management Support – Bronson refined the NCSP’s performance management documentation according to the Treasury Board of Canada’s requirements. Using the provided guidance, templates, and consultations with program directors, Bronson developed a draft Performance Information Profile for the program. This profile was based on a Performance Management Strategy created by Bronson in 2014. It included the expected outputs and outcomes for the program, along with related indicators. For each indicator, details on targets, collection methodology, data sources, and collection frequency were provided. Additionally, Bronson created quarterly reporting templates to compile data for tracking these performance indicators. These templates monitor the budget, scope, and schedule of each project, as well as performance indicators related to environmental, health and safety, and socio-economic factors, such as employment, training, and business opportunities for northern and Indigenous communities. Bronson also developed guidance for using the quarterly reporting templates.

3. Development of Project Complexity and Risk Assessments – This work involved assessing risks and complexities associated with a number of abandoned mine site projects based on Treasury Board’s Policy on the Management of Projects and the Standard for Project Complexity and Risk.

4. Authority and Approval Support – Bronson has assisted NCSP with the development of a number of Treasury Board submissions, funding requests and associated cabinet documents to seek funding approval, expenditure authority and policy coverage. Treasury Board Submissions were also drafted for the federal government’s two largest contaminated sites projects, the Faro Mine Remediation Project and the Giant Mine Remediation Project.

Business Challenge

“The Northern Contaminated Sites Program (NCSP) needed comprehensive support to manage a portfolio of contaminated sites in Canada’s North. This included developing and updating program management procedures, refining performance management documentation, assessing project complexity and risk, and seeking authority and approval for funding and policy coverage.

Our Solution and Outcome

Bronson provided extensive support to NCSP, developing and updating program management and corporate procedures documentation, including project change management processes, quarterly reporting processes, and Internal Controls Management Frameworks. They refined performance management documentation to meet Treasury Board requirements, developing a Performance Information Profile and quarterly reporting templates to track program performance indicators.

Bronson also conducted project complexity and risk assessments based on Treasury Board guidelines, ensuring effective project management. Additionally, they assisted NCSP with developing Treasury Board submissions, funding requests, and cabinet documents to seek funding approval and policy coverage for contaminated sites projects, including the Faro Mine Remediation Project and the Giant Mine Remediation Project.

Overall, Bronson’s contributions aimed to enhance program management effectiveness, ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, and support the successful remediation of contaminated sites in Canada’s North.