uwloo

ERS 215Environmental and Sustainability Assessment 1

Units
0.50
Faculty
Environment
Subject
Environment, Resources and Sustainability

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 7 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

An introduction to processes and techniques for incorporating environmental considerations in planning and evaluating proposals for future undertakings that may have significant social and biophysical effects. The course provides an overview of methodologies for, and controversies surrounding, the design and conduct of biophysical and socioeconomic impact studies, and the testing of reported findings. The main focus is on the purposes and design of environmental assessment processes, with particular reference to the Canadian federal and Ontario provincial legal mandates, and the evolution of assessment into a sustainability framework.

Prerequisites

None listed.

Antirequisites

None listed.

Leads to

Fall 2026 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 081568281 / 150Online or by arrangement

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 08154090 / 250Online or by arrangement
LEC 701213348 / 9999Online or by arrangement

Reviewed on UW Flow

40% liked it67% easy58% useful

From 97 ratings and 23 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • This course may be on par with ECON 102 when it comes to dysfunctionality and overall lack of support. The content itself could be useful but the way the modules and readings are presented is bad. Weekly quizzes are easy enough so they are almost free marks (80's and 90's) as long as you read the modules, group discussions are free marks as long as you show up on time and participate (virtual btw), but assignments are hard to get through because they are so draining and due towards the end of the term. You don't have to put in a ton of effort on a weekly basis (unless you have an assignment due) but the course still sucks regardless. Only take it if have to, would not recommend as a…

    Jan 2025 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • This subject is so dry, to me, that is anyways. But the fact it is made to be online and is a core course is something I don't agree with. If we could collaborate in groups or something it would have pushed me to engage in the content a little more. I scrapped by doing the bare minimum just to pass, feel like I remember nothing from this course now, which is unfortunate because it is important in the environmental industry.
    Prof uploaded a few short videos throughout.

    Jul 2023 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Kinda a joke and confusing instructions.

    Apr 2026 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Awful and useless course. Fully online courses are such a drag. I wish this wasn't a mandatory course for my engineering degree.

    Nov 2025 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Feedback for assignments are incredibly vague, while the two 10% Teams Discussion sessions are a lottery. Good luck trying to compete with a dozen others for a chance to speak.

    Jun 2024 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

45 posts and comments in 35 threads mention ERS 215, June 2013 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Winter 2024

I regret taking ERS 215 online 17 points, 4 comments

u/music140: “I thought it was bad a month ago when I made the "PSA: Avoid ERS 215" thread, and I honestly can't fathom how it's gotten worse since then - the prof has stopped answering questions altogether on the Learn discussion board, and the marking of assignments has stopped (grades for …”

u/crumppledcrumpet: “Ironically, ERS 215 is only offered online now”

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Fall 2023

Spring 2023

bird course 2XX 1 point, 7 comments

“hi guys! thanks for clicking in, I really want to know if there is any bird course starting with 2 (like 2XX) outside the math department (if it's interesting that will be better) for math students. …”

u/Wrong_Mongoose6829: “Geog 207 envs 200”

u/Extra-Ad-7289: “… ERS 215 and GEOG 225 are SUPER light too. Heard similar things about GEOG 219 but I haven't taken it. All these classes except ENVS 200 are online. …”

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Winter 2023

I think I made a mistake choosing co-op 21 points, 27 comments

“I'm a second year international student in the Environment Resources and Sustainability program (SERS) and I decided to do co-op because I have very minimal work experience and I thought I would …”

u/DIYPANDA07: “… ERS 215) and GIS (e.g. GEOG 281). There's lots of jobs that would require both of these skills. …”

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Fall 2022

Winter 2023 online courses 1 point, 4 comments

“Unfortunately, I need to take 2 more courses in the winter 2023 term. Can anyone recommend 2 online only courses that don't take too much work to complete with a 70? …”

u/DIYPANDA07: “geog 207, envs 205, ers 215 - all from the faculty of environment”

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Spring 2022

Spring 2020

ENBUS 2 points, 1 comment

u/False-Jackfruit: “Hey guys, If anyone is in ENBUS (Im taking ENVS200, ENBUS375, ENVS205, ERS215 and MGMT244) and wants to help each other out with content or anything else let me know! Thanks”

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Winter 2020

PSA: Avoid ERS 215 38 points, 4 comments

u/music140: “It's a terribly disorganized course, and the course content is unengaging and dull. The course is about environmental assessment laws but the profs are inherently biased against current legislation for some reason and it shows. …”

u/Spotted_Turtle: “Kind of hard to make ERS 215 an interesting course imo given that it's dry introductory material that needs to be thrown at students somehow before they get into more advanced stuff (for students looking to get their EA diploma or understand environmental policy in general. …”

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Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar