Ottawa – The Government of Canada is committed to protecting Canadians from all sources of pollution and to ensure a clean and safe environment for every generation.
Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced a framework to protect the right to a healthy environment through the modernization and administration of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA).
The Ministers announced a series of initiatives that protect all people in Canada, particularly communities who are disproportionately impacted by harmful substances. Over the coming months, the public will have the opportunity to have their say on several initiatives, including:
- A Draft Implementation Framework on the Right to a Healthy Environment under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999
- A proposed Watch List Approach for substances of concern that have hazardous properties but are not currently defined as toxic
- A proposed Plan of Priorities describing how the government will address chemical substances in Canada
- A Draft Strategy to Replace, Reduce, or Refine Vertebrate Animal Testing
The Government is committed to implementing the best possible tools to protect the right to a healthy environment under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, and to reinforcing the chemicals management regime. The draft implementation framework proposes how the right to a healthy environment will be considered when administering the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. The proposed Watch List Approach, Chemicals Plan of Priorities, and Vertebrate Animal Testing Strategy are three of the key new elements in support of the ongoing Chemicals Management Plan. There will also be more initiatives in 2025, including a forthcoming consultation on proposed regulations to define toxic substances of the highest risk.
These initiatives follow the release of the updated Draft State of PFAS Report, which proposes to conclude that the class of PFAS, excluding fluoropolymers, is entering or may enter the environment at levels that are, or may be, harmful to the environment and human health. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is a large class of extremely persistent human-made substances found in everyday products like electronics, packaging, and cosmetics.
“For decades, certain communities have been disproportionately affected by toxic pollution, waste, landfills, and dumps. We are publishing these initiatives because Canadians want ambitious and strong environmental action. Protecting the right to a healthy environment requires integrating Indigenous knowledge and upholding the principle of environmental justice when guiding decisions under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.” – Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
“Our Government is taking action to protect Canadians from harmful chemical substances. Building on the work done over the last 25 years, including the assessment of over 10 thousand substances through the Chemicals Management Plan, we will continue to focus our efforts on keeping Canadians safe and healthy.” – Mark Holland, Minister of Health