Update: https://halifax.citynews.ca/amp/national-news/government-says-there-is-no-need-for-every-toxic-chemical-to-have-a-pollution-plan-6459084
We need your help to raise awareness about an upcoming opportunity – the first opportunity in over 20 years to strengthen environmental regulation in Canada.
With Bill S-5, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, to make related amendments to the Food and Drugs Act and to repeal the Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Virtual Elimination Act, we have a chance to update the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA).
CEPA is Canada’s principal law relating to environmental protection through preventing pollution. It is long overdue for an update.
Finally having the chance to update it sounds like a reason to celebrate, but CEPA is actually at risk of being weakened. The chemical and plastics industry are lobbying for weaker regulations of toxic substances.
I have been working with environmental groups like the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) to amend Bill S-5 and prevent this from happening. Our amendments would also:
- Create an enforceable right to a healthy environment
- Strengthen CEPA’s regulation over toxic substances
- Make CEPA constitutionally sound
S-5 is currently being studied by the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development (ENVI).
This opportunity may not come up again for another 20 years. We must act now.
Help us by sending a letter to the Minister of today!
Copy and paste the letter below and send it to the Minister of Environment, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault.
Be sure to share a copy with my office, and the voting members of the ENVI committee:
Copy and paste this letter:
Dear Minister and MP(s)
Re: Don’t weaken CEPA
With Bill S-5, we have an opportunity to make crucial updates to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) for the first time in over two decades. This chance should be a long-awaited victory for Canada’s environment, but it is not. The plastics and chemical industries are lobbying for less stringent regulations of toxic substances in CEPA. If they are successful, S-5 could actually weaken environmental regulations in Canada.
I am echoing calls made by the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) to:
- Create an enforceable right to a healthy environment by bringing section 22 of CEPA under the scope of S-5
- Compel the Minister to require companies to adopt pollution prevention plans.
- Impose mandatory testing obligations on industry
- Establish an authority for enforceable ambient air quality standards
- Retain, but improve existing authority in CEPA to regulate toxic substances.
As the climate crisis continues, biodiversity on our planet is threatened. Strict regulation of toxic substances is essential to protect habitat, biodiversity, clean drinking water, and so much more. Canada must honour the commitments made at international negotiations, like COP27 in Egypt and COP15 in Montreal, to protect the earth.
Please, Minister and MPs, don’t give into the chemical and plastic industries. Pass amendments put forward by the Green party that will strengthen S-5. The future of our planet depends on it.
Sincerely,
[your name]
[your postal code]