Who Manages Pollution In Canada?

The Government of Canada is responsible for reducing pollution and protecting the environment and human health. Under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, the government develops and implements regulations to help reduce overall levels of air pollution by limiting the amount of pollutants that are released into the air each year. The federal government is also responsible for regulating issues relating to boundary waters, such as the Great Lakes, and rivers and lakes that occur on federal land within the provinces. Provincial governments have primary authority for resource management, including permitting industrial waste discharges.

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999

The Act also commits the Government of Canada to removing threats to biological diversity through pollution prevention, as well as the control and management of the risk of any adverse effects of the use and release of toxic substances, pollutants and wastes. The Government of Canada also recognises the importance of encouraging the progressive substitution of substances, processes and technologies with alternatives that are safer for the environment or human health, when they are economically and technically viable.

Under the Act, the Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) became the lead federal department to ensure the cleanup of hazardous waste and oil spills for which the government is responsible, and to provide technical assistance to other jurisdictions and the private sector as required. The federal government is also responsible for regulating issues relating to boundary waters, such as the Great Lakes, along which the international border between Canada and the United States passes.

Provincial governments and industrial waste

In Canada, the federal government is responsible for regulating issues relating to boundary waters, such as the Great Lakes, and rivers and lakes that occur on federal land within the provinces. The federal government is also responsible for the management of toxic substances in the country, such as benzene.

Provincial governments have primary authority for resource management, including permitting industrial waste discharges (e.g. to the air).

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA 1999) designates Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) as the lead federal department to ensure the cleanup of hazardous waste and oil spills for which the government is responsible, and to provide technical assistance to other jurisdictions and the private sector as required. The Government of Canada, under the authority of CEPA 1999, develops and implements regulations to help reduce overall levels of air pollution by limiting the amount of pollutants that are released into the air each year.

Federal government and toxic substances

The Canadian federal government is responsible for the management of toxic substances in the country. Under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA 1999), the federal government is committed to ensuring that its operations and activities on federal and aboriginal lands are carried out in a manner that is consistent with the principles of pollution prevention and the protection of the environment and human health. The federal government is also responsible for regulating issues relating to boundary waters, such as the Great Lakes, and all aspects of rivers and lakes that occur on federal land within the provinces.

The federal government has also adopted the "polluter pays" principle, recognising the responsibility of users and producers in relation to toxic substances and pollutants and wastes. It endeavours to remove threats to biological diversity through pollution prevention, as well as the control and management of the risk of any adverse effects of the use and release of toxic substances.

The federal government also provides stewardship of the Environmental Choice Program, which provides consumers with eco-labelling for products manufactured within Canada or services that meet international label standards.

Provincial governments, on the other hand, have primary authority for resource management, including permitting industrial waste discharges (e.g. to the air).

Federal government and boundary waters

The Canadian federal government is responsible for regulating issues relating to boundary waters. Boundary waters are waters, such as the Great Lakes, along which the international border between Canada and the United States passes. The federal government is also responsible for regulating all aspects of rivers and lakes that occur on federal land within the provinces.

The Government of Canada, under the authority of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, develops and implements regulations to help reduce overall levels of air pollution by limiting the amount of pollutants that are released into the air each year. The federal government is responsible for the management of toxic substances in the country. For example, the federal government provides stewardship of the Environmental Choice Program, which provides consumers with an eco-labelling for products manufactured within Canada or services that meet international label standards of the Global Ecolabelling Network.

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, also states that the Government of Canada will endeavour to remove threats to biological diversity through pollution prevention as well as the control and management of the risk of any adverse effects of the use and release of toxic substances, pollutants and wastes. The Government of Canada also recognises the importance of encouraging the progressive substitution of substances, processes and technologies with alternatives that are safer for the environment or human health, when they are economically and technically viable.

Federal government and rivers and lakes on federal land

The Canadian federal government is responsible for the management of toxic substances in the country, such as benzene, and for regulating issues relating to boundary waters. The federal government is also responsible for regulating all aspects of rivers and lakes that occur on federal land within the provinces.

The Government of Canada, under the authority of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, develops and implements regulations to help reduce overall levels of air pollution by limiting the amount of pollutants that are released into the air each year. The Canadian Environmental Protection Act also states that the Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that its operations and activities on federal and aboriginal lands are carried out in a manner that is consistent with the principles of pollution prevention and the protection of the environment and human health.

The Government of Canada will endeavour to remove threats to biological diversity through pollution prevention as well as the control and management of the risk of any adverse effects of the use and release of toxic substances, pollutants and wastes. It also recognises the importance of encouraging the progressive substitution of substances, processes and technologies with alternatives that are safer for the environment or human health, when they are economically and technically viable.

The federal government has jurisdiction to regulate international or interprovincial pollution, where the impacts of activities carried out in one province are experienced in another province or country, such as the United States.

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