“Do you want to live a healthy life?” he asked. “Do you want to drink water that isn’t contaminated, breathe air that’s not polluted or walk in fields that are not otherwise strewn within the residues of airborne hazardous substances? Then you need to take this statute seriously.” The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, or CEPA, governs how toxic chemicals are identified and managed in Canada. It is in the midst of its first update in two decades, following a mandatory review that took place in 2016 and 2017.
Strengthening protections for Canadians and the environment from harmful chemicals and pollutants
Canadians expect their government to protect their health and the environment from harmful chemicals and other toxic pollutants. Today, the Government of Canada took an important step forward to do just that. The Government introduced in the Senate the bill Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act, which would modernize the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) for the first time in twenty years and make related amendments to the Food and Drugs Act.