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ARCHIVED - Summary Report on the Public Workshops Assisting Environment Canada and Health Canada in Preparing for the Parliamentary Review of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999


Long descriptions

CEPA Milestones

  • In the 1970’s there were a number of federal environmental laws which were largely uncoordinated

By the mid- ’80s

  • the desire to consolidate and integrate this legislation led to the passage of the original CEPA in 1988

By the mid ’90s

  • Our understanding of the scope and complexity of environmental issues and their impacts on human health and a competitive economy were growing at the same time that public concern and scrutiny were also increasing
  • People around the world became more aware of environmental issues and the global nature of environmental issues.
  • We saw the rapid emergence of new concepts in the assessment and management of environmental problems to reduce impacts on the physical and human environment, particularly pollution prevention
  • In response, and following an intensive review period, CEPA 1999 was passed by the federal parliament, and became law on the 1st of April, 2000

CEPA Cycle

Environmental Management Process

The environmental management process consists of four interconnected activities. They are risk assessment, risk management, compliance promotion and enforcement, research and monitoring.

  1. Risk assessment work identifies risks to the environment and human health.
  2. These risks are reduced through Risk management activities.
  3. To ensure that the risk management measures are adhered to, follow-up to the risk management phase consists of compliance promotion and enforcement activities.
  4. Further research and monitoring activities can indicate whether or not the risk management measure has been effective in reducing the risk.

All of these activities are supported through public participation, reporting and intergovernmental cooperation.

Figure 1

Figure 1 illustrates there are a number of laws administered by several departments and agencies that are focused on one or more of three major objectives: managing products; reducing and preventing pollution from emissions and effluents; and habitat protection, land use and natural resource management. Among other things, they address protecting the environment and human health, developing scientific information, preventing or reducing pollution and monitoring the environment and human health. There are also several federal laws that do not directly focus on environmental and health objectives, but also have significant influence on the environment and human health. In addition, the provinces, territories and municipalities play important roles in managing local impacts, licensing facilities, waste management, managing land use and natural resources and protecting occupational health and safety. In short, the protection of the environment and human health is the responsibility of all Canadians.

The goal, at least for EC and HC, is that CEPA 1999 will contribute toward our efforts to promote pollution prevention as a means of moving towards sustainable development. Delivering this goal will require a collaborative approach which will:

  • encourage and enable decision makers at all levels to integrate environmental and human health objectives and considerations into their short- and long-term decision making;
  • take a comprehensive approach to environmental issues, recognizing the interconnectedness among issues from ecological, health and competitiveness perspectives;
  • be aligned among jurisdictions, and implemented efficiently;
  • be mindful of basic economic and business principles;
  • focus on clearly articulated long term environmental and human health targets set through a transparent process, with appropriate incentives and penalties to drive measurable progress towards those targets; and
  • recognize and reward leaders
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