Feds advance framework to ensure legal right to a healthy environment

To protect human health and the environment for future generations, the federal government is taking decisive action. Recognizing the deep interconnection between Canadian health and the environment, these sustainable efforts will create a clean and safe environment for all.

The Government of Canada is now releasing:

• the Implementation Framework for the Right to a Healthy Environment under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA)
• the Plan of Priorities for chemicals management
• the Strategy to Replace, Reduce or Refine Vertebrate Animal Testing under CEPA

These publications are key requirements under the modernized Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA).

“The Implementation Framework for the Right to a Healthy Environment under CEPA and the Plan of Priorities represent important steps forward in safeguarding the health of people in Canada and the environment,” said Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “Initiatives like these will allow us to respond effectively to a changing and complex global chemical landscape and ensure that the right to a healthy environment is considered when making decisions under CEPA.”

The framework sets out the meaning of the right to a healthy environment and provides guidance on how the Government of Canada considers this right in the administration of CEPA. The new lens for decision-making supports and encourages strong protection of both the environment and people who may be disproportionally impacted by pollution, now and in the future.

The Plan of Priorities outlines upcoming initiatives to address chemical substances in Canada. It includes a list of substances to be assessed and elaborates on activities that support the assessment, control, and management of risks posed by substances. This Plan builds on Canada’s existing strong foundation for chemicals management.

Linked to the Plan of Priorities, the Strategy to Replace, Reduce or Refine Vertebrate Animal Testing will help guide continued efforts toward the replacement, reduction, or refinement of vertebrate animal testing under CEPA.

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 is one of Canada’s core environmental laws. On June 13, 2023, Bill S-5, Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act, received Royal Assent. This was the first set of comprehensive amendments in over 25 years to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.

For further information, visit:

Implementation Framework for the Right to a Healthy Environment under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999

Featured image credit: Getty Images