Seeking to establish and uphold the right to a healthy environment is fundamental to why CELA exists; it’s a part of our founding organizational objectives, and we have been advocating for it since the 1970s.
This right is important because low-income communities are often adversely – and disproportionately – affected by environmental threats.
Change takes time, but policymakers have been making progress that we now need to build on.
In 1988, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) was first passed into law. The purpose of this cornerstone piece of environmental legislation is to regulate toxic substances and pollution, ultimately protecting human health and the environment in Canada.
CEPA was then revised in 1999, and various amendments and government actions have strengthened the Act since then. Of the notable amendments to CEPA is the recognition of the Right to a Healthy Environment, introduced through Bill S5 in 2023.
Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR), passed in 1993, was the first piece of legislation to recognize the right to a “healthy and attractive” environment. We recognize the role of the EBR as the precedent for this federal act to adopt the right to a healthy environment in legislation.
CELA celebrates these legislative milestones, along with the formation of the Environmental Justice and Racism Team within Environment and Climate Change Canada. CELA will engage with this government office tasked with releasing a strategy to address environmental racism as part of fulfilling our commitment to equity, justice, and health.
In the spirit of environmental justice, we call on and encourage the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change to continue upholding the right to a healthy environment, working to make this right a reality for all Canadians. With these guiding laws and policies in place, we call on the federal government to take measures against environmental neglect and degradation, as well as the resulting consequences.
Underrepresented and under-resourced groups often face disproportionate environmental harm. Pollution and climate change continue to harm locally-sourced food supplies and food transport routes, thereby contributing to heightened levels of food insecurity in under-resourced communities. Such communities also face a higher incidence of respiratory illnesses and chronic health conditions due to the higher siting of polluting industries and waste facilities.
In light of these injustices, we call on the federal government to administer environmental justice where there are gaps, ensuring every individual’s right to a healthy environment. We at CELA reaffirm our commitment to advocating for those who face environmental injustices, while educating the public on these issues and championing law reform to make environmental justice a reality for all.
Blog – From Legislation to Realization: The Right to a Healthy Environment in Canada
By: Kareem Mekla, Communications Intern, CELA
Seeking to establish and uphold the right to a healthy environment is fundamental to why CELA exists; it’s a part of our founding organizational objectives, and we have been advocating for it since the 1970s.
This right is important because low-income communities are often adversely – and disproportionately – affected by environmental threats.
Change takes time, but policymakers have been making progress that we now need to build on.
In 1988, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) was first passed into law. The purpose of this cornerstone piece of environmental legislation is to regulate toxic substances and pollution, ultimately protecting human health and the environment in Canada.
CEPA was then revised in 1999, and various amendments and government actions have strengthened the Act since then. Of the notable amendments to CEPA is the recognition of the Right to a Healthy Environment, introduced through Bill S5 in 2023.
Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR), passed in 1993, was the first piece of legislation to recognize the right to a “healthy and attractive” environment. We recognize the role of the EBR as the precedent for this federal act to adopt the right to a healthy environment in legislation.
The second federal law that supports and advances the right to a healthy environment is the passage of the National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act (referred to as Bill C-226) in June 2024.
CELA celebrates these legislative milestones, along with the formation of the Environmental Justice and Racism Team within Environment and Climate Change Canada. CELA will engage with this government office tasked with releasing a strategy to address environmental racism as part of fulfilling our commitment to equity, justice, and health.
In the spirit of environmental justice, we call on and encourage the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change to continue upholding the right to a healthy environment, working to make this right a reality for all Canadians. With these guiding laws and policies in place, we call on the federal government to take measures against environmental neglect and degradation, as well as the resulting consequences.
Underrepresented and under-resourced groups often face disproportionate environmental harm. Pollution and climate change continue to harm locally-sourced food supplies and food transport routes, thereby contributing to heightened levels of food insecurity in under-resourced communities. Such communities also face a higher incidence of respiratory illnesses and chronic health conditions due to the higher siting of polluting industries and waste facilities.
In light of these injustices, we call on the federal government to administer environmental justice where there are gaps, ensuring every individual’s right to a healthy environment. We at CELA reaffirm our commitment to advocating for those who face environmental injustices, while educating the public on these issues and championing law reform to make environmental justice a reality for all.
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