There are four pillars to Environment Canada's Environmental Emergencies Program, all supported by the foundation of scientific and technical knowledge.
The first pillar is prevention. It involves identifying potential causes of emergencies, and the development and implementation of strategies to minimize the likelihood of an emergency. Environment Canada works to ensure that toxic and other hazardous substances are managed safely at fixed facilities in Canada. As well, Environment Canada supports other federal departments such as Transport Canada, with its lead for the transportation of dangerous goods (marine, rail and road), and Natural Resources Canada for oil and gas pipelines.
When there is an environmental emergency, all responsible organizations must be ready to respond. Preparedness, as the second pillar, involves effective contingency plans and procedures for how this work is to be carried out, and by whom. Environment Canada works with a wide variety of organizations across Canada to help develop such plans, and also in delivering information and support services that it is mandated to provide on behalf of the Government of Canada.
Response to an environmental emergency, the third pillar, is first and foremost the responsibility of the polluter that caused the incident. Generally, the polluter is responsible for all costs and the actions needed to bring the emergency under control, as well as clean-up of any hazardous substances. Making sure this work is effectively carried out, and providing scientific and technical support, is the responsibility of government agencies at the provincial, territorial and federal levels. Which one often depends on the location of the emergency and the affected environment. If the polluter does not respond the way it should, or if the incident is so large that the polluter cannot do the job alone, the government agencies will work together to protect the public and the environment.
Environment Canada has oversight responsibilities under the response pillar. These involve incidents that have an impact on another country, (the United States might be such a case), ones on federal government land, or incidents where there is federal regulatory responsibility (such as under the Fisheries Act or CEPA, 1999). Environment Canada’s role in providing scientific and technical support primarily involves information on the characteristics of substances and how they might affect human health and the environment; weather forecasting and spill modeling to identify where these substances are likely to move in the environment; sampling and laboratory analytical support; and information on clean-up techniques.
Even after the immediate threat posed by an environmental emergency has been removed and the hazardous materials cleaned up, longer term damages caused by the incident must also be addressed. This is the recovery pillar. The polluter has primary responsibility for ensuring the environment is restored, as much as possible, to its pre-incident condition. Where this is not possible, an appropriate level of environmental damage compensation is paid. Environment Canada supports the recovery component with development of damage assessment and restoration tools and techniques, and administers the Environmental Damages Fund established in 1995. The Fund serves as a federal government trust account for managing and dispersing environmental compensation payments.
