Vision

Compliance with the laws administered by Environment Canada (EC) to help achieve environmental management objectives.

Mandate

To enforce the Canadian Environmental Protection Act 1999 (CEPA 1999), and the general pollution prevention provisions of the Fisheries Act (FA), and accompanying regulations.

Role

Environmental law enforcement is an effective tool that contributes to the achievement of many environmental, economic and social objectives. Enforcement complements a variety of other government strategies and initiatives. It fits within the continuum of EC's regulatory program - beginning with the creation of regulations through to verifying and compelling compliance when necessary.

Effective environmental law enforcement provides:

• Deterrence through on-site inspections and the use of sanctions (including prosecutions).
• Status on the level of compliance with laws and regulations.
• Higher level of compliance with laws and regulations.
• Intelligence to better target persons involved with or conspiring to smuggle banned substances.
• Improved protection and conservation of environmental and natural resources and public health.
• Information to enhance compliance promotion, operational policies and procedures.
• Input to the design/revision of regulations.
• A contribution to the "leveling of the playing fields" within the regulated communities.

Better results by working with international and domestic partners than can be achieved by working alone.

Program Objectives

To motivate, assess and compel compliance with pollution prevention legislation in order to contribute to the achievement of the environmental objectives set by legislation and international obligations.

Brochure

Brochure - Environmental Protection: Enforcement Program  

We recently published a brochure about us that explains who we are, what we do and how we do it. We use it as a handout at intergovernmental meetings, conferences and in order to answer frequently asked questions, be they from the public, business, academia and so on.

We make it available here to broaden its circulation.