Help with searching
 Help with searching Adobe PDF documents
 Explanation of the sidebar elements
 Site Map
 Help in navigating The Green LaneTM

Help with Searching

Basic Search

To enter a query into the Environmental Registry, go to the "Search button," type in a few descriptive words and hit the "enter" key (or click on the "Go" button) for your list of relevant results. The Search function searches only for pages that exactly match your search terms, so it can be helpful to try using different versions of your terms. For example, if a search for "toxic substance" didn't turn up what you were looking for, try "toxic substances" instead. You might also try rephrasing your query. For example, searches on "environmental conservation" and "conservation of the environment" return different sets of results.

Search for words or terms in a PDF Document

Most versions of Acrobat Reader allow you to search for text within a PDF document. The Find and Find Again icons are not enabled for versions that do not support text search.

1. Open the PDF Document in your web browser (click on the link to the PDF Document).
2. Click on the Find button at the top of your browser window (the Find button is represented by a pair of binoculars).
3. You will then be presented with a small find window. Type the term you wish to search for in the box provided then click on Find. To find other instances of the term, simply continue to click Find Again (the Find Again button is represented by a pair of binoculars with a small arrow).
4. A successful search will show the items found by highlighting them in the document.

N.B. Truncation (wild card searching) is not supported in Adobe PDF documents, neither is stemming or Boolean searches.

Sidebar Elements

The Registry contains the following types of information:

• General Information
  This section relates to the overall delivery of CEPA. It contains information on the National Advisory Committee, the CEPA Management Committee and links to CEPA Annual Reports. This section also contains a variety of Fact Sheets related to CEPA 1999 as well as archived material relating to CEPA 1988.
  
  
• Publications
  Many CEPA-related reports, papers, book chapters, articles and manuscripts have been published by Environment Canada and Health Canada scientists. Publications can be viewed by category or searched for using keywords or phrases.
  
  
• Public Participation
  Provides timely notice of current public consultation opportunities, links to relevant documents and contact persons as well as archives of past public consultations and a search function to assist in finding specific information.
  
  
• The Act
  The full text of the Act is available for viewing and downloading as well as a list of Amendments to CEPA 1999 and a guide to understanding CEPA. A search function is also available (i.e. able to assist in finding specific information).
  
  
• Regulations
  Provides ready access to the full text of proposed and current regulations, as well as brief summaries of the regulation content. A search tool allows for the use of keywords or phrases to find specific regulatory information.
  
  
• Notices
  CEPA requires the Minister to advise Canadians of a wide variety of activities taking place under the Act. These include Priority Substance Assessments and Approvals of Ocean-dumping Permits, amongst others. Notices can be searched for using keywords or phrases.
  
  
• Orders
  Orders are the means by which the government exercises decision-making authorities provided under the Act. These decisions include introduction of and changes to regulations; and actions taken to deal with a significant impact to the environment or to human life or health. A search tool is available to assist in finding specific information.
  
  
• Permits
  Currently, under CEPA, permits are issued for three activities: Disposal at Sea, Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste, and Ozone-depleting Substances. Specific information related to these permits is available in this section.
  
  
• Substance Lists
  This section provides links to information and web pages related to specific substance lists (i.e. PSL, NPRI, Export Control List, NDSL, DSL, Toxic Substances List).
  
  
• Monitoring and Research
  This section provides information arising from the requirements of CEPA, 1999 for the Department to engage in research and monitoring. This includes an overview of Environment Canada's Research Services and information on a variety of monitoring programs, action plans, projects, inventories and testing methods as well as research programs such as technology development and classification of substances.
  
  
• Guidelines/Codes of Practices
  This section addresses non-regulatory Environment Canada and CCME instruments including environmental quality objectives, guidelines, guidance manuals, national standards and codes of practice.
  
  
• Agreements
  This section provides descriptions and links for all equivalency and administrative agreements entered into under CEPA. It also contains links to related International and Federal/Provincial/Territorial Agreements such as Canada-Wide Standards, Environmental Performance Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding.
  
  
• Plans
  CEPA provides for planning in the areas of Pollution Prevention, Virtual Elimination, Environmental Emergencies; and plans for the reduction or phase-out of exports of wastes destined for final disposal. Descriptions of these plans and guidance documents, as required for their development, are available.
  
  
• Policies
  This section contains Environment Canada's policies related to the administration and delivery of CEPA (i.e. Compliance and Enforcement Policy, Toxic Substances Management Policy, Pollution Prevention Planning).
  
  
• Enforcement and Compliance
  Currently, this section contains documents, data and statistics on enforcement and compliance issues including information on the role and principles of CEPA 1999 enforcement, Review Officers, tools, Environmental Protection Alternative Measures, Environmental Damages Fund as well as prosecutions under CEPA 1999.
  
  
• Archives
  Documents posted on the CEPA Registry are periodically replaced by more current versions and the previous versions archived for reference purposes. This section also contains links to past Public Consultation and What's New notices as well as archived information from the former act, CEPA 1988.
  
  
• CEPA Review
  This section contains information related to the Parliamentary Review of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA 1999) including an explanation of each phase of the process. The Review provides an opportunity for Canadians to provide feedback on how well they feel the Act is protecting the environment and human health.