SCOPING THE ISSUES: Preparation for the Parliamentary Review of the CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT, 1999

Strengthening Legislation for a Sustainable Environment, a Healthy Population and a Competitive Economy

December 2004

Prepared by:
Environment Canada and Health Canada

Table of Contents

• FOREWORD
• SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION
• SECTION 2: CONTEXT FOR THE REVIEW
  • 2.1 Protection of the environment and human health
  • 2.2 Environmental Sustainability For National Well-Being And Economic Prosperity
  • 2.3 CEPA's Evolving Role In Environmental Protection In Canada
    • 2.3.1 CEPA 1999
  • 2.4 Strengthening Environmental Protection Management
• SECTION 3: EFFECTIVE DECISION-MAKING
  • 3.1 Overview And Key Objectives
  • 3.2 Pollution Prevention
    • Implementing pollution prevention
    • Keeping-clean-areas-clean
  • 3.3 Precautionary Principle
    • Vulnerable populations
  • 3.4 Transparency And Public Participation
    • CEPA Environmental Registry
    • Mandatory review period
  • 3.5 Coherence within and among governments
    • 3.5.1 Promoting National Coherence
      • A) Federal/Provincial Coherence in Managing Toxic Substances
      • B) Coherence among Federal/Provincial/Territorial/Aboriginal Authorities
        • Administrative and equivalency agreements
      • C) Coherence with Aboriginal Peoples in Policy and Instrument Development
  • 3.5.2 Promoting Coherence Among Federal Laws And Policies
    • Managing toxics associated with products
    • Biotechnology
    • Remedial measures for animate products of biotechnology
  • 3.6 Federal Operations And Federal And Aboriginal Lands
• SECTION 4: TIMELY ACCESS TO INFORMATION
  • 4.1 Overview And Key Objectives
  • 4.2 What CEPA 1999 Does
  • 4.3 Should CEPA 1999 be implemented differently? Should the Act be Changed?
    • Biomonitoring
    • The National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI)
    • Information gathering powers
• SECTION 5: SOUND SCIENCE AND RESEARCH
  • 5.1 Overview And Key Objectives
  • 5.2 Scientific And Technology Research And Development
  • 5.3 Traditional Aboriginal Knowledge
  • 5.4 Sound Science And Risk Assessment Of Existing Substances
  • 5.5 Sound Science And Risk Assessment Of New Substances
    • New substances
    • Updating the Domestic Substances List (DSL)
• SECTION 6: PERFORMANCE PROMOTION
  • 6.1 Overview And Key Objectives
  • 6.2 Compliance Promotion And Enforcement
  • 6.3 Schedule 1
    • 6.3.1 Use of the term "toxic"
    • 6.3.2 Process of adding a substance to Schedule 1
  • 6.4 Economic Instruments
  • 6.5 Virtual Elimination
  • 6.6 Hazardous Waste And Hazardous Recyclable Materials
    • Updating permits
    • Export reduction plans
  • 6.7 Fuels And Vehicle and Engine Emissions
    • Vehicle and Engine Emissions
    • Fuels
  • 6.8 Sale of New Substances
  • 6.9 Disposal At Sea
    • Requirement to publish permits in the Canada Gazette
    • More flexibility for a permit's term
    • Fisheries Act Issues
  • 6.10 Environmental Matters Relating to Emergencies
• SECTION 7: EDUCATION - PROMOTING UNDERSTANDING
  • 7.1 Overview and Key Objectives
  • 7.2 What CEPA 1999 Does
  • 7.3 Should CEPA 1999 be implemented differently? Should the Act be Changed?
    • Indicators and Environmental and Health Prediction
    • Risk communication
• SECTION 8: CONCLUSIONS AND NEXT STEPS