Regulations

Regulations are one of the instruments in the toolbox that Environment Canada uses to achieve environmental objectives and meet statutory obligations. Regulations are legally enforceable instruments that can create different kinds of requirements on different kinds of activities, including restrictions on some activities and authorizations on others to improve scientific research or commercial activities in an environmentally sustainable manner. They can require reporting, monitoring, research and sharing of information.

Environment Canada is one of the Government of Canada's most active regulators, administering over 80 regulations that regulate certain activities of industries, other levels of government, trading partners and Canadians in every region of the country. Because of this, Environment Canada is always seeking to improve its regulatory performance as a part of its commitment to operate as a World Class Regulator.

Below you will find links to Environment Canada's regulations along with information on many of its regulatory programs.

Information is also available on Environment Canada's World Class Regulator commitment.

• Antarctic Environmental Protection Act (AEPA) Regulations

  This section provides information on AEPA permits and a link to AEPA regulations on the Department of Justice website.

• Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999) Regulations

  This section contains a regularly updated list of regulations under CEPA 1999.

• Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations

  This section provides summaries of the migratory bird hunting regulations for each province and territory.

• Wild Animal and Plant Trade Regulations

  This section provides information the administration of the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act, including a link to regulations.

• Migratory Birds Regulations

  This section provides links to the Migratory Birds Conventions Act, 1994, including links to the Migratory Birds Regulations and Migratory Bird Sanctuary Regulations.

• Fisheries Act Regulations

  Environment Canada administers several regulations under the Fisheries Act to control water pollution from certain activities, including pulp and paper processing and metal mining. This section provides links to Fisheries Act regulations administered by Environment Canada.

• Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations are another significant set of controls created under the Fisheries Act.

• Weather Modification Information Regulations

  These Regulations, accessible through the link to the Department of Justice website, set out requirements for reporting activities intended to influence the weather artificially.

• Wildlife Area Regulations

  This section provides general information on the Wildlife Act and a link to its regulations on the Department of Justice website.

• Disposal at Sea Regulations

  Regulations regarding potentially harmful activities at sea include: the Disposal at Sea Regulations under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999; the Deposit Out of the Normal Course of Events Notification Regulations under the Fisheries Act; and the Disposal at Sea Permit Fee Regulations under the Financial Administration Act. Clicking on any of the links will take to the appropriate regulations on the Department of Justice website.

• International River Improvement Regulations

  The link will take you to these Regulations on the Department of Justice website. More information on these Regulations is also available on the water governance and legislation section of the Environment Canada website.