Canada’s National Pollutant Release Inventory: 2024 data highlights

The National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) collects information from industrial facilities across Canada to monitor pollution trends. Since 1993, the NPRI has tracked releases to air, water, and land, as well as how pollutants are managed or transferred for disposal, recycling, or treatment. The data reported by facilities helps Canadians understand the sources of pollutants and the progress being made to reduce environmental impacts.

Facilities that meet NPRI reporting requirements are required to submit reports each year. The data presented in this report is current as of October 9th, 2025, and may be updated slightly due to facility reporting adjustments or quality control checks.

2024 data at a glance

In 2024, a total of 7,887 facilities submitted an inventory report to the NPRI and 1,288 reported that they did not meet criteria. These facilities reported approximately 5.47 million tonnes of pollutants, covering over 300 substances:

• 2.86 million tonnes were released directly to the environment, including to air, water, and land 
• 2.15 million tonnes were disposed of by:
  • landfilling
  • tailings management
  • waste rock management
  • injected underground, either on the facility site or off-site
• 458,161 tonnes were transferred off-site for treatment prior to final disposal or for recycling and energy recovery

Breakdown of the total quantities reported for 2024, by reporting category

Between 2015 and 2024, reported releases to the environment decreased by 355,107 tonnes (11%). During the same period, total disposals and transfers increased by 1,047,768 tonnes (67%).

Releases to air

Most pollutants released directly to the environment were emitted into the atmosphere. In 2024, air emissions totalled over 2.68 million tonnes, covering 164 different substances. The pollutants reported in the highest quantities were carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide (expressed as nitrogen dioxide), sulphur dioxide and particulate matter, all of which contribute to smog and acid rain.

The Oil and Gas Extraction sector, along with the Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing sector, released the largest quantities of pollutants to the air. Compared with 2015, air pollutant releases decreased by 355,107 tonnes (11%). 

Releases to water

Approximately 159,000 tonnes of pollutants were released to water in 2024, including 78 different substances. The most frequently reported substances were nitrate, ammonia, and phosphorus, primarily from wastewater treatment facilities.

The Water, Sewage and Other Systems sector reported the highest quantities of water pollutant releases. It is important to note that wastewater treatment facilities discharge treated water to surface water which can still contribute to environmental pollution, even if the facility is not the original source. Between 2015 and 2024, releases to water increased by 32,232 tonnes (25%). 

Releases to land

In 2024, 23,363 tonnes of pollutants were released to land, encompassing 62 different substances. The most released substance was ethylene glycol, an antifreeze and de-icing agent used in aircraft operations. Facilities supporting the air transportation sector released the largest quantities of land pollutants. Compared with 2015, land releases increased by 10,788 tonnes (86%).

Other releases

In some instances, facilities reported total releases of substances without specifying the environmental medium. These reports apply only to certain substances when the total release quantity was less than one tonne. Between 2015 and 2024, these unspecified releases decreased by 135 tonnes (27%).

Disposals and transfers for recycling

In 2024, facilities reported a total of 5.47 million tonnes of substances to the NPRI. Of this, approximately 2.15 million tonnes, or 67%, were either disposed of or transferred off-site for recycling and treatment.

Disposals in tailings, which include leftover materials from mineral extraction, accounted for 957,421 tonnes of the 2.15 million tonnes. Between 2015 and 2024, tailing disposals increased by 193,170 tonnes (25%).

Disposals in waste rock, which consists of rock removed to access ore, accounted for 521,393 tonnes. This represents a significant increase of 441,745 tonnes (555%) since 2015. This increase is primarily due to higher reported quantities from the mining and quarrying sectors.

Other on-site disposals accounted for 417,091 tonnes, while off-site disposals accounted for 250,903 tonnes. Compared with 2015, on-site disposals rose by 150,377 tonnes (56%), and off-site disposals increased by 151,536 tonnes (153%).

Off-site transfers for recycling and treatment accounted for 458,161 tonnes in 2024, a 32% increase from 2015.

Note: Some substances may be counted more than once. This can happen when a substance is transferred to a specialized waste management site and then sent to a final disposal site. As a result, combining reports from different facilities may lead to double counting. For more information, see the Guide for using and interpreting NPRI data.

Map of facilities reporting to the NPRI for 2024, by industry sector

Note: This map shows the NPRI reporting facilities for 2024 (7,887 facilities), excluding those that did not meet the reporting criteria (1,288 facilities).

Regional overview

In 2024, the Prairie region recorded the largest volume of pollutant releases, accounting for 42% of the national total. The Québec and Ontario region also contributed significantly, reporting 39% of total releases. The Prairie region also reported the highest number of disposals and transfers, contributing 37% of the national total.

Atlantic region

Provinces

• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Prince Edward Island
• Nova Scotia
• New Brunswick

Population

2.6 million people (2024), or 6.5% of the Canadian population.

Number of facilities

In 2024, 224 facilities in the region reported to the NPRI.

Top sectors and substances

• Main Sectors by facility count: 
  • Other (Except Manufacturing) sector (37 facilities; 18% of total facilities)
  • Electricity sector (30 facilities; 14% of total facilities)
• Top substance by quantity: 
  • manganese and its compounds
    • mostly disposed onsite by the Mining and Quarrying sector
    • in 2024, 36% of the manganese releases across Canada were from the Atlantic region

Total pollutant releases

382,863 tonnes.

Québec and Ontario region

Population

24.7 million people (2024), or 61% of the Canadian population.

Number of facilities

In 2024, 2,421 facilities in the Québec and Ontario region reported to the NPRI.

Top sectors and substances

• Main sector by facility count: 
  • Other Manufacturing sector (625 facilities; 26% of total facilities)
  • Chemicals sector (275 facilities; 11% of total facilities)
• Top substance by quantity:
  • carbon monoxide
    • mostly released by the Aluminum sector
    • in 2024, 56% of carbon monoxide releases across Canada were from the Québec and Ontario region

Total pollutant releases:

1,840,624 tonnes.

Prairie region

Provinces

• Alberta
• Manitoba
• Saskatchewan

Population

7.4 million people (2024), or 18.3% of the Canadian population.

Number of facilities:

In 2024, 4,504 facilities in the Prairie region reported to the NPRI.

Top sectors and substances

• Main sector by facility count: 
  • in 2024, the Conventional Oil and Gas Extraction sector had the most facilities in the Prairie region (3253 facilities; 72% of total facilities)
• Top substance by quantity: 
  • hydrogen sulphide and nitrogen oxides
    • mostly disposed and released by the Conventional Oil and Gas Extraction sector
    • in 2024, 96% of hydrogen sulphide and 59% of nitrogen oxide releases across Canada were from the Prairie region

Total pollutant releases

2,020,706 tonnes.

Pacific region

Provinces

• British Columbia

Population

5.6 million people (2024), or 13.8% of the Canadian population.

Number of facilities

In 2024, 650 facilities in the Pacific region reported to the NPRI.

Top sectors and substances

• Main sector by facility count:
  • in 2024, the majority of facilities in the Pacific region were in the Conventional Oil and Gas Extraction sector (224 facilities; 34% of total facilities)
• Top substance by quantity:
  • phosphorus
    • mostly disposed by the Mining and Quarrying sector
    • in 2024, 55% of phosphorus releases across Canada were from the Pacific region

Total pollutant releases

1,084,300 tonnes.

Northern region

Territories

• Yukon
• Northwest Territories
• Nunavut

Population

131,069 people (2024), or less than 1% of the Canadian population.

Number of facilities

In 2024, 88 facilities in the region reported to the NPRI.

Top sectors and substances

• Main sector by facility count:
  • in 2023, the Electricity sector had the most facilities in the Northern region (62 facilities; 70% of total facilities)
• Top substance by quantity:
  • arsenic and its compounds
    • mostly disposed by the Mining and Quarrying sector
    • in 2024, 63% of arsenic releases and disposals across Canada were from the Northern region

Total pollutant releases

137,414 tonnes.

Pollution prevention plans

Pollution prevention involves identifying and finding ways to minimize the causes of waste and pollution. A facility’s pollution prevention plan includes an examination of current operations and steps to eliminate or reduce pollution at its source.

In 2024, 960^{Footnote 1}  reporting facilities had pollution prevention plans in place. Of these plans:

• 575 were prepared voluntarily
• 385^{Footnote 2}  were prepared to meet the requirements of provincial or territorial governments (e.g., requirements of a notice under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999)

Pollution prevention activities

4,050 facilities (44% of reporting facilities) reported having at least one pollution prevention activity. There are eight categories of pollution prevention activities that facilities can report taking. For 2024, the most common activity category was “Good operating practice or training”, with 2,250 facilities that had this activity. The second most common activity was “Spill and leak prevention”, with 651 facilities that had this activity.

Activities reported by sector for 2024

To learn more about pollution prevention, and for examples of actions facilities have implemented, see how your business can prevent pollution.

Pollution prevention activities were implemented for 161 substances (over 50% of substances reported to the NPRI) in the 2024 reporting year. The substances with the greatest number of pollution prevention activities implemented are Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

4,742^{Footnote 3}  facilities (60% of reporting facilities) declared not having implemented activities in the 2024 reporting year. Barriers to implementation included:

^{Footnoteunknown or unavailable alternatives (1,260 facilities)}

• unknown or unavailable alternatives (1,357 facilities)

• additional activities being unnecessary or unfeasible at this time (1,357 facilities)

• insufficient understanding of pollution prevention (426 facilities)

• insufficient capital (480 facilities)

• limits due to regulatory or permit obligations (134 facilities)
• concern that product quality may decline as a result of activities (96 facilities)

• other reasons (1,247 facilities)

Access NPRI data

You can download the complete NPRI data in a variety of formats from the Government of Canada open data portal and the NPRI explore data webpage.

For any additional information or if you have any questions regarding the data, do not hesitate to contact us via email at inrp-npri@ec.gc.ca.

Don’t miss this opportunity to discover and explore these valuable resources for a comprehensive understanding of the current environmental situation.

Source: NPRI data as of October 9th, 2025.