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11-08 – Environmental Protection and Stewardship

Cadet Administrative and Training Orders (CATOs)

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General

1. The Defence Administrative Orders and Directives – Environmental Stewardship and Protection (DAOD 4003.0 (DRAFT)), provides direction to ensure that environmental considerations are incorporated into all activities. Legislation has been enacted, in order to ensure that the protection of the environment and of human and health is respected. 

2. The CDS has directed that the government’s environmental policies and initiatives are to be implemented. This direction has been channelled, through the VCDS and the Regional Commanders, to the Canadian Cadet Organizations (CCO).

Purpose

3. This order prescribes the National policy for the CCO/Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC) on environmental matters.

4. This order defines the implementation of the CF environmental policies and environmental legislation for the CCO/CIC: 

  1. informs members of the CCO/CIC of their personal and professional responsibility and liability for the environment; and 
  2. promulgates the CCO/CIC chain of communication for environmental matters. 

5. This order promotes the adoption of environmentally sound practices, with compliance to environmental legislation who are accomplished in the following manner: 

  1. federal environmental legislation and regulations and Departmental environmental policy are reflected in this order;
  2. provincial environmental legislation and regulations and command environmental policies must be reflected in regional policies and procedures; and
  3. municipal bylaws and Base/Wing procedures, where appropriate, must be reflected in unit procedures. 

6. The CCO/CIC must ensure the protection of the environment during all activities by adopting environmentally sound practices, and by complying with federal and provincial environmental legislation and regulations, municipal environmental bylaws as well as Departmental environmental regulations.   

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Definitions

7. For the purposes of this order, the following definitions will apply: 

  1. activity: cadet and/or CIC training activities or physical work such as construction or renovations;
  2. Due Diligence is the exercise of reasonable care in the conduct of one’s business or duties. To demonstrate Due Diligence, a member must showt hat they did all that any reasonable person would have done in the same circumstances to avoid a foreseeable risk of harm to the environment. In exercising Due Diligence individuals have a duty to: 

    (1) behave in a responsible manner, 

    (2) prepare for risks that a thoughtful and reasonable person would foresee, and  

    (3) respond to risks and incidents as soon as possible;   

  3. Canadian Cadet Organizations (CCO) is comprised of:  

    (1) the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets,  

    (2) the Royal Canadian Army Cadets, and  

    (3) the Royal Canadian Air Cadets; 

  4. environment: all the components of the earth including:

    (1) air, land and water, 

    (2) all layers of the atmosphere, 

    (3) all organic and inorganic matter and living organisms; the interacting natural systems that include the three components listed above, 

    (4) the interacting natural systems that include the three components listed above, and  

    (5) the cultural environment (social, economic, historic); 

  5. Environmental Assessment (EA): an evaluation process, used early in the planning and decision making stages, to determine the potential environmental effects of a project before any commitments or irrevocable decisions are made. An EA is conducted in accordance with the DND Environmental Assessment manual and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA); 
  6. hazardous material (HAZMAT) refers to: 

    (1) dangerous substances or goods, 

    (2) hazardous substances such as: 

    (a) poisons, 

    (b) corrosive agents, 

    (c) flammable substances, 

    (d) ammunition, 

    (e) explosives, 

    (f) radioactive substances, and/or  

    (g) any other material that can endanger human health, well being or the environment, if handled improperly, e.g. Petroleum, oil and lubricants (POL); 

  7. Regional Cadet Officer (RCO) means the officer responsible to the region commander for all cadet matters within their area of responsibility; and
  8. Cadet Unit: a Corps/Squadron (CC/SQN), Cadet Summer Training Centre (CSTC), Cadet Training Centre (CTC), Regional Gliding School (RGS), Sailing Training Centre (STC), Land Training Schools (LTS), or Regional Cadet Instructor School (RCIS). 

Politique

8. The CCO/CIC undertake to adopt the CF Code of Environmental Stewardship summarized in Annex A. To do so, the CCO/CIC will:

  1. ensure that environmental considerations are taken into account for all CCO/CIC activities, as prescribed in Annex B;
  2. ensure that federal and provincial environmental legislation and regulations, municipal environmental bylaws and Department environmental policies are reflected in CCO/CIC policies and practices; 
  3. ensure that EAs are conducted by qualified Environment Officers when required by and in accordance with the DND EA manual and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act; 
  4. ensure that environmental incidents are responded to as prescribed in Annex C;
  5. utilize proper procedures for hazardous materials as prescribed in Annex D
  6. educate members of the CIC and Cadets on environmental protection and awareness as prescribed in Annex E;
  7. ensure that there is an effective chain of communication for environmental matters; 
  8. reduce waste and energy consumption wherever practicable; and 
  9. lease or manage land in an environmentally responsible manner, in accordance with Departmental guidelines. 

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Legal Liabilities

9. A member of the CF who commits an offence in violation of environmental legislation may: 

  1. suffer penalties under the National Defence act or other federal legislation (for example, the fisheries act); and/or 
  2. be personally liable to cover any financial or imprisonment penalties.

10. The supervisor of a cadet who commits an offence may be charged personally for the actions of the cadet.  

11. A cadet who commits an offence under environmental legislation may be charged under the Young Offenders Act.

Environemental legislation enforcement

12. Enforcement of federal, provincial and municipal environmental legislation are carried out through inspections and investigations by government environmental officials as outlined in Annex F.

Responsabilities

13. In order to ensure that policies are implemented at the appropriate level, responsibilities are divided into three levels, National, Regional and individual. The CCO/CIC chain of communication for environmental matters is outlined in Annex G.

National

14. Director of Cadets (D Cdts) is responsible for the promulgation of National policies within the CCO/CIC, ensuring that: 

  1. environmental considerations are taken into account in the planning and execution of CCO/CIC activities; 
  2. federal environmental legislation and regulations and Department environmental policy are reflected in National CCO/CIC policies; 
  3. EAs are carried out by a qualified Environment Officer for national activities when required by and in accordance with the DND EA manual and the CEAA; 
  4. EAs are registered through NDHQ/DGE; 
  5. environmental incidents occurring during all activities are reported;  
  6. any reports of environmental incidents are staffed, and changes to policy resulting from those reports are carried out; 
  7. proper hazardous materials procedures are reflected in National CCO/CIC policy; 
  8. . environmental considerations are included into CIC Officer General Specifications and Occupational Speciality Specifications; 
  9. environmental considerations are included in cadet and CIC training standards and training plans and the level of training is determined;   
  10. waste reduction and energy conservation considerations are reflected in National CCO/CIC policies; 
  11. land is leased and managed in an environmentally responsible manner; and 
  12. a National Environment Officer (N Env O) is appointed to perform duties as prescribed in Annex X of CATO 11-36 terms of reference.

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Regional

15. Regional policies are to incorporate the activities of the Regional HQ, its detachments and all other units under its control. 

16. Regional Cadet Officers are responsible for the implementation of policy within their region, ensuring that:

  1. environmental considerations are taken into account for all cadet activities, and that no authorization is given to activities where the environment has either not been considered or will be significantly damaged by the activity;
  2. regional policy and planning takes into account provincial environmental legislation and regulations and Command environmental policies; 
  3. regional policy is in accordance with appropriate procedures for hazardous materials; 
  4. EAs are completed for regional activities when required by and in accordance with the DND EA manual and the CEAA; 
  5. NDHQ/D Cdts is informed of any environmental incidents that occur within the region; 
  6. regional policy includes waste and energy consumption considerations where practicable; 
  7. assist units in completion of EAs and register unit EAs; and 
  8. Regional Environment Officer (R Env O) is appointed, to perform duties as prescribed in Annex Y of CATO 11-36 terms of reference .  

17. The Unit CO will incorporate this policy and related regional policies in the unit’s SOP’s, by ensuring that:

  1. environmental considerations are taken into account during unit activities;   
  2. local municipal environmental bylaws and policies and Base/Wing environmental orders (where applicable) are reflected in unit orders; 
  3. EAs are completed when required, by a qualified environment officer in accordance with the DND EA manual. Units not assigned a qualified Environment Officer are to contact region HQ for assistance in completing EAs; 
  4. environmental incidents are reported; 
  5. proper procedures are used for hazardous materials; 
  6. waste and energy consumption is reduced where practicable; 
  7. liaison exists with the appropriate environmental authorities through the region, including the support Base/Wing Environment Officer (B Env O/W Env O) where applicable; and 
  8. a Unit Environment Officer is appointed for CSTCs and RCISs to perform duties as prescribed in Annex Z of CATO 11-36 terms of reference. 

Individual

18. All members of the CCO/CIC are required to act with Due Diligence to protect the environment. 

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Annexes

Annex A

Code of Environmental Stewardship

Annex B

Incorporating Environmental Considerations into Planning

Annex B - Appendix 1

Activity Assessment Chart

Annex C

Environmental Incident

Annex D

Hazardous Materials

Annex D - Appendix 1

Hazardous Materials Absorbent List

Annex E

Training and Education for the Environmental Stewardship (TREES)

Annex F

Environmental Inspections and Investigations

Annex G

CCO Chain of Communication for Environmental Matters

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OPI: D Cdts 3

Date: September 1997

Amendment: Original 

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