Canadian Environmental Protection Act annual report for April 1996 to March 1997

I am pleased to present to Parliament the Annual Report of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1997.

The priority for this year has once again been the renewal of the Act that will guide us into the new millennium. The efforts and recommendations of parliamentarians that, last year, resulted in a government response were combined into a Bill, C-74, that was tabled in the House in December.

Meanwhile, activity under the act has not stopped. During the year four new regulations were published bringing the total number to 25. This year’s regulations were for:

• The sulphur content of diesel fuel;
• The registration of petroleum storage tanks on federal lands;
• The export of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) wastes, ensuring that they could not be land-filled; and
• The notification, by manufacturers and importers, of new biotechnology products.

Programs already established under the act continued to be productive. For instance:

• 23 biochemicals and 22 micro-organisms were added to the Domestic Substances List;
• Over 2400 substances were added to the Non-Domestic Substances List;
• Over 1200 new substances were reviewed and assessed;
• Nearly 6000 notices for the import, export and transit of hazardous wastes in Canada were registered;
• 92 permits were issued representing 5.2 million tonnes of waste for disposal at sea;
• 700 inspections were carried out and five prosecutions commenced; and
• Seven agreements, with provincial and territorial governments for inspection and enforcement of the act, were administered.

The report also outlines the numerous international agreements and protocols, that cover a wide variety of issues important to Canada, and the progress being made in pollution prevention across the country. As members of a science-based department, my scientists and those of my colleague at Health Canada, have published 300 papers this year.

The dedication of my officials to fulfilling the mandate of the act have held us and the environment in good stead during this year.

Christine Stewart
Minister of the Environment