Right to a healthy environment portal under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999

Access to information and participation in decision-making are important elements of the right to a healthy environment as provided for in the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). As such, Health Canada (HC) and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) have made information on decisions under CEPA and opportunities to participate in those decisions available here. The implementation framework for the right to a healthy environment under CEPA was published in July 2025. CEPA decision-makers will use the framework to guide their decision-making. This portal provides a single window to information on actions and decisions made under CEPA. As the framework is applied, the public will begin to see how the right to a healthy environment under CEPA has been considered.

Progress on implementing the framework will be reported within the CEPA Annual Report beginning in the 2025-26 report.

Protection from harmful substances and pollutants

Protection from harmful substances and pollutants

Within CEPA, there are specific requirements and authorities for the assessment and management of existing substances that have been or are being used in Canada, and for new substances that are proposed to be introduced into the Canadian marketplace. ECCC and HC assess and manage risks to human health and the environment posed by substances found in food (including retail and country foods), consumer products, drugs, drinking water, air, waste, and industrial releases that may enter the environment, through programs including the Chemicals Management Plan (CMP).

To support protection from harmful substances and pollutants, the federal government also has powers to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from pollution events (see environmental emergency provisions). Within CEPA, this includes requirements for polluters to notify and take corrective actions to protect the environment and human health. If polluters are unable to do what is necessary, then the federal government can intervene at the polluters expense. CEPA includes powers to develop regulations that can help reduce the frequency and severity of accidental releases of over 200 hazardous substances into the environment by setting requirements for industries. They have also been used to establish regulations that reinforce provincial and territorial interests to be the first point of contact for pollution incidents occurring in their communities. This also ensures that ECCC receives the information it needs in a timely way to be informed and intervene. All of this is supported by a robust emergency system that operates 24/7.

Protection from harmful substances and pollutants may also help to protect your right to clean and healthy air, water and a sustainable climate, as some of the substances may be toxic air pollutants, pose risks when found in water, or contribute to climate change. While the actions described here may contribute to those other substantive elements, additional efforts specific to air, water and climate are found on their respective tabs.

CEPA actions will consider your right as it relates to harmful substances and pollutants when:

Identifying if there are risks to people and the environment:

New Substances Risk Assessment Summaries are published regularly. Risk assessment summaries for chemicals and polymers are published where control measures are applied and for the most complete notifications. Risk assessment summaries for living organisms are published for a wide spectrum of organism types, methods of manufacture, uses and risk levels, including but not limited to notifications where control measures are applied. To access risk assessment summaries, go to the Substances Search Tool and select “New Substances Risk Assessment Summaries” in the drop-down menu.

Get involved: public engagement opportunities on the risk assessment of higher organisms (such as genetically modified fish, insects and livestock animals) are posted at Consultations on certain living organisms new to Canada.

Existing substance assessments and related information are found through Chemicals at a Glance, which provides links to information sheets about substances that are being, or have been, assessed in Canada for their possible risks to human health and the environment.

Get involved: consultation opportunities on draft risk assessments for existing substances are posted through the Canada Gazette, on the Consulting with Canadians web page and on the CEPA Registry. Subscribe to the CMP Latest News to stay informed about consultation opportunities. If there is a substance ECCC or HC should consider for assessment under CEPA, submit a request to assess a substance.

Taking action and providing information to protect people and the environment from harmful substances and pollutants:

Control measures, including ministerial prohibitions or ministerial conditions, are imposed to address risks to the environment or human health when a new substance is suspected of being toxic or capable of becoming toxic under CEPA. To access ministerial conditions for new substances (including chemicals, polymers and living organisms), go to the Substances Search Tool and select “Ministerial Conditions” in the drop-down menu.

The significant new activity (SNAc) provisions of CEPA may be used when it is suspected that new activities involving a substance could result in the substance becoming toxic under CEPA. This may be used for both new and existing substances. To access information on substances to which the SNAc provisions have been applied, go to the Substances Search Tool and select “Significant New Activity (SNAc) Orders and Notices” in the drop-down menu.

Risk management of chemical substances involves preventing or controlling the conditions that may cause harm. CEPA has many tools to protect people and the environment from risks, including regulations, codes of practice, pollution prevention planning notices and release guidelines, and some of these can be searched through the Substances Search Tool. The CMP risk management actions table represents actions that have been taken under CEPA and other Acts since January 2006. Note the right to a healthy environment as provided for in CEPA only applies to CEPA decision-making.

Get involved: consultation opportunities on proposed paths forward for risk management (risk management scope and approach documents) and development of risk management tools for existing substances are posted through the Canada Gazette, on the Consulting with Canadians web page and on the CEPA Registry. Subscribe to the CMP Latest News to stay informed about consultation opportunities.

The Environmental Emergency Regulations, 2019 aim to reduce the frequency and severity of accidental releases of hazardous substances into the environment.

Get involved: report an environmental emergency, including a marine or pipeline emergency, to environmental emergency contacts.

Healthy Home provides information on common household chemicals and pollutants, health effects, minimizing exposure and keeping safe.

The Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines (FEQG) are established under CEPA to provide recommended chemical thresholds to support federal initiatives. Preventative FEQGs, often developed for water, biological tissue and sediment, provide thresholds of acceptable quality of the ambient environment below which there is low likelihood of direct adverse effects from the chemical. Remedial FEQGs, often developed for soil and groundwater, are remediation values protective of ecological functions used to assess and help manage contaminants at contaminated sites.

Monitoring and surveilling exposure to harmful substances and pollutants, industrial activity and releases:

The National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) collects information on releases from facilities to air, water or land, disposal and transfers to other locations for treatment and recycling. It can be searched by pollutant, industry, province or watershed to find the data that most affects you and your community. The NPRI Dashboard allows users to navigate and explore the NPRI data. The Substances Search Tool allows searching by substance, including those to which the NPRI applies.

Get involved: consultation opportunities are posted on the Proposed changes to the NPRI web page.

Human Biomonitoring of Environmental Chemicals includes information on the Canadian Health Measures Survey, Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals Research Platform and Northern Contaminants Program.

Data gathered under section 71 of CEPA relates to commercial information collected from manufacturers and importers (for example, concentrations, quantities and uses) on substances of interest under the CMP. To increase transparency and to facilitate access to information on substances in commerce in Canada, the non-confidential information collected by the Government of Canada under the respective notices is available from the Open Data portal.

Research conducted under CEPA helps us advance science to inform decision-making and support evidence-based actions. HC’s compilation of research abstracts provides a summary of the research projects being undertaken, including those on the Health Impacts of Chemicals. The CEPA Annual Report also includes information on research and monitoring undertaken under CEPA.

Performance measurement and evaluation is an important part of the overall chemicals management process, providing information on the effectiveness of risk management actions and helping to ensure that people in Canada can have confidence that their health and the environment are being protected from harmful substances.

CEPA actions contribute to broader Government initiatives that measure progress on protection from harmful substances and pollutants. For example, CEPA programs report under Goal 12 of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS), as it relates to an implementation strategy to assess and manage risks from chemicals and harmful substances, and the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators, which are used to track the progress of the FSDS.

Contact information

For questions related to how the right under CEPA was considered in a decision or action related to harmful substances and pollutants, please email:

For other questions related to the right to a healthy environment under CEPA, please email: HealthyEnv-EnvSain@ec.gc.ca.

Protection from harmful waste

Protection from harmful waste

In Canada, the responsibility of managing and reducing waste is shared between the federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments. CEPA provides authority with respect to disposal at sea of specified materials as well as movement of hazardous waste and hazardous recyclable materials across international and provincial or territorial borders.

Protection from harmful waste is complemented by actions described on the tab ‘Protection from harmful substances and pollutants.’ This page is not a comprehensive list of all CEPA actions related to waste; rather, it focuses on efforts specific to movement of hazardous waste and hazardous recyclable material, disposal at sea and plastic pollution programs.

CEPA actions will consider your right as it relates to harmful waste when:

Identifying if there are risks to people and the environment:

The Science Assessment of Plastic Pollution summarizes the current state of the science regarding the potential impacts of plastic pollution on the environment and human health. It serves as a guide for future research and to inform decision-making on plastic pollution in Canada.

Taking action and providing information to protect people and the environment from harmful waste:

Under CEPA, the Cross-border Movement of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Materials Regulations control international and interprovincial movements of hazardous waste and recyclable material. The regulations ensure that shipments of hazardous waste and hazardous recyclable materials crossing Canada’s borders reach their intended destination in accordance with approved permits for international movements and movement documentation. CEPA requires the publication of certain information provided on notices received for proposed imports, exports and transit of hazardous wastes. To view the notices received for proposed exports, imports and transits of hazardous waste, consult the RESILOG newsletter. A summary of the notices processed as well as trends in the quantities of hazardous wastes and hazardous recyclable materials imported and exported are also provided within the CEPA Annual Report. Notices and advisories related to cross-border movement of hazardous waste and hazardous recyclable materials are available.

Get involved: consultation opportunities on waste management actions are posted on the Consultations on managing and reducing waste web page.

ECCC’s Disposal at Sea program under CEPA regulates and monitors activities related to waste disposal at sea, including internationally, through a permitting scheme. CEPA permits the disposal of authorized dredged material and non-hazardous waste. The disposal at sea legislation and regulations web page outlines CEPA’s rule for managing sea disposal, including permit requirements, approved substances, and environmental protections. Approved permits are available to view on the CEPA Registry.

Get involved: opportunities to comment are posted on the Disposal at sea web page under Opportunities to comment on permit applications.

Under CEPA, the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations manage risks from plastic pollution by prohibiting six categories of single-use plastics. The Federal Plastics Registry collects information that will form an inventory of data on the flow of plastic through the economy, including how it is dealt with at end of life.

Monitoring and surveilling exposure to waste:

The ECCC Disposal at Sea Program conducts monitoring studies of the environmental conditions at representative disposal sites each year. Summaries of annual monitoring activities are available by sending a request to immersion-disposalatsea@ec.gc.ca.

CEPA actions contribute to broader Government initiatives that measure progress on protection from harmful waste. CEPA reports under Goal 12 of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS), as it relates to waste, and the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators, which are used to track the progress of the FSDS.

Contact information

For questions related to how the right under CEPA was considered in a decision or action related to harmful waste, please email:

For other questions related to the right to a healthy environment under CEPA, please email: HealthyEnv-EnvSain@ec.gc.ca.

Clean and healthy air

Clean and healthy air

Within CEPA, there are specific requirements and authorities for the assessment and monitoring of air pollutants; the development and implementation of regulatory and non-regulatory risk management instruments to reduce releases of air pollutants and their precursors from industrial sources, consumer and commercial products, vehicles, engines and fuels; and the establishment of objectives for certain air pollutants in ambient air.

Protection from air pollution is complemented by actions described on the tab ‘Protection from harmful substances and pollutants’ where risks relate to exposure from air, and through actions described on the ‘Sustainable climate’ tab. This page is not a comprehensive list of all CEPA actions related to air pollution; rather, it focuses on additional efforts that are specific to common air contaminants. For additional information related to air pollution, the Air quality web page includes information on health effects, research and data, air pollutants, emissions inventories, air indicators, and more.

CEPA actions will consider your right as it relates to clean and healthy air when:

Taking action and providing information to protect people and the environment from pollutants in air:

Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS) are agreed upon by federal, provincial and territorial governments under the Air Quality Management System (AQMS) to protect human health and the environment. The federal government establishes the CAAQS as objectives under CEPA. Provinces and territories monitor air pollutants in their regions and report about air quality and actions taken to implement AQMS.

The Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations establish air pollution emissions standards agreed under the AQMS for certain equipment used in several industrial sectors.

Health-based air quality objectives and residential indoor air quality guidelines identify safe exposure levels of outdoor air pollutants of concern for human health in either ambient or indoor air.

The Air Quality Health Index is a scale designed to help people understand what the air quality around them means to their health and protect themselves.

The Air quality and health web page provides information on air pollutants, the impact of poor air quality on health, and how to detect and improve indoor air quality.

Get involved: consultation opportunities on health risks posed by indoor and outdoor air pollutants are posted on the Environmental and workplace health consultations web page. Subscribe to the air quality email subscription list to get the latest news about the Government of Canada's work on air quality.

Under the Ozone-depleting Substances and Halocarbon Alternatives Regulations, every person is required to have written authorization from the Minister of Environment and Climate Change prior to manufacturing, importing or exporting ozone-depleting substances and hydrofluorocarbons. There are two types of authorizations: allowances and permits.

Monitoring and surveilling exposure to air pollutants:

The Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory and Black Carbon Emissions Inventory provide comprehensive inventories on air pollutant emissions across Canada. The inventories are submitted annually to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe to meet international commitments.

The National Air Pollution Surveillance Program provides long-term air quality data across Canada to monitor and assess the quality of ambient (outdoor) air in the populated regions of Canada. It is managed using a cooperative agreement among ECCC and the provinces and territories. It continuously monitors sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ground-level ozone, and fine particulate matter, which are toxic under CEPA, and carbon monoxide. Air samples are also analyzed for additional pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds, and detailed composition of particulate matter. Station locations and monitoring priorities are aligned with CEPA responsibilities including to issue Canada’s Air Quality Health Index; the network is also used to generate advice on trends in order to inform the development of regulations under CEPA.

The Canadian Air and Precipitation Monitoring Network provides measurements of atmospheric pollutants in air and precipitation to determine spatial patterns and temporal trends of atmospheric concentrations and deposition of pollutants. Data are used to investigate the effects of emission reductions on deposition and to track deposition changes to sensitive ecosystems.

Research conducted under CEPA helps us advance science to inform decision-making and support evidence-based actions. For example, the Air Quality Benefits Assessment Tool is a computer application developed by HC that is designed to estimate the human health impacts of changes in Canada’s ambient air quality. It is used to estimate the benefits (positive impacts) or damages (negative impacts) of proposed regulatory initiatives that may impact air quality, or other changes to exposure such as from wildfire smoke. HC’s compilation of research abstracts provides a summary of the many research projects being undertaken, including those on air quality. The CEPA Annual Report also includes information on research and monitoring undertaken under CEPA.

CEPA actions contribute to broader Government initiatives that measure progress on clean and healthy air. For example, CEPA programs report under Goal 11 of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) as it relates to clean air, and the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators, which are used to track the progress of the FSDS.

Contact information

For questions related to how the right under CEPA was considered in a decision or action related to air pollutants, please email: air@hc-sc.gc.ca.

For other questions related to the right to a healthy environment under CEPA, please email: HealthyEnv-EnvSain@ec.gc.ca.

Clean and healthy water

Clean and healthy water

CEPA provides authorities to assess and manage the release of toxic substances to aquatic environments through the development and implementation of regulatory and non-regulatory instruments. It also includes provisions to develop guidelines to protect human health, including water quality guidelines for treated drinking water and recreational water use.

Protection from pollutants in water is complemented by actions described on the tab ‘Protection from harmful substances and pollutants’ where risks relate to exposure from water and on the tab ‘Protection from harmful waste’ for disposal at sea-related actions. This page is not a comprehensive list of all CEPA actions related to water; rather, it focuses on additional efforts that are specific to drinking and recreational water.

CEPA actions will consider your right as it relates to clean and healthy water when:

Taking action and providing information to protect people and the environment from pollutants in water:

Drinking Water Quality Guidelines and Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality are technical documents developed by HC in collaboration with the provinces, territories and other federal departments. They set out the maximum acceptable concentrations or treatment goals for a number of contaminants based on known human health effects, exposure levels, and availability of water treatment and analytical technologies. A summary table of current drinking water quality guideline values is available.

Get involved: consultation opportunities on guidelines are posted on the Environment and workplace health consultations web page, through the Canada Gazette, on the Consulting with Canadians web page and on the CEPA Registry. Register for the Consultation and Stakeholder Information Management System and choose "drinking water quality" under Area of Interest to get the latest news about the Government of Canada's work on drinking water quality.

Guidance documents on drinking water and screening values are technical documents developed by HC to help provide information and advice relating to contaminants, drinking water management issues or emergency situations. A summary table of current drinking water quality guidance and a list of screening values are available.

Get involved: consultation opportunities on guidance documents are posted on the Environment and workplace health consultations and Consulting with Canadians web pages.

Water Talk Fact Sheets describe the health effects of certain drinking water contaminants and how people can reduce their own exposure.

CEPA regulations protect the environment from the release of phosphorus from cleaning products that contribute to the over-fertilization of freshwater ecosystems and the growth of harmful algae blooms in lakes and rivers.

Monitoring and surveilling pollutants in water:

Freshwater quality monitoring provides information on environmental monitoring, assessment and reporting related to aquatic ecosystems’ statuses and trends.

National Long-term Water Quality Monitoring Data uses data from federal and federal-provincial sampling sites throughout Canada’s ecosystem and are collected to meet federal commitments, such as under CEPA.

Research conducted under CEPA helps us advance science, including water science, to inform decision-making and support evidence-based actions. HC’s compilation of research abstracts provides a summary of the many research projects being undertaken, including those on water quality. The CEPA Annual Report also includes information on research and monitoring undertaken under CEPA.

CEPA actions contribute to broader Government initiatives that measure progress on clean and healthy water. For example, CEPA programs report under Goal 6 of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) as they relate to clean and safe water, and the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators, which are used to track the progress of the FSDS.

Contact information

For questions related to how the right under CEPA was considered in a decision or action related to pollutants in water, please email: water-eau@hc-sc.gc.ca.

For other questions related to the right to a healthy environment under CEPA, please email: HealthyEnv-EnvSain@ec.gc.ca.

Sustainable climate

Sustainable climate

Many greenhouse gases (GHGs), including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride, are listed as Schedule 1 substances under CEPA. This allows the Government to regulate these emissions across industry sectors including: oil and gas; electricity; vehicle and engine emissions and fuels; and consumer and commercial product emissions.

Action on climate change under CEPA is also complemented by actions described on the tab ‘Protection from harmful substances and pollutants.’ This page is not a comprehensive list of all CEPA actions related to a sustainable climate; rather, it focuses on additional efforts that are specific to GHG emissions.

CEPA actions will consider your right as it relates to a sustainable climate when:

Taking action to protect the environment from GHG emissions:

In the electricity sector, the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-fired Generation of Electricity Regulations lay out stringent performance standards for new coal-fired electricity generation units and those that have reached the end of their useful life. The Regulations Limiting Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Natural Gas-fired Generation of Electricity set performance standards for new and significantly modified natural gas-fired electricity units, providing regulatory certainty on the level of such standards. Beginning in 2035, the Clean Electricity Regulations will set limits on carbon dioxide pollution from almost all electricity generation units that use fossil fuels.

In the oil and gas sector, the Regulations Respecting Reduction in the Release of Methane and Certain Volatile Organic Compounds impose requirements on the upstream oil and gas sector to reduce emissions of methane and certain volatile organic compounds.

Learn about actions taken under CEPA to manage fuel quality and vehicle and engine emissions in this fact sheet.

Several regulations are in place that control the emission performance of a range of on-road and off-road vehicles and engines. For example: the Regulations Amending the Passenger Automobiles and Light Truck Greenhouse Gas Regulations focus on reducing GHG emissions from passenger automobiles and light trucks, and the Heavy-Duty Vehicle and Engine Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations set performance-based GHG emission standards for new on-road heavy-duty vehicles, such as highway tractors, and their engines made in 2014 and later years.

The Clean Fuel Regulations require gasoline and diesel primary suppliers to reduce the carbon intensity of the gasoline and diesel they produce in, and import into, Canada from 2016 levels.

ECCC is developing new regulations aimed at reducing methane emissions from landfills.

Monitoring and surveilling GHG emissions:

Canada tracks and reports on GHG emissions, including through the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, which collects information yearly on GHG releases from facilities (such as industrial operations, manufacturing sites, large landfills). The information can be searched by GHG, industry or province.

The official national greenhouse gas inventory provides a complete set of data on Canada’s GHG emissions across all economic sectors. It is submitted annually to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to meet international commitments and provides input to measure progress in reducing GHG emissions and combatting climate change.

The National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) tracks over 300 pollutants from over 7,000 facilities across Canada. This overview and data integration product examines releases over time of GHGs and certain NPRI substances related to climate change.

Greenhouse gases and aerosols research and monitoring provides information to scientists on how the Earth’s climate system is changing.

CEPA actions contribute to broader Government initiatives that measure progress towards sustainable climate. For example, CEPA programs report under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act toward the target of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. This reflects Canada’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 2018 Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C. CEPA programs also report under Goals 12 and 13 of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) as they relate to reducing vehicle emissions and climate change, and the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators, which are used to track the progress of the FSDS.

Contact information

For questions related to how the right under CEPA was considered in a decision or action related to harmful GHG emissions, please email: ges-ghg@ec.gc.ca; for the NPRI: inrp-npri@ec.gc.ca.

For other questions related to the right to a healthy environment under CEPA, please email: HealthyEnv-EnvSain@ec.gc.ca.

CEPA accountability

CEPA accountability

CEPA compliance promotion and enforcement

CEPA provides ECCC’s enforcement officers with a wide range of powers to enforce the Act to protect human health and the environment. Enforcement officers can:

  • carry out inspections to verify compliance with the Act

  • enter premises, open containers, examine contents and take samples

  • conduct tests and measurements

  • obtain access to information (including data stored on computers)

  • stop and detain conveyances

  • search, seize and detain items related to the enforcement of the Act

  • secure inspection warrants to enter and inspect premises that are locked and/or abandoned or where entry has been refused

  • seek search warrants

  • arrest offenders

ECCC also undertakes compliance promotion activities to help companies understand the requirements of CEPA regulations and other instruments. Compliance promotion and enforcement activities are conducted in accordance with the Compliance and Enforcement Policy for CEPA.

If a violation is confirmed, CEPA enforcement officers have a number of enforcement measures at their disposal such as warnings, directions to deal with or prevent illegal releases of regulated substances, tickets, administrative monetary penalties, orders of various types, including environmental protection compliance orders, injunctions or prosecution.

Information on CEPA compliance promotion and enforcement actions that will protect your right to a healthy environment:

Enforcement notifications contain information about successful prosecutions across Canada, including those that may have occurred as a result of violations to CEPA.

Stay informed: Subscribe to the ECCC's subscription service and select “Enforcement notifications” to get the latest news about ECCC's work on enforcement activities.

The Environmental Offenders Registry includes information on convictions of corporations obtained under certain federal environmental laws, including CEPA. This tool allows searching for corporate convictions using keywords. Search results can be refined using criteria, including the legislation under which the conviction was obtained.

The CEPA Annual Report summarizes compliance promotion activities as well as enforcement priorities, inspections, investigations and measures, including written warnings, Environmental Protection Compliance Orders, and administrative monetary penalties.

CEPA remedies in the event of environmental harm

There are existing tools under CEPA that the public can use to request the Government of Canada to act if they believe that environmental damages have occurred, or if they believe there has been non-compliance with CEPA.

For example:

  • an individual who is at least 18 years of age and a resident of Canada can request that the Minister of Environment and Climate Change conduct an investigation of an alleged offence (section 17)

  • should the Minister fail to conduct an investigation or respond unreasonably, and if there has been significant harm to the environment, then the individual has the right to proceed with a civil suit, and/or civil action (section 22) that seeks remediation of damage to the environment. The individual is not entitled to any personal damage award but can seek reimbursement of their costs in bringing the action

  • any person who suffers loss or damage as a result of a contravention to CEPA or to CEPA regulations can seek an injunction (section 39)

  • any person can file a notice of objection requesting that a board of review be established. Notices of objection are posted online, and may be filed when:

    • the Minister enters an administrative agreement with a government or with an aboriginal people related to administration of the Act (section 9(3))

    • the Minister enters an equivalency agreement with another government (section 10(5))

    • the Minister issues, refuses, renews, refuses to renew, suspends or revokes a permit for disposal at sea, or varies its conditions (section 134)

    • the Minister publishes a proposed order or regulation or a proposed instrument under certain provisions of CEPA (section 332(2))

Contact information

For questions related to how enforcement actions taken under CEPA protects the right under the Act or if you suspect a non-compliant incident within CEPA authority, please email: enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca or contact the National Enforcement Headquarters.

For other questions related to the right to a healthy environment under CEPA, please email: HealthyEnv-EnvSain@ec.gc.ca.

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2025-07-18