OTTAWA – Elaine MacDonald, Ecojustice healthy communities program director issued the following statement in response to Canada’s Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development’s fall report on toxic substances:
“Today’s announcement by the commissioner stands as a stark reminder that, despite repeated efforts to control the risks of toxic substances and better inform the public of their dangers, the federal government continues to miss the mark on enforcing the environmental laws it has at hand to protect the health of Canadians from harmful substances.
“It’s been more than 20 years since the Canadian Environmental Protection Act was last updated. The commissioner’s report should signal to government that it is past time for this law to be strengthened so that we have a world class toxics law that ensures polluters are held to account, toxic chemicals are kept out of our homes, and all communities and vulnerable individuals are equally protected from toxic chemicals and pollution.
“While Minister McKenna stated that there will be no immediate steps taken to modernize Canada’s toxics law this parliamentary session, we remain hopeful that a future government, whichever party may form it, will.”