There are, unfortunately, countless instances of how CEPA has failed Canadians and left real people exposed to real risks.
Some Indigenous communities live with dangerously high levels of pollution. Harmful chemicals, such as flame retardants used in furniture and electronics, PFAS used in food packaging, and petrochemicals used in plastics and personal care products can put Canadians’ health at risk.
An updated CEPA that includes the right to a healthy environment matters because it will strengthen how our decision-makers assess and regulate chemicals and apply the policies they introduce.
In Ontario, the Aamjiwnaang First Nation is located in an area of Ontario that has become known as Chemical Valley. The sprawling industrial complex, with a cluster of petroleum refineries, petrochemical plants, and energy facilities, pumps out pollution into the air that results in pollution levels higher than almost anywhere else in Canada.
Toxic pollution inflicted on the Aamjiwnaang First Nation and others who live in the vicinity of Chemical Valley has real and lasting consequences. A study published in 2019 found strikingly high rates of cancer linked to exposure to benzene, a petrochemical measured at elevated concentrations in the air of communities adjacent to Chemical Valley’s plants.
One step the federal government can take right now to correct some of the injustices Aamjiwnaang First Nation continues to experience is to enshrine the right to a healthy environment in CEPA.