Environmental health: a key election issue and one that must not be forgotten by the next government

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) calls for the next Canadian government to prioritize environmental health by reforming the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and reintroducing an improved version of Bill C-28. The organization highlights that air pollution causes nearly 15,000 premature deaths annually in Canada, with lower-income populations and marginalized groups disproportionately affected by toxic exposures. CAPE advocates for an unqualified right to a healthy environment, the prioritization of toxic substances of concern, and the cessation of all fiscal supports to the oil and gas sector by 2022.

• Preventable toxic exposures in Canada are a public health and environmental justice issue, disproportionately affecting women, children, Indigenous peoples, people living in poverty, and racialized women in precarious work conditions.
• Air pollution is a significant cause of premature death, with nearly 15,000 Canadians dying annually; lower-income Canadians are three times more likely to live near pollution sources.
• CAPE advocates for specific strengthening measures for Bill C-28, including an unqualified right to a healthy environment not balanced against economic factors, the prioritization of toxic substances, and the assessment of cumulative and synergistic effects of toxics.
• Critical health protections requested from the next government include ending all subsidies and public finance for the oil and gas sector by 2022, including support via Export Development Canada, and ending harmful thermal coal exports.

APA

Admin, C. (2021). Environmental health: a key election issue and one that must not be forgotten by the next government. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. https://cape.ca/environmental-health-a-key-election-issue-and-one-that-must-not-be-forgotten-by-the-next-government/

Chicago

Admin, CAPE. Environmental health: a key election issue and one that must not be forgotten by the next government. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, 2021. https://cape.ca/environmental-health-a-key-election-issue-and-one-that-must-not-be-forgotten-by-the-next-government/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Admin |first1=CAPE |title=Environmental health: a key election issue and one that must not be forgotten by the next government |publisher=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |date=16 September 2021 |url=https://cape.ca/environmental-health-a-key-election-issue-and-one-that-must-not-be-forgotten-by-the-next-government/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{admin2021environmental, author = {Admin, CAPE}, title = {{Environmental health: a key election issue and one that must not be forgotten by the next government}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2021}, month = sep, url = {https://cape.ca/environmental-health-a-key-election-issue-and-one-that-must-not-be-forgotten-by-the-next-government/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }