Strengthening the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA)

A statement from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and other organizations urging Members of Parliament to support the modernization of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) based on recommendations from the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.

• The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and partner organizations argue that CEPA requires updating because it is nearly twenty years old and does not reflect current international environmental law or the modern understanding of pollution sources and effects.
• Pollution and toxic substances cause significant health and economic burdens in Canada, including 7,700 premature deaths annually due to poor air quality. Cumulative exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and carcinogens in consumer products is linked to chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, asthma, allergies, childhood cancers, and brain development-related deficiencies, with an estimated economic cost in the tens of billions.
• Polling by the Gandalf Group indicates strong public support for CEPA reform: 92% of Canadians support the government recognizing the right to a healthy, non-toxic environment, 96% want full disclosure of all ingredients (including toxics) on product labels, and 90% believe Canada should restrict chemicals already determined to be toxic in Europe or the United States.
• The authors advocate for specific legislative improvements to CEPA, including the establishment of legally-binding national water and air quality standards, legal recognition of the human right to a healthy environment, transparent product labelling for toxics, and stricter restrictions on endocrine-disrupting and cancer-causing chemicals in consumer products.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2017). Strengthening the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.Re-Strengthening-the-Canadian-Environmental-Protection-Act-1999-CEPA-Sept.-5-2017.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Strengthening the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). 2017. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.Re-Strengthening-the-Canadian-Environmental-Protection-Act-1999-CEPA-Sept.-5-2017.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Strengthening the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) |date=5 September 2017 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.Re-Strengthening-the-Canadian-Environmental-Protection-Act-1999-CEPA-Sept.-5-2017.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2017strengthening, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Strengthening the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA)}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2017}, month = sep, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.Re-Strengthening-the-Canadian-Environmental-Protection-Act-1999-CEPA-Sept.-5-2017.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }