Bill S-5 and the Modernization of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA)

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and other groups propose eight priority amendments to Bill S-5 to modernize CEPA. Key recommendations include establishing the right to a healthy environment as a duty, mandating public disclosure of toxic substances in consumer products, setting strict timelines for chemical risk assessments, and limiting the use of Confidential Business Information (CBI) exceptions to increase transparency regarding environmental and health risks.

• Bill S-5 introduces the right to a healthy environment into federal legislation, incorporating principles of intergenerational equity, non-regression, and environmental justice. The authors recommend these be established as "duties to ensure they apply to the entire Act" and that the implementation framework specify actions for when "ambient air quality standards are exceeded".
• The document identifies a lack of transparency regarding chemicals in consumer products, which particularly affects women. It recommends requiring "public disclosure of these substances when used in products" through labeling for any substances determined or suspected to be toxic.
• Current chemical assessment processes under CEPA lack prescribed timelines, leading to multi-year delays for very toxic substances. The authors propose a "one-year timeline for publication for finalizing assessments after publication of the draft" and require that priority plans for assessment be updated at least every five years.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2022). Bill S-5 and the Modernization of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Briefing-Note_S-5_Priority-Amendments_Final_08.31.2022.docx-1.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Bill S-5 and the Modernization of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). 2022. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Briefing-Note_S-5_Priority-Amendments_Final_08.31.2022.docx-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Bill S-5 and the Modernization of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) |date=3 October 2022 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Briefing-Note_S-5_Priority-Amendments_Final_08.31.2022.docx-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2022bill, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Bill S-5 and the Modernization of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA)}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2022}, month = oct, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Briefing-Note_S-5_Priority-Amendments_Final_08.31.2022.docx-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }