Submission to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development regarding Bill C-230

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) advocates for the passage of Bill C-230, arguing that a national strategy is necessary to address the disproportionate health burdens faced by Black, Indigenous, and immigrant communities due to environmental racism. CAPE emphasizes that universal environmental policies are insufficient for marginalized groups and highlights the specific case of the Mohawk Nation of Akwesasne, where industrial contaminants have led to neurological symptoms, cancers, and autoimmune diseases. The organization asserts that Bill C-230 complements Bill C-28 by providing a legislative mandate and regular reporting to specifically redress the harms of environmental racism.

• Bill C-230 is described as a necessary mechanism to address the ongoing health impacts of systemic racism arising from social, geographical, political, and economic environments.
• Black, Indigenous, and immigrant communities in Canada experience a disproportionate burden of illnesses and toxic exposures linked to their social and geographic locations.
• Universal environmental policies may fail to benefit communities that are disproportionately impacted and marginalized by existing systems.
• In the Mohawk Nation of Akwesasne, industrial contaminants in the air, land, water, and animals have been linked to health issues including cancers, autoimmune diseases, neuropathy, diabetes, and neurological symptoms.
• Bill C-230 is viewed as complementary to Bill C-28; while Bill C-28 recognizes the right to a healthy environment, Bill C-230 specifically mandates a national strategy and regular reporting to redress environmental racism.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2021). Submission to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development regarding Bill C-230. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/CAPE-Submission-for-Bill-C-230.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Submission to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development regarding Bill C-230. 2021. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/CAPE-Submission-for-Bill-C-230.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Submission to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development regarding Bill C-230 |date=26 April 2021 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/CAPE-Submission-for-Bill-C-230.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2021submission, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Submission to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development regarding Bill C-230}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/CAPE-Submission-for-Bill-C-230.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }