Comments on the Canada Gazette Part I, Vol. 152, No. 7 — February 17, 2018, Regulations Amending the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-fired Generation of Electricity Regulations

A submission by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) and several other health organizations supporting the phase-out of coal-fired electricity generation in Canada by 2030. The document argues that coal plants are major sources of greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants, such as mercury and criteria air contaminants, which cause significant respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and developmental issues in children.

• The submitting health organizations strongly support the phase-out of coal plants across Canada by 2030, provided that any exemptions for carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology or equivalency agreements ensure protection from mercury and criteria air contaminants (CACs) equivalent to a full phase-out.
• Coal-fired power plants are a primary source of greenhouse gases in Canada; while they provided only 10.6% of the country's electricity in 2014, they accounted for 72% of the greenhouse gases emitted from the electricity sector.
• The emissions from coal plants, specifically sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which are linked to asthma, lung cancer, and chronic heart and lung diseases.
• Coal-fired power plants are the single largest source of mercury emissions in Canada, accounting for nearly 35% of national air emissions in 2014. Specific provincial impacts include Saskatchewan plants being the two highest emitting sources in the country, and the New Brunswick plant being responsible for 95% of that province's emissions.
• Mercury exposure from coal plants is linked to adverse developmental impacts, including reductions in motor skills and cognitive abilities, particularly affecting pregnant women, children, and Arctic peoples due to long-range transport of contaminants.
• The 2018 Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement (RIAS) estimates that amended coal regulations will generate approximately $1.2 billion in health benefits from 2019 to 2055, primarily from reductions in ground-level ozone (40%) and secondary PM2.5 (60%), with an additional $5 million from mercury reductions.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2018). Comments on the Canada Gazette Part I, Vol. 152, No. 7 — February 17, 2018, Regulations Amending the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-fired Generation of Electricity Regulations. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Health-Coal-Submission-April-16-2018-1.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Comments on the Canada Gazette Part I, Vol. 152, No. 7 — February 17, 2018, Regulations Amending the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-fired Generation of Electricity Regulations. 2018. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Health-Coal-Submission-April-16-2018-1.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Comments on the Canada Gazette Part I, Vol. 152, No. 7 — February 17, 2018, Regulations Amending the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-fired Generation of Electricity Regulations |date=17 April 2018 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Health-Coal-Submission-April-16-2018-1.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2018comments, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Comments on the Canada Gazette Part I, Vol. 152, No. 7 — February 17, 2018, Regulations Amending the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-fired Generation of Electricity Regulations}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2018}, month = apr, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Health-Coal-Submission-April-16-2018-1.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }