Re. Bill S-5, Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act

Environmental and health groups are calling for the urgent passage of Bill S-5 to modernize the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), arguing that the current law is over 20 years old and fails to address 21st-century risks. The groups recommend specific amendments to ensure the legal recognition of the right to a healthy environment, stricter controls on toxic substances, and improved public access to risk data.

• The signatories argue that the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) is outdated, noting it has not been significantly amended for more than two decades despite changes in pollution sources and scientific understanding.
• The organizations recommend five specific amendments to Bill S-5: the meaningful recognition of the right to a healthy environment; prioritizing the prohibition of toxic substances of particular concern; assessing cumulative risks to both human health and the environment; establishing clear timelines for substance assessment and implementing "safer substitution"; and raising the bar for confidentiality claims to increase public access to risk data.
• The groups emphasize that a modernized CEPA is essential for protecting vulnerable populations, including Indigenous people, women, workers, and racialized communities, and serves as a foundation for a just transition to a clean economy.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2022). Re. Bill S-5, Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Strengthening-S-5-letter-2022-02-15.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Re. Bill S-5, Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act. 2022. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Strengthening-S-5-letter-2022-02-15.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Re. Bill S-5, Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act |date=17 February 2022 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Strengthening-S-5-letter-2022-02-15.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2022bill, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Re. Bill S-5, Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2022}, month = feb, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Strengthening-S-5-letter-2022-02-15.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }