Women’s health and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act

This briefing by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment argues that the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) must be strengthened to address the gendered and sex-specific dimensions of toxic exposure, which disproportionately affect women, particularly those who are racialized, low-income, disabled, or newcomers.

• Gendered social and family roles lead to disproportionate toxic exposures for women, including indoor pollution from cleaning products, furniture, and cosmetics. Women also face higher risks in precarious work environments, such as nail salons, and racialized women are specifically targeted by cosmetic products containing chemicals linked to negative health outcomes.
• Certain marginalized groups face heightened environmental risks; specifically, Inuit women and children have significantly higher body levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are known to weaken vaccine effectiveness and immune systems. Additionally, racialized, Indigenous, and lower-income communities often experience higher levels of air toxins due to proximity to industries or highways.
• Biological sex differences create unique vulnerabilities to toxic exposures. Biologically female bodies have distinct biochemical pathways, metabolism, and body fat composition that affect chemical susceptibility. Furthermore, hormone-disrupting chemicals contribute to uterine, ovarian, and breast cancers, and people who become pregnant bear the sole burden of in utero exposures.
• Scientific research has historically lacked representation of biologically female bodies, as biologically male bodies were treated as the norm for health problems and norms well into the 21st century. This has resulted in a gap in the scientific literature regarding chemical assessments and the health impacts of toxic exposures on females.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2021). Women’s health and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Womens-health-and-CEPA-April-2021.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Women’s health and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. 2021. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Womens-health-and-CEPA-April-2021.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Women’s health and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act |date=April 2021 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Womens-health-and-CEPA-April-2021.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2021womens, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Women’s health and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Womens-health-and-CEPA-April-2021.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }