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The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) supports the City of Edmonton's plan to update its Integrated Pest Management policy to improve clarity on pesticide use and justification. CAPE urges the city to consult health-related groups and incorporate health evidence into its decisions, citing epidemiological studies that link pesticide exposure to adverse reproductive, neurological, and developmental outcomes, especially in children and pregnant women. The organization also highlights flaws in the federal pesticide approval process managed by Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency, arguing for a precautionary approach to protect public health.

The document examines the risks associated with neonicotinoids, a class of systemic insecticides. It highlights their negative impacts on pollinators, soil organisms, and aquatic ecosystems, while questioning their actual economic value to farmers. It specifically critiques the Canadian regulatory process for being slow and fragmented.

The report details how neonicotinoids contaminate plants, soil, and water, leading to the decline of pollinators and other essential invertebrates. It argues that these chemicals provide marginal economic benefits while posing significant risks to ecosystem services, and criticizes the Canadian regulatory system for its slow re-evaluation process and historical use of conditional registrations.

The authors advocate for a federal champion for active transportation in Canada, citing significant health benefits, such as reducing chronic disease and premature deaths, and environmental benefits, including the reduction of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. They propose several federal actions, including creating a dedicated infrastructure fund and establishing a modal share goal.

The document critiques the CCME's 'State of the Air' report, arguing that the Air Quality Management System (AQMS) is too narrow by focusing primarily on ozone and PM2.5 while neglecting other harmful pollutants, particularly in resource-extraction regions of western Canada. CAPE highlights significant data gaps caused by emissions reporting thresholds and calls for a more comprehensive monitoring approach that includes volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sulphur oxides (SOx), and nitrogen oxides (NOx), as well as a clearer link between air quality management levels and specific enforcement actions.

The document outlines opposition to a Draft Screening Assessment regarding hydrogen sulfide (H2S), sodium bisulfide (Na(SH)), and sodium sulfide (Na2S). The authors argue that H2S poses significant risks to human health, particularly for communities near oil and gas operations, and that the government's assessment fails to apply a precautionary approach or account for olfactory nuisance as an adverse effect.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment advocates for a National Active Transportation Strategy to reduce healthcare costs and climate impacts, citing a Toronto pilot project where a bike lane increased cycling by 49% and reduced vehicle/cyclist conflicts by 61%.

The report analyzes the Montréal cycling network, highlighting that while it is large, over half consists of low-protection painted markings. It identifies a high frequency of collisions at intersections along cycle tracks and a high collision rate in the West Island. The analysis reveals significant network discontinuities, with an average of one every 1.3km. To address these, the report proposes 24 strategic north-south and east-west connections totaling 175 km and recommends the city increase its construction target to 100km of new facilities per year.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and other partners advocate for updating the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) to better address pollution and toxic chemical exposure. They highlight the severe health impacts of pollution, including 7,700 premature deaths annually from poor air quality, and emphasize the disproportionate burden on vulnerable populations such as children and Indigenous communities. The statement supports legislative changes to recognize the right to a healthy environment, implement binding air and water quality standards, and increase transparency in product labelling.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) supports the draft guiding principles for Canada's next food guide, particularly the shift toward plant-based proteins and unsaturated fats. However, CAPE argues that the current draft incorrectly treats human health and the environment as separate entities. They advocate for a 'planetary health' approach that recognizes the ecosystem as a fundamental determinant of health and suggests incorporating Indigenous wisdom regarding sustainability and seven-generation planning. Additionally, CAPE highlights the absence of guidance on cultivation methods, citing research that links organic foods to higher antioxidant levels and lower pesticide residues, while warning that pesticide exposure is associated with neurodevelopmental deficiencies and certain childhood cancers.

The document synthesizes findings from the Ontario College of Family Physicians (2007, 2012) and the Prince Edward Island Chief Public Health Office (2015) regarding the health risks of pesticides. It identifies significant associations between pesticide exposure and various cancers, reproductive issues, neurological disorders, and respiratory problems, with a particular emphasis on the vulnerability of pregnant women and children. The authors advocate for the precautionary principle and the banning of non-essential cosmetic pesticide use.

The document argues that the PMRA's re-evaluation of glyphosate is flawed due to the dismissal of critical evidence concerning ecological risks, human health impacts, and the inefficiency of proposed risk management strategies.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) urges the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change to ensure the 2030 coal-fired power plant phase-out is not undermined by a reliance on natural gas. CAPE recommends amending regulations to shorten the 'useful life' of coal generators to 40 years, enforcing stricter emission rates for gas plants, and requiring that at least two-thirds of generation be replaced with renewable energy. The organization highlights that a successful phase-out could prevent 1,000 premature deaths and 900 hospital visits while reducing greenhouse gases by up to 325 Mt between 2015 and 2035.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and partner organizations argue that the PMRA's re-evaluation of glyphosate is flawed due to the dismissal of critical evidence regarding biodiversity loss, human health risks, and the inefficiency of current risk mitigation strategies.

CAPE recommends that Calgary City Council stop using high-risk pesticides on municipal land, noting that 31 of 35 products used in 2016 fall into a high-risk category and that the city's large youth population is particularly vulnerable to reproductive, neurological, and respiratory health risks.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) asserts that Ontario's nuclear emergency plan is insufficient because it is designed for accidents less severe than the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The briefing highlights risks to the Great Lakes drinking water and the high population density near the Darlington and Pickering stations, calling for improved health professional training, expanded iodine pill distribution, and a plan for clean water provision.

CAPE argues that the City of Calgary's pesticide toxicity report fails to list specific toxic products used in its IPM program, ignores epidemiological evidence regarding adverse health outcomes for children and pregnant women, and over-relies on a flawed federal registration process administered by Health Canada's PMRA.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) advocates for a National Cycling Strategy to address three public health crises: the rise of chronic diseases, the health costs of air pollution, and the global threat of climate change. The document highlights that active transportation can integrate exercise into daily routines, reduce the $10 billion annual cost of air pollution in Canada, and lower emissions from the transportation sector, which accounts for approximately 25% of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions.

The document synthesizes findings from systematic reviews to argue that pesticide exposure is linked to various cancers, reproductive issues, neurological disorders, and respiratory problems, particularly in vulnerable populations like children and pregnant women. It advocates for the reduction of pesticide use and the banning of cosmetic pesticides in Canada.

Five environmental and health organizations are urging the Canadian Minister of Health to set a completion deadline of April 2018 for the PMRA's second special review of atrazine. The groups argue that the initial review was too narrow in scope and delayed, noting that atrazine has been banned in the European Union since 2004 due to groundwater contamination. They emphasize that continued delays prolong risks to human health and the environment, including endocrine disruption in aquatic animals and exposure through drinking water.