Chemical substances are managed in Canada by all three levels of government:  federal, provincial and municipal. 

At the federal level, the primary authority for management of chemical substances stems from the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999).  CEPA-toxic substances are those substances listed in Schedule 1 of CEPA 1999, http://www.chemicalsubstanceschimiques.gc.ca/about-apropos/index-eng.php.

At the provincial level, chemical substances are managed by numerous air, water and soil regulations. For example, in 2009, the Province of Ontario passed the Toxics Reduction Act (TRA), http://news.ontario.ca/ene/en/2009/12/fact-sheet-regulation-spells-out-toxics-reduction-act-requirements.html:  

At the municipal level there is less regulatory activity compared to federal and provincial levels.  Nonetheless, the City of Toronto’s Environmental Reporting and Disclosure Bylaw (Municipal Code 423) took effect January 1, 2010. The bylaw is part of ChemTRAC, which requires local business owners to track and report their use of toxic chemicals.  ChemTRAC reporting requirements will be phased-in over 3 years, http://www.toronto.ca/health/chemtrac/index.htm. 

EHS has many years of experience preparing Materials Accounting and Toxic Reduction Plans (Pollution Prevention Plans).  Please contact EHS to discuss assistance with Materials Accounting and with preparation of Toxics Reduction Plans.

© Environmental Health Strategies Inc. (2011)