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Addressing environmental racism in Canada

July 23, 2021

Toxic pollution and exposure to dangerous chemicals impact people across Canada, but Black, Indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC) and those with a lower income often suffer the worst effects of that toxic legacy.

A colonial and inherently racist system of laws in Canada facilitates opaque, inequitable decision-making. Compounded over time, these decisions have resulted in these communities being disproportionately impacted by pollutants that spew from industrial plants, abandoned oil and gas wells, and toxic dumps, and by the destruction of habitat and cultural sites by mining, pipelines and dams activity. This is what environmental racism and injustice in Canada.

Communities across Canada know too well the devastating impacts of environmental racism and the failure of successive governments at all levels to adequately address this harm.

Located near Sarnia, in southeast Ontario, Chemical Valley is home to about 40 per cent of Canada’s chemical industry. Though pollution impacts tens of thousands of people in the surrounding areas, a 2017 report by the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario found that people in Aamjiwnaang First Nation are particularly affected: “There is strong evidence that the pollution is causing adverse health effects, which neither the federal nor provincial government have properly investigated.”

In Nova Scotia, on the northern edge of the Halifax peninsula, the community of Africville became a dumping ground for waste from the industries of the province’s capital. Africville was a tight-knit community to hundreds of descendants of enslaved African people. Over time facilities — including a dump, an infectious disease hospital, and an abattoir — were placed in and around Africville. Then, in the 1960s after decades of being used as a regional dumping ground, Africville was declared a slum and an eyesore. The community was bulldozed and its residents displaced.

Ecojustice is working with the members of the Canadian Coalition for Climate and Environmental Justice, especially its founders Dr. Ingrid Waldron and Naolo Charles, to advocate for action on environmental racism in Canada.

A key focus of this work is supporting the National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act (Bill C-226)

Bill C-226 is a Private Members Bill introduced by Elizabeth May, M.P. for Saanich—Gulf Islands, that would require the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to develop a national strategy to tackle environmental racism in Canada.

This Bill re-introduces a widely supported legislative proposal that was initially tabled by former M.P. Lenore Zann (then known as Bill C-230).

In March 2023, Bill C-226 passed in the House of Commons and now await approval from the Senate.

It would require the federal government to examine the links between race, socio-economic status, and environmental risk. If passed, the legislation would require the collection of information on the location of environmental hazards and produce statistics that outline the negative health impacts on communities that have suffered environmental racism.

Ecojustice staff

Dr. Elaine MacDonald

Mar 2023
A dotted image collage shows houses in black and white and a sign that reads
press release

MPs pass long-awaited legislation to tackle environmental racism in Canada

Advocates celebrate milestone, call on Senate to prioritize Bill C-226 OTTAWA| TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE – Advocates for social justice and equity, environmental protection and public health celebrate passage of Bill C-226, the National Strategy on Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act, in the House of Commons.
Nov 2022
A dotted image collage shows houses in black and white and a sign that reads
press release

High time to pass environmental racism bill, advocates say

Favourable committee report puts Bill C-226 in line for final vote in House of Commons OTTAWA/TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE – Advocates for social justice and equity, environmental protection, and public health call on Parliament to expedite passage of Bill C-226, Canada’s first environmental racism law.
Jun 2022
A dotted image collage shows houses in black and white and a sign that reads
press release

Civil society groups urge expedited passage of Canada’s first environmental racism bill

House to resume debate on Bill C-226 today OTTAWA/TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE – Civil society groups are calling on MPs to support Bill C-226, An Act Respecting the Development of a National Strategy to Assess, Prevent and Address Environmental Racism and To Advance Environmental Justice, which will be debated before the.
Apr 2022
A dotted image collage shows houses in black and white and a sign that reads
press release

A broad spectrum of groups urges Parliament to expedite passage of Canada’s first environmental racism bill, ahead of the House of Commons debate

Social justice organizations, health organizations, academics, rights campaigners, and environmental groups are calling on MPs to pass Canada’s first environmental racism law before their summer recess.
Jun 2021
Canada Parliament - sight of the Speech from the Throne
press release

Canada’s first environmental racism bill closer to becoming law

Groups urge all MPs to support Bill C-230 in final House vote this fall OTTAWA/TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE – We, a broad and diverse coalition of civil society groups, urge Parliament to move forward with passing an environmental racism law immediately following its summer break.
Mar 2021
Smoke pours from stacks from an industrial complex creating clouds in the sky.
press release

Broad-spectrum of groups welcome federal vote on environmental racism bill

Urgent need for national strategy and law to address environmental racism Ottawa/The traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg people  – Social justice organizations, health organizations, academics, rights campaigners and environmental groups have welcomed the support shown by the majority of MPs for the National Strategy to Redress Environmental Racism Act (Bill C-230) and urge.
Mar 2021
Smoke pours from stacks from an industrial complex creating clouds in the sky.
blog

Canada’s environmental laws continue to perpetuate systemic racism

Since this blog was published, the National Strategy to Redress Environmental Racism Act (Bill C-230) passed second stage in the House of Commons.
Sep 2020
Ecojustice client Beze Gray walks in a group smiles and wears a green toque.
blog

Environmental racism in Canada: What is it, what are the impacts, and what can we do about it?

Ecojustice spoke with Beze Gray, an Anishnaabe land/water protector from Aamjiwnaang First Nation, about environmental racism in Canada, how it impacts their community, and what our government needs to do about it.
May 2015
A trailer sits on the shore near water. On its side and back there are signs that read
blog

Environmental Racism: The first step is recognizing we have a problem

New legislation in Nova Scotia is a big step in the right direction Last week, Bill 111, An Act to Address Environmental Racism, passed first reading in the Nova Scotia Legislature.