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Bill C-230

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Second Session, Forty-third Parliament,

69-70 Elizabeth II, 2020-2021

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA

BILL C-230
An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice
Reprinted as amended by the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development as a working copy for the use of the House of Commons at Report Stage and as reported to the House on June 22, 2021

Ms. Zann
431061


SUMMARY

This enactment requires the Minister of the Environment, in consultation or cooperation with any persons, bodies, organizations or communities who are interested, to develop a national strategy to promote efforts across Canada to address the harm caused by environmental racism. It also provides for reporting requirements in relation to the strategy.

Available on the House of Commons website at the following address:
www.ourcommons.ca


2nd Session, 43rd Parliament,

69-70 Elizabeth II, 2020-2021

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA

BILL C-230

An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to Insertion start assess, prevent and address Insertion end environmental racism Insertion start and to advance environmental justice Insertion end

Preamble

Start of inserted block

Whereas the Government of Canada recognizes the need to advance environmental justice across Canada and the importance of continuing to work towards eliminating racism and racial discrimination in all their forms and manifestations;

End of inserted block

Whereas a disproportionate number of people who live in environmentally hazardous areas are members of an Indigenous, racialized or Insertion start other marginalized Insertion end community;

Whereas the establishing of environmentally hazardous sites, including landfills and polluting industries, in areas inhabited primarily by members of those communities could be considered a form of racial discrimination;

Whereas Insertion start the Government of Canada recognizes that it is important to meaningfully involve all Canadians — and, in particular, marginalized Insertion end communities Insertion start — in the development of Insertion end environmental Insertion start policy and that Insertion end racial discrimination Insertion start in the development of environmental policy Insertion end would constitute environmental racism;

Whereas the Government of Canada is committed to Insertion start assessing and Insertion end preventing environmental racism and to providing affected communities with the opportunity to participate in, Insertion start among other things Insertion end , finding solutions to Insertion start address Insertion end harm caused by environmental racism;

And whereas the Government of Canada recognizes that collaboration and a coordinated national strategy are key to promoting effective change and achieving environmental justice;

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

Short Title

Short title

1 This Act may be cited as the National Strategy Insertion start Respecting Insertion end Environmental Racism Insertion start and Environmental Justice Insertion end Act.

Interpretation

Definition of Minister

2 In this Act, Minister means the Minister of the Environment.

National Strategy Insertion start Respecting Insertion end Environmental Racism Insertion start and Environmental Justice Insertion end

National strategy

3 (1) The Minister must develop a national strategy to promote efforts across Canada to Insertion start advance environmental justice and to assess, prevent and address Insertion end environmental racism.

Consultation

(2) In developing the strategy, the Minister must consult Insertion start or cooperate Insertion end with any persons, bodies, Insertion start organizations or Insertion end communities — Insertion start including Insertion end other Insertion start Ministers Insertion end , representatives of governments Insertion start in Canada, Insertion end and Indigenous communities — Insertion start who are interested and ensures that it is consistent with the framework for the Government of Canada’s implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Insertion end .

Content

(3) The strategy must include

  • (a)  Insertion start a study that must include Insertion end

    • Insertion start (i) Insertion end Insertion start   Insertion end Insertion start an examination of Insertion end the link between race, socio-economic status and environmental risk, and

    • Insertion start (ii) Insertion end  information and statistics relating to the location of environmental hazards; and

  • (b) measures Insertion start that can be taken to advance environmental justice and assess, prevent and Insertion end address environmental racism Insertion start and that may include Insertion end

    • Insertion start (i) Insertion end  possible amendments to federal laws, policies and programs,

    • Insertion start (ii) Insertion end  the involvement of community groups in environmental policy-making,

    • Insertion start (iii) Insertion end  compensation for individuals or communities, and

    • Insertion start (iv) Insertion end Insertion start   Insertion end Insertion start the collection of Insertion end information and statistics relating to health outcomes in communities Insertion start located in proximity to environmental hazards Insertion end .

Reports to Parliament

Tabling of national strategy

4 (1) Within two years after the day on which this Act comes into force, the Minister must prepare a report setting out the national strategy and cause it to be tabled in each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after it is completed.

Publication

(2) The Minister must publish the report on the website of the Department of the Environment within 10 days after it has been tabled in both Houses of Parliament.

Report

5 Within five years after the report referred to in section 4 has been tabled in both Houses of Parliament, and every five years after that, the Minister must, in consultation with the parties referred to in subsection 3(2), prepare a report on the effectiveness of the national strategy that sets out the Minister’s conclusions and recommendations, and cause the report to be tabled in each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after it is completed.

Published under authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons

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