Parliamentary Research Branch

PRB 98-4E

LEGISLATIVE MEASURES ADOPTED BY
CANADA TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION

Prepared by:
Christine Labelle
Science and Technology Division
October 1998

Studies show that air pollution has indisputable effects on human health (see the section entitled Effects Of Ozone, Sulphates, and Particles on Health). In order to alleviate the many effects of these pollutants and prevent still more serious problems, the federal government and various governmental partners have developed and adopted a number of legislative tools. In addition, a broad range of programs on the same lines are being planned, discussed and established. An overview of the various legislative tools follows; readers wishing to learn about these programs are referred to the section in this document entitled Present and Future Federal Approaches.

Where air pollution is concerned, the federal government exercises jurisdiction under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), particularly Part V, International Air Pollution, to prevent the formation of the main components of smog: tropospheric ozone, sulphates, and particulate matter (see the section of this document entitled Main Components of Smog). The House of Commons is now considering Bill C-32, proposing amendments to CEPA. If Bill C-32 is adopted, Part V will become Division 6, and a number of new sections, including a Division on Vehicle, Engine and Equipment Emissions, will be included in the legislation.

A number of Regulations made under CEPA help combat smog, either directly or indirectly. Those listed in the table below are designed to eliminate one or more of the main components of smog directly; others, not included in the table, help eliminate smog indirectly by targeting other sources of air pollution.

The federal government also exercises jurisdiction over environmental protection and the health of Canadians through Environment Canada, Transport Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and Health Canada, in co-operation with the provincial governments, or in partnership with other countries. Examples of legislative tools follow:

• in 1996, on the initiative of Transport Canada, the Motor Vehicle Safety Act set compulsory limits on new vehicle emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter produced by diesel engines;

• on the initiative of Environment Canada and Health Canada, Canada-wide air pollution standards, particularly on ozone and particulate matter, are to be set by the fall of 1999; and

• national ambient air quality standards set by the federal and provincial governments have established the maximum allowable ground-level ozone concentration at 82 parts per billion per hour.

Internationally, the following agreements allow the federal government to work with the United States to eliminate sources of transboundary pollution:

• the 1991 Canada-United States Air Quality Accord is aimed at reducing emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NO_x). The planned reduction of sulphur dioxide is 40%, an objective Canada has exceeded; the planned reduction of nitrogen oxides is 10% by the year 2000. Initially the Accord dealt with acid rain; now the possibility of adding a schedule dealing with smog is being considered;

• the 1991 International Volatile Organic Compounds Protocol signed by Canada and the United States is aimed at reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds and managing their transboundary flows: by 1999 Canada must reduce its emissions of volatile organic compounds by 30%, particularly in the Fraser Valley and the Windsor-Quebec corridor, and stabilize its nationwide emissions at their 1998 level; and

• the 1988 International Nitrogen Oxides Protocol entered into by Canada, the United States, and a number of European countries made it possible to stabilize emissions of nitrogen oxides at their 1987 levels by 1994; a second agreement is being negotiated.

Many initiatives are also being taken by the provinces, municipalities, industry, the private sector, non-profit organizations, and the public. For further information, consult the following sites.

http://www.ec.gc.ca/smog/beingdone.htm (updated August 1998)

http://www.ccpa.ca/reports/1997/nerm/english/smog.html# TakingAction (updated September 1998)