Page 1 First Session, Forty-fourth Parliament, 70-71 Elizabeth II – 1-2 Charles III, 2021-2022-2023-2024 STATUTES OF CANADA 2024 CHAPTER 11 An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice ASSENTED TO JUNE 20, 2024 BILL C-226 Page 2 SUMMARY This enactment requires the Minister of the Environment, in con- sultation or cooperation with any interested persons, bodies, or- ganizations or communities, to develop a national strategy to promote efforts across Canada to address the harm caused by environmental racism. It also provides for reporting require- ments in relation to the strategy. Available on the House of Commons website at the following address: www.ourcommons.ca 2021-2022-2023-2024 Page 3 70-71 ELIZABETH II – 1-2 CHARLES III CHAPTER 11 An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmen- tal racism and to advance environmental justice [Assented to 20th June, 2024] Preamble Whereas the Government of Canada recognizes the need to advance environmental justice across Canada and the importance of continuing to work to- wards eliminating racism and racial discrimination in all their forms and manifestations; Whereas a disproportionate number of people who live in environmentally hazardous areas are mem- bers of an Indigenous, racialized or other marginal- ized community; Whereas the establishing of environmentally haz- ardous sites, including landfills and polluting indus- tries, in areas inhabited primarily by members of those communities could be considered a form of racial discrimination; Whereas the Government of Canada recognizes that it is important to meaningfully involve all Canadians — and, in particular, marginalized communities — in the development of environmental policy and that racial discrimination in the development of environ- mental policy would constitute environmental racism; Whereas the Government of Canada is committed to assessing and preventing environmental racism and to providing affected communities with the opportu- nity to participate in, among other things, finding so- lutions to address harm caused by environmental racism; And whereas the Government of Canada recognizes that collaboration and a coordinated national strate- gy are key to promoting effective change and achiev- ing environmental justice; 2021-2022-2023-2024 Page 4 Now, therefore, His 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 Re- specting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act. Interpretation Definition of Minister 2 In this Act, Minister means the Minister of the Envi- ronment. National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice National strategy 3 (1) The Minister must develop a national strategy to promote efforts across Canada to advance environmental justice and to assess, prevent and address environmental racism. Consultation (2) In developing the strategy, the Minister must consult or cooperate with any interested persons, bodies, organi- zations or communities — including other ministers, rep- resentatives of governments in Canada and Indigenous communities — and ensure that it is consistent with the Government of Canada’s framework for the recognition and implementation of the rights of Indigenous peoples. Content (3) The strategy must include (a) a study that includes (i) an examination of the link between race, socio- economic status and environmental risk, and (ii) information and statistics relating to the loca- tion of environmental hazards; and 2021-2022-2023-2024 Chapter 11: National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act Short Title Preamble – Sections 1-3 Page 5 (b) measures that can be taken to advance environ- mental justice and assess, prevent and address envi- ronmental racism and that may include (i) possible amendments to federal laws, policies and programs, (ii) the involvement of community groups in envi- ronmental policy-making, (iii) compensation for individuals or communities, and (iv) the collection of information and statistics re- lating to health outcomes in communities located in proximity to environmental hazards. 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 set- ting 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 af- ter 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 con- sultation 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 rec- ommendations, 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 2021-2022-2023-2024 Chapter 11: National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Sections 3-5 Page 6 Available on the House of Commons website Disponible sur le site Web de la Chambre des com