Advancing Environmental Justice
In December 2021, the mandate letter for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change included a commitment to introduce legislation to require the development of an environmental justice strategy. In February 2022, the Government supported the Private Member’s Bill C-226: An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice in Parliament.
This bill includes the requirement to have a strategy to promote efforts across Canada to advance environmental justice and to assess, prevent, and address environmental racism. This includes a study looking at the links between race, socioeconomic status, and environmental risks. The strategy will include these findings and measures to advance environmental justice, such as possible amendments to federal laws, policies, and programs.
Environmental justice and environmental racism are broad concepts that can be applied in various contexts. While environmental racism and justice is a new area of work for the Government of Canada, grassroots organizations have significant knowledge and experience in advocating for communities and raising awareness on these issues. The Government of Canada aims to work with these organizations, affected communities, and those with lived experiences to inform the development of a national strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is environmental justice?
In Canada, there is no definition of environmental justice that is accepted by everyone. Instead, environmental justice is considered a concept that can be applied in various contexts. Environmental justice is a movement seeking to ensure fair and meaningful inclusion of affected peoples and equal sharing of benefits and costs when making decisions about the environment. When making these decisions, environmental justice aims to recognize and seek to address the existing inequalities faced by Indigenous, racialized, or otherwise marginalized communities.
What is environmental equity?
The concept of environmental equity is broadly understood to mean that no single group or community is at a disadvantage when dealing with hazardous environmental exposures or pollution, regardless of their diversity or social position. It requires the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of those that are or could be affected by environmental decision-making.
What is environmental racism?
Like environmental justice, there is no definition of environmental racism accepted by everyone, and it has not yet been defined by the Government of Canada. It is a broad concept that can be applied in various contexts. Environmental racism is a form of systemic racism. When it comes to the environment, environmental racism is when environmental decision-making, policies, and practices overly disadvantage some people due to their race. This outcome can be intentional or unintentional.
The Canadian Race Relations Foundation defines environmental racism as, “A systemic form of racism in which toxic wastes are introduced into or near marginalized communities. People of colour, indigenous peoples, working class, and poor communities suffer disproportionately from environmental hazards and the location of dangerous, toxic facilities such as incinerators and toxic waste dumps. Pollution of lands, air, and waterways, often causes chronic illness to the inhabitants and change in their lifestyle.”
