Ministers McKenna and Wilkinson respond to the fall 2018 reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development

OTTAWA, Oct. 2, 2018 /CNW/ - Today, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, and the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Jonathan Wilkinson, issued the following statement in response to the tabling of the fall 2018 reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development:

"We would like to thank Commissioner Gelfand and accept all of her recommendations. We take these findings very seriously and are taking appropriate actions to ensure they are addressed.

"The Government of Canada remains committed to protecting the health of Canadians and the environment from toxic substances. We are putting in place an action plan to address the specific issues identified by the audit, related to enforcement, performance measurement, and communications on toxic substances. As part of the plan, we are developing a more systematic approach to better understand the effectiveness of our risk-management measures and how we prioritize enforcement activities. In addition, we are developing new web and social media content to ensure Canadians have the information they need on toxic substances.

"Since the launch of the Chemical Management Plan, in 2006, more than $1.13 billion has been invested to reduce the risks posed by chemicals to Canadians and their environment. Since the launch of the Plan, over 90 risk-management actions have been put in place to prevent risks from over 450 substances. The third phase of the Plan, launched in May 2016, will address the remaining priority chemicals by 2020. During discussions, stakeholders have begun to plan the future direction of chemical management in Canada. Through these discussions, we will identify what worked well and what can be improved, and we will examine potential areas of focus for a post-2020 program.

"As the report noted, the Government of Canada is making progress in protecting marine mammals, but there is still more work to do. Since 2016, we have invested $1.5 billion in Canada's Oceans Protection Plan and $167 million in the newly launched Whales Initiative. With these investments, we have taken concrete steps to help protect marine mammals from threats related to commercial fishing and marine traffic. In the past year, several measures have been put in place to protect the southern resident killer whales, such as the reduction of Chinook fisheries to increase prey availability and a new, mandatory requirement that vessels maintain a safe distance (200 m) at all times. In addition, we are pleased that other new measures, including speed restrictions for vessels in the western Gulf of St. Lawrence, have been successful in preserving the endangered North Atlantic right whale population. Many of the new measures now in place directly address recommendations found in the report.

"We are pleased the audit found that the federal government has made positive progress in implementing the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals. We will continue to fully apply the directive to all proposals submitted and carry on the good work being done in this area.

"The Government of Canada is working hard to grow the economy and protect the environment for future generations. It is key to ensuring that our kids have access to good jobs and have clean air to breathe and fresh water to drink. Together with our provincial and territorial partners, Indigenous Peoples, and stakeholders, we continue to make progress on our commitments to promoting clean growth; ensuring healthy ecosystems; and building safe, secure communities for a more sustainable future in Canada."

Associated links

• Actions taken to protect SRKW
• Protecting Canada's Endangered Whales
• Government of Canada continues unprecedented action to protect Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada