New Report Shows Why Action is Needed to Address the Environmental Impacts of Animal Agriculture in Ontario

TORONTO, March 14, 2023 /CNW/ - Environmental protection legislation in most Canadian jurisdictions is insufficient to deal with the environmental impacts of the animal agriculture sector, according to a new report by AEL Advocacy, in collaboration with World Animal Protection.

The report offers a first-of-its-kind legislative review of select Canadian and international laws dealing with the environmental impacts of animal agriculture. This includes an assessment of laws addressing issues such as nutrient pollution, land degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change.

"Urgent action is needed to address the significant environmental footprint of intensive animal agriculture in Canada," said Krystal-Anne Roussel, Co-Director and Legal Counsel at AEL Advocacy. "This involves eliminating exceptions granted to the animal agriculture sector from existing legislation and implementing new laws and policies that emphasize the benefits of transitioning to a more sustainable and increasingly plant-based food system."

AEL Advocacy's report, Animal Agriculture and Environmental Protection: A Multi-Jurisdictional Legislative Review, also provides several recommendations for legislative and policy reform, including restructuring government subsidies for the agriculture sector, implementing mandatory best management practices, and imposing a moratorium on the construction and expansion of Intensive Livestock Operations in the province.

"This research demonstrates that provincial regulations across Canada are woefully inadequate for addressing the high environmental costs of Intensive Livestock Operations," says Lynn Kavanagh, Farming Campaign Manager with World Animal Protection. "The provincial and federal government must pass stronger regulations and policies to support a transition to higher welfare and more plant-based agriculture, as well as promoting more plant-based consumption to benefit animals, people, and our shared environment."

SOURCE AEL Advocacy