The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the land on which we live is central to our health and well-being. Too often, when toxic substances pollute our environment, it is Indigenous, lower income, or racialized communities that are most likely to suffer the consequences.
That’s why a re-elected Liberal government will:
- Pass a strengthened Canadian Environmental Protection Act to protect everyone, including people most vulnerable to harm from toxic substances and those living in communities where exposure is high.
- Recognize the “right to a healthy environment” for the first time in federal law.
- By Spring 2022, move forward with mandatory labelling of chemicals in consumer products, including cosmetics, cleaning products, and flame retardants in upholstery, that may have impacts on our health or environment.
- Increase testing of imported products for compliance with Canadian standards to ensure that they are safe for Canadian consumers and that Canadian producers are not at a disadvantage.
- Table legislation to require the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to examine the link between race, socio-economic status, and exposure to environmental risk, and develop a strategy to address environmental justice.
- Identify and prioritize the clean-up of contaminated sites in areas where Indigenous, racialized, and lowincome Canadians live.
- Implement a comprehensive action plan to protect Canadians, including firefighters’, from exposure to toxic flame retardants found in household products.