Canadian Waterkeepers submit joint comments on proposed changes to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act

Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, Ottawa Riverkeeper, Petitcodiac Riverkeeper, Fraser Riverkeeper, and Georgian Baykeeper submitted a joint comment to the federal Standing Committee on Finance today.

We wrote to express our grave concerns about amendments to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (“CEAA”) contained within Bill C-9. This legislation is currently being considered by the Standing Committee on Finance. Based on our research, training and experience in the field of environmental assessment and environmental decision-making, we strongly recommended that members of the Committee vote against the clauses in Part 20 of Bill C-9 (ss. 2152-2171), which contain the changes to the CEAA.

The proposed CEAA amendments are controversial. They do not reflect the best available science, law, or policy in the area of environmental decision-making. They do not reflect the wishes or recommendations of an informed public. If the proposed amendments are passed, the fulfillment of the purposes of the CEAA and the protection of our air and water in the future will be in jeopardy.

Our specific procedural and substantive concerns are set out in our submission.