Environment Canada: The Last 20 Years

As Environment Canada celebrates its 40^th birthday, we take a look back at what has happened at Environment Canada (EC) in the past 20 years. But we might well ask, what hasn’t happened over that period? In the last 20 years, EC and its world-class scientists took action on a host of fronts that are almost as numerous as the weather fronts across the country.

The 1990s

In the early 1990s, EC launched Canada's Green Plan, a $3-billion initiative undertaken by more than 40 federal departments and agencies. “It was the first time there was a comprehensive, government-wide approach taken to environment files,” said Michael Goffin, Regional Director General for the Ontario Region.

In 1992, Canada became the first country to issue a daily nationwide UV index, which was adopted by some 30 countries worldwide. In 1994, forecasts began to appear online on the weather Web site. EC introduced its new environmental assessment laws, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, in 1995. In 1997, the National Radar Project began, and in just six years, 90% of the country’s population was covered.

In December 1997, Canada and 160 other countries met in Japan for the Kyoto Protocol, which set out greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and the options available to countries to achieve them.

The Last 10 Years

Climate change has been called the most significant environmental issue the world has ever faced. Within the Government of Canada, the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Natural Resources co-manage this high-priority file. EC has addressed climate change continuously, including launching Project Green in 2005, an updated plan for a healthy environment and a competitive economy, Moving forward on Climate Change: A Plan for Honouring our Kyoto Commitment.  Also in 2005, Canada welcomed the world to Montreal for the United Nations Conference on Climate Change. In April 2007, the Government of Canada announced Turning the Corner, which provided the ground work for Canada's approach to tackling climate change.  Environment Canada is currently taking action on climate change on a sector-by-sector approach in alignment with the United States, where appropriate.

EC created its Enforcement Branch in 2005, drawing together smaller enforcement teams that were previously working separately throughout the department. This was a key step on the way to becoming a world-class regulator. Perhaps the most significant recent legislation enacted was the Environmental Enforcement Bill, proclaimed in December 2010, cracking down on polluters, poachers and wildlife smugglers through increased fines and new enforcement tools. Since the Species At Risk Act (SARA) came into force in 2004, many wildlife species are now fully protected, including birds, fish, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, insects, and plants.

That brings us to today – to a Canadian environment considerably healthier since EC’s inception.

“Air and water quality have improved so much from what it was like when I was a kid,” said RDG Goffin, who has worked at EC for 30 years. “I would say that our biggest accomplishment has been that we have made tangible improvements to water quality and ecosystem health. Forty years ago, the Great Lakes were clogged with algae. Thirty years ago, toxic substances were causing unprecedented levels of fish tumours and deformities in waterfowl. We have turned those trends around. Not on our own, but it wouldn't have happened without us, without our science, our policy, our programs and our facilitation.”