Environmental Effects Monitoring - Timeline

2010 to Present
2005 to 2009
2000 to 2004
Prior to 2000

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2012

• The Metal Mining Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) Technical Guidance Document is updated
• Status Report on the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations
• Regulations Amending the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations

2011

• "Critical effect sizes" are adopted for Metal Mining EEM

2010

• The Pulp and Paper EEM Technical Guidance Document is updated
• Cycle 5 National Investigation of Cause Project: Final Report (Pulp and Paper sector)

2009

• An EEM Investigation of Cause Workshop for Metal Mining is held

2008

• Publication of the Best Management Practices Guide for Nutrient Management in Effluent Treatment by the Forest Products Association of Canada (Pulp and Paper sector).
• Regulations Amending the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations introduced the requirement to investigate solutions to reduce effects
• Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) Science Symposium 2008 Proceedings

2007

• Metal Mining Environmental Effects Monitoring Review Team Report to Environment Canada for improvement of the EEM component of the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations
• Publication of the Cycle 4 National Investigation of Cause Project Report that suggests controlling the loss of organics and optimizing biological effluent treatment for eliminating effluent-related effects on fish reproduction (egg production) in the laboratory (Pulp and Paper sector)

2006

• Inception of a joint research project on the Investigation of Cause of reduced fish gonads (Pulp and Paper sector)
• Regulations Amending the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations

2005

• The Smart Regulation Initiative on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of Pulp and Paper EEM brings together a group of policy experts to recommend improvements to the implementation of EEM in the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations

2004

• Recognizing that not all statistically significant differences are of concern, Environment Canada adopts "critical effect sizes" in the Pulp and Paper EEM to determine study direction
• The Regulations Amending the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations states that mills with confirmed effects on fish, fish tissue or benthic invertebrate community must investigate the cause of these effects

2003

• Significant improvements in Pulp and Paper mill effluents are reported with the publication of the National Assessment of the Pulp and Paper Environmental Effects Monitoring Data, although some effects continue to be measured in receiving environments

2002

• Metal Mining Effluent Regulations came into force with EEM requirements

1992-1995

• Regulations Amending the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations introduced requirements for all mills to conduct Environmental Effects Monitoring studies
• Pulp and Paper Industry invests $2.3 billion to improve effluent compliance with the Regulations