Canada passes Bill C-226 to combat environmental racism

Canada passes Bill C-226 to combat environmental racism

Canada's new Bill C-226 aims to develop a national strategy to address environmental racism and ensure affected communities are part of the solution.

Denise Balkissoon reports for The Narwhal.


In short:

  • Bill C-226 mandates a national strategy to tackle environmental racism in consultation with Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities.
  • The bill is the result of years of advocacy by Ingrid Waldron, who highlights the disproportionate environmental harms these communities face.
  • The strategy will include mapping environmental impacts, collecting disaggregated data, and raising awareness about environmental racism.

Key quote:

"We’re giving them an opportunity to co-create the strategy with us. It’s not just about sharing their grief. I’m sure they’re tired of doing that. It’s about them saying, ‘And this is what I think this national strategy should include.’"

— Ingrid Waldron, researcher and advocate

Why this matters:

The implications of this bill are profound. For one, it could lead to a cleaner, healthier environment for communities that have long been sidelined. It also sets a precedent for how environmental policies can be designed to be more inclusive and equitable. Beyond the immediate environmental benefits, there are significant health implications as well. Reducing exposure to pollutants and improving access to clean resources can lead to better health outcomes, reducing the prevalence of diseases linked to environmental factors.

The flag of the Department of Homeland Security featuring a flying eagle grasping a branch and arrows in its claws.

Texas floods reignite fight over FEMA and weather cuts

Catastrophic floods in central Texas have deepened partisan divides in Congress, with Democrats accusing President Trump’s administration of weakening the country’s ability to prevent and respond to natural disasters.

Andres Picon reports for E&E News.

Keep reading...Show less
A burned classic truck sitting in a burned forest.

California faces growing disaster costs as Trump moves to scale back FEMA aid

As California rebuilds from its deadliest wildfire season in years, state officials warn that President Trump’s proposed cuts to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aid could leave communities without the support they need to recover.

Jeremy Lindenfeld reports for Capital & Main.

Keep reading...Show less
Scientist using pipette to place liquid into containers.
Credit: National Cancer Institute/Unsplash

EPA union demands reinstatement of staff punished for calling out political interference

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency staff who criticized Trump-era rollbacks are now on forced leave, sparking claims of illegal retaliation.

Leah Douglas reports for Reuters.

Keep reading...Show less
white airplane flying under the blue sky

Zeldin releases EPA data on contrails and solar geoengineering amid Texas flood backlash

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin pledged to release internal data on weather-modification technologies after conspiracies surged in the wake of deadly Texas flooding.

Kevin Bogardus and Ellie Borst report for E&E News.

Keep reading...Show less
person with umbrella walking on road between green grass field during daytime.

Climate change is disrupting South Asia’s monsoon and raising flood risks

Erratic monsoon rains driven by climate change are fueling deadly floods, landslides, and glacial lake overflows across South Asia.

Sibi Arasu reports for The Associated Press.

Keep reading...Show less
An Amazon village on the edge of a river.

Massive Amazon raids disrupt illegal mining, logging, and wildlife trafficking networks

More than 1,500 officers from four countries carried out sweeping raids in the Amazon Basin, arresting 94 people and seizing over $64 million in assets linked to environmental crime.

Steven Grattan reports for The Associated Press.

Keep reading...Show less
Electricity grid towers stretching across fields into the distance.

Europe’s power grid upgrades fall €250 billion short as demand surges

Europe’s top electricity grid operators face a massive funding gap as they race to expand and modernize infrastructure needed to meet rising demand, a new report warns.

Nina Chestney reports for Reuters.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.