Climate Health Blog
Bill to redress environmental racism in Canada
In 2015 former Liberal MP Lenore Zann proposed Bill C-230, called “An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to redress environmental racism.” The act called on the Minister of the Environment and Climate change to develop a national strategy to “address the harm caused by environmental racism” in Canada. The strategy was to include a study on the link between race, socioeconomic status, and environmental risk. Over several years this bill progressed through stages of reading in the House of Commons. Prior to the federal election in 2021, the bill had the support of several political parties. However, when the Parliament was dissolved with the last federal election the bill died. In February 2022, Green Party MP Elizabeth May reintroduced another bill, Bill C-226, which is essentially the same bill as Bill C-320 with the same objectives. The bill is currently at the third reading in the House of Commons. At this stage the bill is subject to a final debate and vote. If the bill passes the vote it will move to the Senate where it would go through several readings and another vote.
Importance of this bill
The term environmental racism dates back to the 1980’s which marks a significant time period in the United States for advancement of environmental justice. In these years the link between the disproportionate number and proximity of environmentally hazardous waste sites in racialized communities was brought to forefront of public attention. There were several protests which advanced the environmental justice movement including the North Carolina PCB protest in Warren County where waste containing PCBs was being dumped in predominantly black communities. Additionally, a national report was produced highlighting the link between racialized communities, low SES, and environmentally hazardous exposures. It was during this time that more people starting recognizing the impact of environmental racism on racialized communities.
What about in Canada?
Unfortunately, environmental racism exists globally, including within Canada. One stark example is the history of Africville, a primarily black community located in Halifax Nova Scotia. Africville was a strong, thriving community for many years before the City of Halifax imposed a dump, infectious diseases hospital, and prison onto the land without meaningful consultation with the residents of Africville. Ultimately, the City ended up forcefully relocating residents and the buildings and community were destroyed. You can read a more detailed history about Africville on the Canadian Museum for Human Rights website. https://humanrights.ca/story/story-africville.
Other examples of environmental racism in Canada are also a reflection of the suppression of economic, political, and social power in racialized communities. These examples include the pipeline in Wet’suwet’en First Nation, mercury contamination in Grassy Narrows First Nation, and the lack of clean drinking water in 28 Indigenous communities across Canada.
What can we do to support this bill?
You can read more about Bill C-226 on this Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment website. https://cape.ca/focus/support-bill-c-226-to-end-environmental-racism-and-for-environmental-justice/ They recommend supporting the bill through contacting your MP, letting them know why the bill is important to you and asking them to support the bill. Also, if you’re interested in learning more about environmental racism in Canada, “There’s Something in the Water” is an informative documentary based on the book written by Dr. Ingrid Waldron, which highlights environmental racism across Canada and is definitely worth a watch.
References
https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/43-2/bill/C-230/second-reading
Written by Maya Venkataraman, Year 3 UBC Medical Student