Statement from Environmental Defence in response to today’s federal budget

The plan to weaken one of Canada’s foremost environmental laws outlined in today’s budget is nothing more than a gift to Big Oil. It’s a cynical attack on one of Canada’s most important environmental protections and it serves the immediate interests of one industry over the interests of all Canadians, who want to trust that their land, air and water are being safeguarded.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act exists to protect our health and ensures a safe and clean environment for our children, and preventing problems before they start. The changes outlined in today’s budget would put new big projects like tar sands mines on the fast track. They would also limit the ability of Canadians to participate in a democratic debate about the damage to the environment and our health that these projects cause. This is short-sighted and dangerous because all Canadians are affected by what industry is allowed to dump into our air and water and whether fish and wildlife are given enough space to survive. Read More…