Canada-US regulatory cooperation

Environment and Climate Change Canada and the United States Environmental Protection Agency have a long history of regulatory cooperation.  For example, the framework of the Canada-United States Air Quality Agreement has provided a successful bilateral mechanism that has resulted in harmonized emission regulations for a broad range of on-road and off-road vehicles and engines and the realization of efficiencies in the implementation and administration of the respective regulatory regimes.

In February 2011, the Governments of the United States and Canada launched the Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) to facilitate closer cooperation between Canada and the United States on the development of smarter and more effective approaches to regulation that strengthen the economy, enhance competitiveness, and protect public safety and welfare. Consistent with the overall objectives of the RCC, Environment and Climate Change Canada and the United States Environmental Protection Agency have developed the following instruments to guide on-going and future regulatory cooperation efforts:

• Areas of Joint Work:
  • Nanotechnology
    • Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) Nanotechnology Initiative
  • Chemicals Management:
    • Regulatory Partnership Statement between the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Environment and Climate Change Canada
    • 2015 Work Plan
    • 2016 Work Plan Update
      • Work Stream A - Significant New Activity Provisions and Significant New Use Rules
      • Work Stream B - Risk Assessment
  • Vehicle and engine emissions:
    • General Areas of Collaboration (2007)
    • Strategic Work Plan (2014-2016)

For further information and the latest updates on the RCC, please refer to the Government of Canada’s RCC webpage.