Enforcement principles for the Canadian Environmental Protection Act

Enforcement of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) must be fair, predictable and consistent in accordance with paragraph 2(1)(o) of the Act and follow Environment and Climate Change Canada’s compliance and enforcement policy, which contains the following guiding principles:

• compliance with CEPA 1999 and its regulations is mandatory
• CEPA enforcement officers will apply the act in a manner that is fair, predictable and consistent
• CEPA enforcement officers will use rules, sanctions and processes securely founded in law
• CEPA enforcement officers will enforce the Act with an emphasis on preventing harm to the environment
• CEPA enforcement officers will examine every suspected violation of which they have knowledge, and take action consistent with the compliance and enforcement policy
• CEPA enforcement officers will encourage Canadians to report CEPA violations to them.