Responsibilities in the toxic substances management process

When preliminary results of an assessment conducted on a substance or the review of a decision by another jurisdiction indicate the substance may be found to be toxic under section 64 of CEPA 1999, a strategy leader and one or more risk managers are usually identified and given the responsibility of developing a risk management strategy and instruments or management tools for reducing or eliminating risks to human health and the environment posed by its use and/or release. Where more than one sector uses or releases the substance, risk managers are assigned to those sectors whose use or release of the substance has the greatest environmental or health impact.

The risk managers' main responsibilities include: developing a risk management objective, selecting and developing an instrument or management tool to address the risk posed by the use or release of the substance from that sector, and undertaking stakeholder consultations on the proposed objective, and management tools or instruments.

The strategy leader is responsible for coordinating all risk management activities for a particular substance and developing a risk management strategy. The strategy leader can also be involved in the very early stages of the risk assessment process to assist in defining the scope of the assessment and developing follow-up actions should the substance be found toxic.

When developing management tools and preparing the risk management strategy both the strategy leader and risk managers collaborate with a risk management team that may include: risk assessors, economists, Health Canada risk managers, communications staff, enforcement staff, and lawyers from the Department of Justice.

Example of a Strategy Leader's responsibilities:

• provide input to the early stages of the risk assessment for a substance;
• coordinate the risk management activities for a substance;
• in conjunction with risk managers, prioritize sectors using or releasing the substance, identify those sectors to be addressed;
• in conjunction with risk managers, harmonize the management approach and tools including instruments;
• ensure legal obligations under CEPA 1999 with respect to preventive or control instruments are met;
• prepare the risk management strategy.

Example of a Risk Manager's responsibilities:

• develop proposed risk management objective to address the risk associated with the use or release of the substance in their sector,
• develop one or more management tools including instruments for their sectors use or release of the substance,
• conduct consultations with stakeholders on proposed objective and management tools or instruments,
• contribute to the overall development of the risk management strategy.