Department of the Environment Act
Encyclopedia
The Department of the Environment Act establishes Environment Canada
as the federal agency in Canada
responsible for the preservation and enhancement of the quality of the natural environment. The Act specifies that the Department (Environment Canada) will be governed by the Minister of the Environment. Provincial and territorial governments in Canada also have jurisdiction for environmental quality (such as regional air quality management).
The Act describes the powers of the Minister as related to water
, air and soil
quality; renewable resources, including migratory birds and other non-domestic flora
and fauna
; meteorology
; the enforcement of rules and regulations arising from the advice of the International Joint Commission
relating to boundary waters and questions arising between the United States
and Canada
insofar as they relate to the preservation and enhancement of environmental quality.
The Act requires that the Minister must submit an annual report to Parliament
by January 31 showing the operations of the Department for that fiscal year.
Environment Canada
Environment Canada , legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment Canada (EC) (French: Environnement Canada), legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment...
as the federal agency in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
responsible for the preservation and enhancement of the quality of the natural environment. The Act specifies that the Department (Environment Canada) will be governed by the Minister of the Environment. Provincial and territorial governments in Canada also have jurisdiction for environmental quality (such as regional air quality management).
The Act describes the powers of the Minister as related to water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
, air and soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
quality; renewable resources, including migratory birds and other non-domestic flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
; meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
; the enforcement of rules and regulations arising from the advice of the International Joint Commission
International Joint Commission
The International Joint Commission is an independent binational organization established by the United States and Canada under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.The Commission has responsibilities related to the following treaties and agreements:...
relating to boundary waters and questions arising between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
insofar as they relate to the preservation and enhancement of environmental quality.
The Act requires that the Minister must submit an annual report to Parliament
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
by January 31 showing the operations of the Department for that fiscal year.