Arsenic Air Quality Objectives and Chemicals Order

Summary#

This Canada Gazette issue publishes several government notices. Key items include Order 2026-87-05-02 Amending the Non-domestic Substances List under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, a public consultation by Health Canada on proposed health-based air quality objectives for arsenic (consultation materials posted May 22, 2026), a consultation by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) on tower siting (comments due July 16, 2026), an internal Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) designation of a fingerprint examiner, and a call for applications for Governor in Council appointments from the Privy Council Office.

What it does#

• Order 2026-87-05-02 Amending the Non-domestic Substances List deletes these CAS numbers from the Non‑domestic Substances List: 9011-12-5, 65870-97-5, 68525-95-1. The order comes into force on the day Order 2026-87-05-01 Amending the Domestic Substances List comes into force.
• Health Canada is asking for comments on proposed health-based air quality objectives (HBAQOs) for inorganic arsenic. The proposed values are:
  • 0.2 µg/m3 averaged over 1 hour (protecting fetal developmental effects).
  • 0.001–0.01 µg/m3 averaged annually (linked to lifetime lung cancer risk in the range 10⁻⁶ to 10⁻⁵).
  • Consultation documents posted May 22, 2026; comments accepted for 60 days (email: air@hc-sc.gc.ca).
• ISED published notice DGSO-001-26 to consult on updates to tower-siting procedures (Client Procedures Circular CPC-2-0-03). Proposed changes include stronger public notification requirements and an online tower information system. Comments due July 16, 2026; reply comments due August 25, 2026.
• Public Safety designated Jessica Calvert (RCMP) as a fingerprint examiner (routine personnel designation).
• The Privy Council Office lists open Governor in Council appointment competitions with various closing dates in May–June 2026 (examples in the notice include positions with closing dates such as May 25, 2026, May 28, 2026, June 15, 2026).

Who's affected#

• Companies or labs that import, manufacture, or handle the substances with CAS numbers 9011-12-5, 65870-97-5, 68525-95-1. (The notice itself only lists the CAS numbers.)
• Municipalities, public health agencies, environmental groups, and people living near industrial sources or wildfires who track or manage arsenic in air.
• Telecom companies, tower owners, landowners, and nearby residents who may be affected by tower siting, notifications, or new public tower information tools.
• The RCMP and any criminal justice partners who use fingerprint examination (this is an internal appointment).
• Canadians interested in senior public appointments listed by the Privy Council Office, who may apply before the listed closing dates.

Why it matters#

• Moving substances off the Non‑domestic List (and into the Domestic List as the order indicates) signals that those chemicals are now recorded as present in Canada. That can change how they are tracked, assessed, or managed under federal chemical rules.
• The proposed arsenic HBAQOs give a science-based benchmark for assessing air quality. They are voluntary but can influence local air monitoring, public-health advice, and decisions about industrial emissions and community protection—especially for pregnant people and communities near arsenic sources.
• Proposed changes to tower-siting rules aim to increase transparency (public notices and an online register). That could mean more public notice when new towers are planned and easier ways to find tower information.
• The RCMP designation is a routine staffing step with limited public impact.
• The Governor in Council appointment notices are a chance for Canadians to apply for federal board and leadership roles; closing dates are short, so interested candidates need to act quickly.