Chemical Assessments, Water Guidelines, and Travel Orders

Summary#

This Canada Gazette, Part I (published March 6, 2021) bundles many government notices from several departments. Key practical items include chemical screening results and proposed actions, final drinking water guidance for aluminum, new COVID-19 air‑travel rules and temperature/mask requirements, and an aviation training order for certain Boeing 737‑8 operations.

What it does#

• Environment and health assessments:
  • Releases draft screening assessments for groups of chemicals (e.g. the Aliphatic Amines Group, Benzotriazoles and Benzothiazoles Group, and the Hexamethylenetetramines Group) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
  • Proposes adding some substances (notably some long‑chain aliphatic amines and some benzothiazole‑related substances) to Schedule 1 (which can trigger risk management actions).
  • Offers risk‑management scope documents and opens public comment windows of 60 days for those CEPA notices.
• Drinking water guidance:
  • Publishes final Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality for aluminum with a maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) for total aluminum of 2.9 mg/L and an operational guidance (OG) value of 0.100 mg/L to help water utilities manage treatment and distribution.
  • Releases a guidance document summarizing microbiological considerations for drinking water systems.
• Chemicals prioritization science:
  • Publishes a new science approach document showing how high‑throughput in vitro data can be used to screen chemicals (46 substances examined as examples).
• Health Canada administrative change:
  • Announces an upcoming public consultation to amend the Fees in Respect of Drugs and Medical Devices Order to keep terminology aligned with proposed changes to the Food and Drug Regulations. The consultation period is 15 calendar days (ends March 21, 2021).
• Air travel and airport COVID‑19 rules:
  • Brings into effect the Interim Order Respecting Certain Requirements for Civil Aviation Due to COVID‑19, No. 22. Main points:
    • Airlines and private operators must notify and get confirmations from passengers about possible provincial/federal COVID measures.
    • Passengers on flights to Canada must show evidence of a COVID‑19 molecular test result: either a negative test on a specimen collected no more than 72 hours before the initial scheduled departure, or a positive test taken between 14 and 90 days before departure.
    • Operators must notify passengers about quarantine requirements and, beginning February 21, 2021 at 11:59:59 p.m. EST, travellers may need to provide evidence of prepaid government‑authorized accommodation for an initial 3‑day hotel quarantine on entry.
    • Temperature screening, mandatory face masks, and related record‑keeping rules at listed airports and on many flights. Persons with elevated temperatures can be denied boarding and barred from entering restricted areas for 14 days unless they supply a medical certificate.
    • The Order sets monetary penalties for many contraventions (see schedules with maximum penalties, commonly $5,000 for individuals and $25,000 for corporations for certain items).
• Aviation training order:
  • Issues the Interim Order Respecting Certain Training Requirements (B‑737‑8 and Other Aircraft), No. 3, requiring specific training items from the Department of Transport’s Operational Evaluation Report to be added to operator training programs for the B‑737‑8. Pilots cannot act as PIC or SIC on B‑737‑8 flights unless the specified training is completed.
• Species at Risk:
  • Declares that critical habitat for the Red‑headed Woodpecker in the Long Point National Wildlife Area and Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area will be subject to the protections of the Species at Risk Act 90 days after publication.
• Other notices:
  • Publication of a procedure (RSP‑102) for special radio equipment authorizations by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
  • Lists of Schedule I, II and III banks as of December 31, 2020 (Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions).
  • A notice of many Governor‑in‑Council appointment opportunities.

Who's affected#

• Chemical manufacturers, importers, formulators and downstream users of the assessed substances (long‑chain aliphatic amines, benzothiazoles, benzotriazoles, CTAC/quaternium‑15, etc.).
• Water utilities and people who manage municipal or private drinking water systems. Consumers and communities served by those systems may be affected by monitoring and treatment changes tied to the aluminum guideline.
• Airlines, private flight operators, aerodrome operators, screening authorities, gate agents and crew members. Also air passengers (domestic and international) who will face testing, temperature checks, mask rules, quarantine and potential denial of boarding.
• Operators and flight crews for aircraft model B‑737‑8 (flight training requirements and operational limitations).
• Environmental and conservation stakeholders in Long Point and Prince Edward Point areas and anyone involved with activities in those federally protected wildlife areas.
• Organizations and businesses affected by payment of administrative fees for drugs and medical devices if the Fees Order is amended.
• Radio equipment vendors needing special authorization under RSP‑102.
• Financial institutions listed in OSFI schedules and people watching appointments to federal boards.

Why it matters#

• Chemical screening outcomes can lead to regulation or bans. If substances are added to Schedule 1, the government can impose controls or require changes in how products are made, used and released to the environment.
• The aluminum guideline gives water utilities clear targets to protect public health and to prevent operational problems (discoloured water, clogged pipes). The MAC of 2.9 mg/L and the OG of 0.100 mg/L will guide monitoring and treatment decisions.
• The air travel interim order imposes real, immediate rules travelers and carriers must follow: testing timing (72 hours), possible hotel quarantine for the first 3 days, temperature screening, mask requirements, and the risk of being denied boarding or fined. That affects travel plans and airline operations.
• Training requirements for the B‑737‑8 mean airlines must update and get approval for training programs. Crews without the required training cannot legally operate those flights until compliant.
• Protecting critical habitat under the Species at Risk Act can limit certain activities in the designated wildlife areas to help conserve the Red‑headed Woodpecker.
• The new science approach document shows a shift toward faster, lab‑data driven screening for chemical risks. That may speed up prioritization of many data‑poor chemicals.
• Several items invite public input (notably CEPA notices with 60‑day comment periods and Health Canada’s short consultation ending March 21, 2021) — stakeholders have formal chances to comment before measures are finalized.