Chemicals, Health Guidance and Arctic Marine Rules

Summary#

This Canada Gazette issue (Part I, Volume 155, Number 11, published March 13, 2021) collects a range of government notices on chemicals, health guidance, marine rules and trade consultations. It includes final and draft assessments under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, new indoor-air guidance for acrolein, a proposed drinking-water guideline for the herbicide MCPA, temporary marine restrictions linked to COVID‑19, and other administrative updates.

What it does#

• Issues Ministerial Condition No. 20537 allowing the manufacture or import of 1,2-propanediol, 1,2-dibenzoate (CAS 19224-26-1), but only for specific industrial uses (plastics, paints/coatings, lubricants, textiles, inks, flooring, wall coverings, etc.) and with record‑keeping and transfer limits.
• Publishes draft screening assessments under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 for several chemical groups:
  • Ethers Group (DEE, DPE, DME, DPGME): proposes no further action (low risk).
  • Thiophosphate Alkyl Esters Group (TPAE‑1 and TPAE‑2): proposes that TPAE‑1 meets environmental concern criteria and may be added to Schedule 1; TPAE‑2 is proposed as low concern for now.
  • Piperazine: proposes no further action.
• Announces final Residential Indoor Air Quality Guidelines for acrolein from Health Canada:
  • Short‑term (one hour) limit: 38 µg/m3.
  • Long‑term (24‑hour) limit: 0.44 µg/m3.
• Posts a proposed Guideline for Canadian Drinking Water for 4‑Chloro‑2‑methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) with a proposed maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) of 0.4 mg/L (400 µg/L) and opens a comment period (document available March 13 to May 12, 2021).
• Adjusts fees in the Cannabis Fees Order effective April 1, 2021 (CPI change for 2020 of ‑0.2%); example: micro‑cultivation licence fee moves from $1,709 to $1,706.
• Issues two temporary marine orders under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 to limit:
  • Pleasure craft in much of Arctic waters (exceptions for emergencies, subsistence and Indigenous rights, essential access).
  • Passenger vessels and ferries in Canadian waters, with tighter rules for vessels carrying over 100 people or overnight passengers; exemptions and conditions are available.
• Begins public consultations by Global Affairs Canada on possible free‑trade negotiations with the United Kingdom and the U.K.’s request to join the CPTPP; submissions invited by April 27, 2021.
• Publishes a variety of administrative and compliance notices (e.g., decisions under the Hazardous Materials Information Review Act, trustee/financial statements, appointment opportunities, and superannuation rates).

Who's affected#

• Companies that make, import, sell or use the named chemicals and materials (manufacturers of plastics, coatings, lubricants, textiles, inks, etc.).
• Industries using TPAE substances (industrial and automotive lubricants, metalworking fluids) and organizations tracking chemical risks.
• Municipal water utilities, private well owners and provinces/territories that monitor or treat drinking water (because of the proposed MCPA MAC).
• Homeowners and tenants, especially people with asthma or respiratory conditions, because of the new acrolein indoor‑air limits and recommended actions.
• Recreational boaters, pleasure‑craft owners and passenger vessel operators — particularly those planning trips to Arctic waters or operating vessels that carry many passengers.
• Businesses and stakeholders interested in a Canada–U.K. trade deal or the U.K. joining the CPTPP, including exporters, services firms, Indigenous groups, small and medium enterprises, and labour/environmental groups.
• Licence applicants and holders in the cannabis sector because of the small fee adjustments.

Why it matters#

• Chemical decisions shape what substances can be manufactured, imported or restricted in Canada. The proposed listing of TPAE‑1 could lead to future controls or cleanup requirements. Ministerial conditions and record rules affect how industry must handle certain substances now.
• The acrolein guidelines give concrete numbers to judge indoor air risk. Health Canada notes many homes may exceed the long‑term limit, so people with lung disease or children may want to reduce exposure (better ventilation, cook‑hood use, avoid indoor smoking/open fires).
• The proposed MCPA drinking‑water MAC would guide provinces, utilities and private well owners on when to act and what treatment options to use. It also signals government concern about pesticide residues in drinking water.
• The marine Interim Orders are practical measures aimed at keeping limited Arctic response assets available and protecting community health during COVID‑19. Recreational and commercial operators need to check the exemptions and observe reporting or notice rules.
• Trade consultations and the CPTPP accession process are the start of decisions that could change market access, tariffs, and rules on services, procurement and regulations. Stakeholder input can influence negotiation priorities.
• Other administrative updates (fee changes, HMIRA outcomes, appointments) affect businesses and individuals in bureaucratic but operational ways.