Environmental occurrences notification agreements

Summary#

The government published a notice under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 that six draft environmental occurrences notification agreements are available for public comment. The agreements, negotiated by Environment and Climate Change Canada, are open for a 60-day consultation starting October 18, 2025.

What it does#

• Sets out draft agreements between Environment and Climate Change Canada and these jurisdictions: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Yukon.
• Creates a streamlined notification system so provincial/territorial 24-hour authorities receive reports of environmental emergencies or occurrences (for example, oil or chemical releases) and pass them to the federal government.
• Makes the draft text of each agreement available for public inspection and comment.
• Gives instructions for how to request copies, submit comments, and ask that information be treated as confidential under section 313 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.

Who's affected#

• Businesses, facilities, and people who must notify governments about environmental emergencies or occurrences (such as spills or releases).
• Provincial and territorial emergency contact centres that receive 24-hour notifications.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada and federal officials who oversee responses to environmental incidents.
• Members of the public or groups who want to review or comment on the draft agreements.

Why it matters#

• The agreements aim to cut duplication so a single notification to a provincial/territorial 24-hour authority can be shared with the federal government. That can speed up federal awareness and oversight of incidents.
• If adopted, people and companies that report spills may only need to call one official number instead of separate provincial and federal hotlines.
• The public can review the proposed texts and raise concerns during the 60-day comment period beginning October 18, 2025. For contact and submission details, the notice provides an email address and a mailing address (responses go to the Minister of the Environment, attention Environmental Emergencies Division). The notice was signed by Julie Dabrusin on September 26, 2025.