C-226National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act
An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on February 2, 2022
- Status
- Became law on June 20, 2024 · S.C. 2024, c. 11
What it does
Requires the Minister of the Environment to develop a national strategy on environmental racism and environmental justice, and to report to Parliament on it.
What it does
- Requires the Minister of the Environment to develop a national strategy to advance environmental justice and to assess, prevent and address environmental racism.
- Requires the Minister to consult with interested persons, bodies, organisations, communities, other ministers, governments in Canada and Indigenous communities, and to align the strategy with the federal Indigenous rights framework.
- Requires the strategy to include a study on links between race, socio-economic status and environmental risk, plus information on where environmental hazards are located.
- Allows the strategy to include changes to federal laws, policies and programmes, community involvement in environmental policy-making, compensation, and health data from communities near environmental hazards.
- Requires the Minister to table the strategy in Parliament within two years, publish it on the Department of the Environment website, and report every five years on the strategy’s effectiveness.
Who it affects
- The Minister of the Environment
- Indigenous communities
- Communities near environmental hazards
- Community groups
- Other federal ministers
- Governments in Canada
- Parliament
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Completed.
Report stage
Completed.
Third reading
Completed.
Senate
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Completed.
Third reading
Completed.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Completed.
Introduced by an MP who is not a minister. These bills compete in a lottery for debate time, and most do not become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-226, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice
Vote 288,
Passed
179 yeato145 nay · 4 paired
Party breakdown for vote 288 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 150 0 6 Conservative Nay 0 114 1 Bloc Nay 0 31 1 NDP Yea 24 0 1 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 3 0 0 Total 179 145 Concurrence at report stage of Bill C-226, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice
Vote 254,
Passed
176 yeato142 nay
Party breakdown for vote 254 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 148 0 10 Conservative Nay 0 112 4 Bloc Nay 0 30 2 NDP Yea 24 0 1 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 2 0 0 Total 176 142 2nd reading of Bill C-226, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice
Vote 167,
Passed
177 yeato146 nay · 2 paired
Party breakdown for vote 167 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 150 0 9 Conservative Nay 0 115 4 Bloc Nay 0 31 1 NDP Yea 24 0 1 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 1 0 0 Total 177 146
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalFrancis Scarpaleggia· April 26, 2022
“I am honoured to rise this afternoon to speak to Bill C-226. The bill is being sponsored today by the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands, but it was first introduced in the 43rd Parliament by Lenore Zann, the then member for Cumberland—Colchester.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeKyle Seeback· April 26, 2022
“I am happy to join in the debate for this bill. I want to thank the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands for putting forward this legislation.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocMonique Pauzé· April 26, 2022
“The Bloc Québécois supports the intention expressed in the title and preamble of Bill C-226 when it comes to environmental justice. If Parliament is to pass such a law, we believe that the concept of environmental justice must be the be the main subject and central concept.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPLaurel Collins· April 26, 2022
“This bill has strong support from civil society and environmental groups, including the support of Dr. Waldron, who has spent so many years advocating for change on this issue; the ENRICH Project; and the Canadian Coalition for Environmental and Climate Justice.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caGreenElizabeth May· February 2, 2022
“Moved for leave to introduce Bill C-226, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice. It is a great honour for me to rise today to introduce this private member's bill.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: Royal assent received. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.