Environmental issues in Canada

Environmental issues in Canada include air and water pollution, climate change, mining and logging.

Air pollution

As with many other countries air pollution is a problem in metropolitan areas. The air pollutants are from cars and wood burning. The common measured air pollutants are Carbon Monoxide and Sulfur Dioxide. See article Pollution in Canada

Climate change

Conservation

The Rainforest Action Network and indigenous groups have campaigned to protect the Boreal forest of Canada from logging and mining. In July 2008 the Ontario government announced plans to protect some of the area from all industrial activity.

Logging

Logging of old growth forest is continuing in Canada. The Ancient Forest Alliance is an environmental group in British Columbia, Canada, that is dedicated to stopping logging in endangered old growth forests, and ensuring the sustainable logging of second growth forests.

The forests of Clayoquot Sound are still being logged. There are ongoing protests over the logging and in 1993 it was the site of the largest act of peaceful civil disobedience in Canada.

Chemical Pollution

The Aamjiwnaang First Nation community has expressed concern regarding its proximity to chemical plants in the area, as birth rates of their people have been documented by the American journal Environmental Health Perspectives as deviating from the normal ratio of close to 50% boys, 50% girls.^[1] The ratio as found between 1999 and 2003 by the journal was roughly 33% boys, and 67% girls.^[2] The First Nation is concerned that this abnormal trend is due to adverse effects of maternal and fetal exposure to the effluent and emissions of the nearby chemical plants. This is the first community in the world to have a birth rate of two girls to every boy.

Specific issues

• Environmental impact of the Athabasca oil sands
• Seal hunting
• Cleanup of the Colomac Mine
• Acid mine drainage from the Northland Pyrite Mine
• Baffinland Iron Mine#Environmental concerns

See also

• Environment of Canada
• Environmental policy of the Harper government
• Hard Choices: Climate Change in Canada
• List of environmental issues
• Pollution in Canada
• RAVEN (Respecting Aboriginal Values & Environmental Needs)

References

1. C. A. Mackenzie; A. Lockridge; M. Keith (2005). "Declining Sex Ratio in a First Nation Community". Environmental Health Perspectives. 113 (10): 1295–1298. doi:10.1289/ehp.8479. PMC 1281269. PMID 16203237.
2. "Aamjiwnaang First Nations concerned about chemical exposure". CBC News. 2005-09-02. Retrieved 2008-10-21.

• Canada, Government of. "Environmental issues: air."
• Canada, n.d. Web. 21 May 2013.
• www.ec.gc.ca