#canadian-politics

The Federal Court of Appeal has reinstated the Canadian government's ban on single-use plastics, overturning a lower court decision that deemed the policy unconstitutional. In a 3-0 ruling, the court found the government had sufficient evidence to list plastic manufactured items as "toxic" under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). The decision affirms the federal government's authority to regulate plastics based on a "reasonable apprehension of harm." The ruling is a significant victory for environmental groups and the Trudeau government, but the plastics industry coalition that challenged the ban is now considering an appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Federal Court of Appeal has reinstated the Canadian government's ban on certain single-use plastics, overturning a lower court ruling that struck it down in 2023. The decision is a major victory for the federal Liberals' environmental agenda, reaffirming their authority to regulate plastic pollution under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). The court found the government's classification of plastic items as "toxic" for regulatory purposes was reasonable. While environmental groups celebrated the news, the plastics industry coalition that launched the initial challenge is considering an appeal to the Supreme Court.

The federal government has introduced new legislation to overhaul Canada's environmental assessment process for major projects. The proposed law aims to replace the Impact Assessment Act, which the Supreme Court of Canada found to be largely unconstitutional due to federal overreach into provincial jurisdiction. Tabled by the Environment and Natural Resources ministers, the bill seeks to create a more efficient and constitutionally sound framework. It focuses federal oversight on specific areas like fisheries and Indigenous rights, aiming to balance environmental protection with the need for clarity and investment certainty in the natural resource sector.