Federal Government

Canada is the second largest country by area in the world. The government of Canada (the federal government) has jurisdiction over the big picture of air quality.

The Canada-United States Air Quality Agreement was signed by Canada and the United States in Ottawa in 1991 to address transboundary air pollution leading to acid rain. Both countries agreed to reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), the primary precursors to acid rain, and to work together on acid rain related scientific and technical cooperation. The Ozone Annex was added to the Agreement in 2000 to address the trans-boundary air pollution leading to high air quality levels of ground-level ozone.

In 2003, the Government of Canada, led by Environment Canada, began working with the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States to develop a Border Air Quality Strategy to identify appropriate border air quality pilot projects to address international air pollution on both sides of the border. For more information, visit the Website.

As part of the Borders Air Quality Strategy, the Georgia Basin-Puget Sound International Airshed Strategy, a multi-partnered initiative was brought to action to specifically address cross border air pollution in the western transboundary coastal region of Canada and the USA. For more information about the Air Quality Strategy, visit the Website.

In 2006, the federal government announced Canada's Clean Air Act, which is the first and central component of the new federal government's environmental agenda.

The federal government has authority under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) to enforce nation-wide standards to help control the pollutant levels emitted as a nation. The CEPA gives authority over air emission sources related to vehicles, fuel quality and industry. For more information, visit the CEPA Website.