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1999 Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development

1999 Report—Chapter 3

Appendix—Toxic Substances Research Infrastructure at the Federal Level

Environment Canada

• Air Quality Research Branch
  • Hazardous air pollutants program
    Study the role of the atmosphere as a pathway for toxic chemicals.

Respond to the unique problems of targeted areas and communities to address environmental, economic and social concerns of which toxic substances are a part.

• Great Lakes 2000
• Saint-Laurent Action Plan vision 2000
• Atlantic Coastal Action Program
• Fraser River Action Plan
• Georgia Basin Ecosystem Initiative
• Northern River Ecosystem Initiative

National Water Research Institute (Burlington, Ont.)

Identify and communicate the occurrence, persistence, fate and effects of toxic substances in Canadian aquatic ecosystem under the following branches.

• Aquatic Ecosystem Protection Branch
• Aquatic Ecosystem Conservation Branch
• Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Branch
• Aquatic Ecosystem Impacts Branch (Saskatoon)

• Wildlife Toxicology Division
  Provide information and advice on the impacts of toxic substances on wildlife and their ecosystem.

Centre Saint-Laurent (Montréal, Que.)

Conduct research to support the St-Laurent Action Plan and have the two following sections related to toxics.

• Contamination of the aquatic environment section
• Ecotoxicology and environmental chemistry section

Support pollution assessment by undertaking research and development.

• Co-ordinate the federal-provincial National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) network

Evaluate technologies and other control options applicable to the potential releases of priority substances under CEPA.

Fisheries and Oceans

• Environmental Science Branch
  Undertake research to support activities related to toxic substances and the Habitat Management and Marine Ecosystem Conservation Branches.

Research Centres

Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (GLLFAS) (Burlington, Ont.)

• Ecotoxicology Division
  Undertake toxicology research to freshwater fisheries resources.

• Fish Habitat Studies Division
  Undertake research related to fish habitat

Freshwater Institute (Winnipeg, Man.)

• Experimental Lakes Area (ELA)
  Undertake monitoring and research to demonstrate the impacts of human activities on lakes and watersheds
  (e.g. toxic substances).

• Arctic studies

• Centre for Marine Contaminants and Toxicology

Conduct contaminant studies in Atlantic marine ecosystems

Gulf Fisheries Centre (Moncton, N.B.)

Conduct contaminant studies in Atlantic marine ecosystems

Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre (St. John's, Nfld.)

Conduct contaminant studies in Atlantic marine ecosystems

The Maurice Lamontagne Institute (MLI) (Mont-Joli, Que.)

Identify contaminants, study their distribution, and determine their toxic effects on marine on the marine environment of the St-Lawrence.

Institute of Oceans Sciences (Sydney, B.C.)

Conduct contaminant studies in Pacific marine ecosystems and the Arctic.

West Vancouver Laboratory (B.C.)

Conduct contaminant studies in Pacific marine ecosystems and the Arctic.

Natural Resources Canada

• Metals in the Environment Initiative (MITE)
  Conduct science projects on the source, transport and fate of metals in the surface environment.

Minerals and Metals Sector: Canada Centre for Mineral & Energy Technology (CANMET)

• Mine Environment Neutral Drainage Program (MEND)
  Addresses the environmental challenges associated with acidic mining wastes

• Metals and the Environment Program
  Assure that policy and regulatory decision related to minerals and metals are based on sound science.
  • Aquatic Effects Technology Evaluation (AETE)
    A program to assess the appropriate technology for use in the environmental effects monitoring program for the metal mining sector.

• Mine Effluents and Decommissioning Program
  Helps industry meet mine and mill effluents treatment challenges and encourages pro-active technological approaches to effluent management issues.

Canadian Forest Service

• The Atlantic Forestry Centre
  • Forest Health Network
    This network does research and monitoring related to the effects of Air Pollution on forests.
    - Acid Rain National Early Warning System (ARNEWS)

  • The Great Lakes Forestry Centre
    - Pest Management Methods Network (PMMN)
    This network does research on acceptable methods for managing forest pests and contributes to integrated pest management and sustainable forest development.

Health Canada

• Environmental Health Directorate

  Bureau of Chemical Hazards

  • Environmental Substances Division
    Assess and Manage health risks of both new and existing chemicals.

  • Environmental and Occupational Toxicology Division
    Determine the toxic effects of chemical pollutants in the natural environment and indoor environment.

  • Environmental Health Effects Division
    Assess and communicate the risks of environmental pollutants in the major bioregions of Canada and impacts of long-range transport of contaminants into Canada.

• Laboratory Centre for Disease Control
  Identify, investigate, prevent and control human disease.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

• Southern Crop Protection and Food Research Centre
  Conduct research on Pest Management and on Integrated Pest Management.

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

• Northern Contaminants Program
  Research contributed by Health Canada, Fisheries and Oceans and Environment Canada.

Note: Each department has regional research activities in addition to the above.