Location: Ministry Home > General Information > Canada-Wide Environmental Standards Sub-Agreement

Canada-Wide Environmental Standards Sub-Agreement

The Canada-wide Environmental Standards Sub-Agreement is a framework for federal, provincial, and territorial Environment Ministers to work together to address key environmental protection and health risk reduction issues that require common environmental standards across the country. Set under the framework of the Canada-wide Accord on Environmental Harmonization, the Standards Sub-agreement sets out principles for governments to jointly agree on priorities, to develop standards, and to prepare complementary workplans to achieve those standards, based on the unique responsibilities and legislation of each government. The sub-agreement does not change the jurisdiction of governments nor does it delegate authority.

Ontario is an active participant in the development of Canada-Wide Standards and acts as the Champion jurisdiction for mercury standards. Canada-wide Standards (CWS) are implemented by the "best placed" jurisdiction and the standards require that implementation plans be posted to jurisdiction websites after CWS are endorsed. The Ministry of the Environment posted its first implementation plans to its website in March 2003.

View Canada-Wide Standards on the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) Website

View the Environmental Registry