FROM POLICY TO PRACTICE: PROJECTING THE IMPLEMENTATION AND IMPACT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM ACT IN COMBATING ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM IN CANADA

Abstract

This thesis examines environmental racism in Canada, focusing particularly on the legislative response through the Environmental Racism Act. In Canada, communities such as Africville and Lincolnville have long suffered from the impacts of environmental racism, facing greater environmental health risks due to historical and structural inequalities. Through an analysis of the Environmental Racism Act, this research explores how the Act seeks to address these disparities by proposing a national strategy that integrates the principles of environmental justice. The study assesses the Act’s potential effectiveness in rectifying the inequities faced by marginalized communities by comparing it with select existing federal and provincial environmental laws including the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and the Impact Assessment Act. Additionally, the thesis evaluates the anticipated implementation challenges and the broader implications of the Environmental Racism Act within the framework of international environmental justice movements.