Environmental and social justice activists in Canada have applauded a new bill aimed at crafting a national strategy to combat the effects of environmental racism.

The Canadian Coalition for Environmental and Climate Justice (CCECJ) affirmed on Friday that the enactment of Bill C-226 this week will help communities comprehend the scope of the issue and develop methods to address it.

The bill reached its third reading in the Senate on Thursday and is expected to attain “royal assent”, the final step in the legislative process.

“We recognize the narratives about where and how environmental racism manifests in Canada. The official data on these realities is insufficient, making it harder to understand the problem's severity,” said Ingrid Waldron, co-founder and co-director of the CCECJ.

“Data gathering and analysis will be a crucial starting point in the strategy mandated by the Environmental Justice Strategy Act. Failing to address environmental racism will continue to negatively impact people's health and wellbeing.”

Environmental racism refers to the disproportionate placement of hazardous projects and polluting industries in communities of color and Indigenous populations.

Examples in Canada over the past decades include mercury contamination in Grassy Narrows First Nation in northern Ontario, the construction of major oil and gas pipelines on unceded Indigenous lands, and landfills situated near historic African-Canadian communities on the east coast.

I am pleased to share that the federal Environmental Racism/Justice private members bill (Bill C-226) was approved at Senate yesterday. It becomes the first environmental justice law in Canada. Statement from my organizations ENRICH and the CCECJhttps://t.co/pWN7z7NOMy

— Dr. Ingrid Waldron (@ingrid_waldron) June 14, 2024

Activists have long pushed the Canadian government to address the issue, which continues to affect communities nationwide.

Janelle Nahmabin of Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Ontario shared with Al Jazeera in 2021 how living in one of Canada's most industrialized areas, known as “Chemical Valley”, has impacted her and her community.

She stated that the pollution they face daily has strained their connection to the land, which “disconnects Indigenous people from their culture, because the land is a part of our identity”.

In 2020, a United Nations special rapporteur noted a “prevalence of discrimination in Canada's laws and policies regarding hazardous substances and wastes is clear”.

“Marginalized groups and Indigenous peoples particularly find themselves subjected to conditions that would not be tolerated elsewhere in Canada,” the expert indicated in a report (PDF) to the UN Human Rights Council.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party had committed in their 2021 party platform to enact legislation requiring the environment minister to “examine the connection between race, socio-economic status, and exposure to environmental risk”.

Trudeau's administration supported Bill C-226 on environmental racism, with Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault stating in February that “environmental protection should be universal regardless of who you are or where you live”.

“Decision-making must guarantee equal opportunities for all and avoid discriminating against underserved groups. This national dialogue will help us collectively reflect on environmental justice and racism,” Guilbeault remarked.

Bill C-226, proposed by Green Party leader Elizabeth May, mandates the minister to “formulate a national strategy to enhance environmental justice efforts and to evaluate, prevent, and address environmental racism”.

It also requires the minister to work with stakeholders, including Indigenous communities, and deliver a report to Canada's Parliament within two years of the bill's final passage, outlining the national strategy.

“The approval of Bill C-226 signifies a pledge to tackle the long-standing and deep-rooted issue of environmental racism in Canada,” said May of the Green Party in a statement on Thursday.

“This law is a testament to the power of collective action and the necessity of ensuring that all voices, especially those of marginalized communities, are included and respected in our environmental legislation.”