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FederalPassed44th Parliament, 1st Session

Bill S-5 explained in plain English

An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, to make related amendments to the Food and Drugs Act and to repeal the Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Virtual Elimination Act

Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.

Short answer

The bill amends the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to update toxic substance regulations, expand definitions, and add reporting requirements for chemical manufacturers and importers.

At a glance

Jurisdiction
Federal Parliament
Legislature / Parliament
Parliament of Canada
Session
44th Parliament, 1st Session
Bill number
Bill S-5
Full title
An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, to make related amendments to the Food and Drugs Act and to repeal the Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Virtual Elimination Act
Current status
Passed
Latest event
Royal assent received
Last updated
Jun 13, 2023
Sponsor

Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 44th Parliament, 1st Session. MP vote breakdowns appear when the House of Commons publishes a recorded division export for that bill. Senate and House stage details include official debate/sitting links when LEGISinfo publishes them.

Chamber
Parliament of Canada
Current Stage
Royal assent received
Latest Activity
Jun 13, 2023
Sponsor
Plain-language explanation

AI-generated from official bill text; automatically checked and spot-reviewed.

AI-assisted
Short Version

The bill amends the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to update toxic substance regulations, expand definitions, and add reporting requirements for chemical manufacturers and importers.

What It Means

This bill amends the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to update the list of toxic substances and add new regulations for managing certain chemicals. It introduces changes to the process for assessing substances, expands the definition of 'toxic substance,' and adds requirements for manufacturers and importers to report on specific chemicals. The bill also modifies procedures for the Minister of the Environment to make decisions on substance management.

What This Bill Does
  • Amends the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to add new substances to the list of toxic substances (Section 64).
  • Modifies the process for assessing substances by requiring the Minister to consider new factors (Section 67(2)).
  • Expands the definition of 'toxic substance' to include substances that may harm human health or the environment (Section 67(5)).
  • Requires manufacturers and importers to report on specific chemicals if they meet certain criteria (Section 67(6)).
Who Is Affected
  • Manufacturers of chemicals
  • Importers of chemicals
  • The Minister of the Environment
  • Regulatory agencies responsible for enforcing environmental protection laws
Uncertainties Or Limits
  • The exact date when the amended sections come into force is not specified in the text and is stated to be determined by an order from the Governor in Council.
Laws Or Regulations Affected
Canadian Environmental Protection Act
Amended

The bill updates the Act to include new toxic substances and modify how substances are assessed and managed.

Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. Coverage is limited to the official text extracted for this bill version.

Official text

Parliamentary Process

Step 1
First reading
Feb 9, 2022
Completed

We don't have a plain-language summary for First reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Introduction and first reading, Feb 9, 2022
End of stage activity, Feb 9, 2022
Chamber sittings
Introduction and first reading - Feb 9, 2022

We don't have a plain-language summary for Introduction and first reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Step 2
Second reading
Apr 7, 2022
Completed

We don't have a plain-language summary for Second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Second reading, Apr 7, 2022
Referral to committee, Apr 7, 2022
End of stage activity, Apr 7, 2022
Chamber sittings
Debate at second reading - Mar 1, 2022

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Sponsor’s speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Debate at second reading - Apr 6, 2022

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Debate at second reading - Apr 7, 2022

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Step 3
Consideration in committee
Jun 20, 2022
Completed

We don't have a plain-language summary for Consideration in committee yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Committee report presented with amendments, Jun 20, 2022
End of stage activity, Jun 20, 2022
Chamber sittings
Committee report presented with amendments - Jun 20, 2022

We don't have a plain-language summary for Committee report presented with amendments yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Step 4
Third reading
Jun 23, 2022
Completed

We don't have a plain-language summary for Third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Third reading, Jun 23, 2022
End of stage activity, Jun 23, 2022
Chamber sittings
Debate at third reading - Jun 22, 2022

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Step 1
First reading
Sep 28, 2022
Completed

We don't have a plain-language summary for First reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

First reading, Sep 28, 2022
End of stage activity, Sep 28, 2022
Chamber sittings
First reading - Sep 28, 2022

We don't have a plain-language summary for First reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Step 2
Second reading
Nov 3, 2022
Completed

We don't have a plain-language summary for Second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Second reading and referral to committee, Nov 3, 2022
End of stage activity, Nov 3, 2022
Chamber sittings
Debate at second reading - Oct 7, 2022

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Sponsor’s speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Debate at second reading - Oct 18, 2022

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Debate at second reading - Oct 19, 2022

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Debate at second reading - Oct 24, 2022

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Debate at second reading - Oct 31, 2022

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Debate at second reading - Nov 2, 2022

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Second reading and referral to committee - Nov 3, 2022

We don't have a plain-language summary for Second reading and referral to committee yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Step 3
Consideration in committee
Mar 22, 2023
Completed

Bill S-5's House of Commons committee consideration stage was completed on March 22, 2023, as part of its path to receiving royal assent on June 13, 2023.

Committee report presented with amendments, Mar 22, 2023
End of stage activity, Mar 22, 2023
Chamber sittings
Committee report presented with amendments - Mar 22, 2023

The House of Commons debated and passed key legislation, including tax measures and corporate laws, while also addressing petitions and committee activities during the session.

Step 4
Report stage
May 16, 2023
Completed

Bill S-5 completed its House of Commons Report stage on May 16, 2023, marking a procedural milestone in its journey to becoming law after receiving royal assent on June 13, 2023.

Concurrence at report stage, May 16, 2023
End of stage activity, May 16, 2023
Chamber sittings
Debate at report stage - May 3, 2023

The parliamentary debate focused on energy policy, regulatory challenges, international relations, and governance issues, with members criticizing government actions and proposing alternative approaches.

Debate at report stage - May 15, 2023

The May 15, 2023, House of Commons sitting focused on housing and homelessness, with debates over funding, REITs, and new legislation, alongside other bills and motions listed in the Order Paper.

Debate at report stage - May 16, 2023

This data includes Canadian House of Commons debate records with speaker details, speech content, and metadata about the session.

Step 5
Third reading
May 30, 2023
Completed

Bill S-5 passed third reading in the House of Commons on May 30, 2023, after being agreed to with vote 338, and later received royal assent on June 13, 2023.

Third reading, May 30, 2023
End of stage activity, May 30, 2023
Chamber sittings
Debate at third reading - May 29, 2023

The Hansard transcript captures parliamentary debates on climate action, housing, and tax policies, with discussions highlighting both government commitments and gaps in data or policy specifics.

Debate at third reading - May 30, 2023

The House of Commons debated measures to combat foreign interference in democracy and the economic effects of the carbon tax, with the government defending its policies and opposition parties criticizing their impact on food inflation and economic fairness.

Step 1
Royal assent
Jun 14, 2023
Royal assent, Jun 14, 2023
End of stage activity, Jun 14, 2023
Chamber sittings
Royal assent - Jun 13, 2023

We don't have a plain-language summary for Royal assent yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debates of the Senate yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Debate and sitting links point to official parliamentary sources when LEGISinfo publishes them. Any plain-language discussion summaries should be generated from those official texts and reviewed before public display.

Vote Summary

Yes
114
No
210
Abstain
0
Absent / Other
0
Final recorded House vote
May 30, 2023
324 representative positions are recorded in this official snapshot for this vote.
Sponsor
Marc Gold
Senator | Details not listed in current Senate roster
Jurisdiction
Federal Parliament

No published representative vote breakdown

The current official sources do not publish a recorded division breakdown for this bill, so there is no representative-by-representative table to show.

Official sources

This plain-English summary is based on official legislative sources and public records. It is intended for civic education and is not legal advice.

How this data is sourced