Precaution

Business and NGOs came together in this initiative because they had shared concerns and in some cases clear differences as to how the precautionary principle or the precautionary approach (consolidated into the term "Precaution" for the purposes of this project) ought to be applied in a Canadian context, particularly as it relates to environmental decision-making. Participants were especially concerned with how Precaution ought to be codified in policy, regulation and decision-making processes, particularly to address situations in which there is high potential risk and high scientific uncertainty. The project team comprised Alcan, Bayer CropScience, Canadian Environmental Law Association, Canadian Institute for Child Health, Canadian Plastics Industry Association, Dow Chemical Canada, Environment Canada, Health Canada, Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, Pollution Probe and Syngenta Crop Protection.

The report, Applying Precaution in Environmental Decision-Making in Canada, was released in March 2004. Almost immediately, it was used to underpin a recommendation on risk assessment made by the External Committee on Smart Regulations in its report to the Prime Minister (Smart Regulation: A Regulatory Strategy for Canada).

Project report:

Applying Precaution in Environmental Decision-Making in Canada (pdf, 186 KB)