The organization was founded in 1984.[4]
Environmental Defence spearheaded education campaigns in Ontario to advocate for the creation of a Greenbelt, tighter controls on development impacting Lake Simcoe, and the dangers of BPA, resulting in legislative changes such as the adoption of the Lake Simcoe Protection Act and the ban of BPA in baby bottles. Additionally, its efforts to raise public awareness about biodiversity and renewable energy contributed to the passage of the Endangered Species Act and the Green Energy and Economy Act in Ontario.
Environmental Defence successfully advocated for the ban or restriction of phthalates in Canadian toys, raised awareness about the dangers of microbeads, and contributed to the passing of the Great Lakes Protection Act. Additionally, its efforts led to the cancellation of the Energy East oil pipeline, secured rules supporting charities' participation in public policy, and influenced the implementation of a carbon pollution price across Canada. Environmental Defence also played a role in the drafting of federal regulations banning six single-use plastics, strengthening Canada's toxics law (CEPA), and saving Ontario’s Greenbelt from development. Moreover, its advocacy efforts resulted in the drafting of new rules requiring the availability of electric vehicles (EVs) and the tabling of the Climate-Aligned Finance Act.
Environmental Defence has a number of different areas of focus, including the following:[5]
- Ending climate change by building more sustainable communities and challenging the power of the fossil fuel industry.
- Protecting Ontario’s environment through safeguarding local food, ensuring a stable climate, and a thriving Greenbelt.
- Kicking out toxic chemicals from Canadian shelves to protect human and environmental health.
- Protecting safe, clean water in Canada’s freshwater systems.
- Ending plastic pollution.
- Supporting a renewable energy transition in Alberta.
Environmental Defence has led cutting edge research in its areas of focus. In the last ten years, Environmental Defence has produced milestone reports, listed below. To access all of its reports, including reports published before 2017, please visit the website.
- In 2017, Environmental Defence and the NRDC reported that tar sands mining in Alberta produced over 250 billion gallons of toxic tailings, stored in lakes larger than Manhattan and Boston combined.[6] They urged the CEC to investigate potential Fisheries Act violations due to toxic tailings leaking into Alberta's water bodies.
- In 2019, a report by Environmental Defence exposed Canada's oil and gas lobby's obstruction of federal climate efforts,[7] noting sector emissions have risen for three decades despite industry influence on legislation. It reveals that fulfilling the industry's wishlist for Election 2019 could consume 60% of Canada's 2030 carbon budget under the Paris Agreement.
- A 2020 report by Environmental Defence found that none of the major oil and gas companies[8] analyzed by the report, including BP, Chevron, Eni, Equinor, ExxonMobil, Repsol, Shell, and Total, have climate commitments that align with the Paris Agreement goals.
- A 2021 report by Environmental Defence revealed that Canada's federal government allocated over $18 billion [9] in support and subsidies to fossil fuel companies in 2020, with incomplete transparency, and little progress has been made on climate promises made over a decade ago.
- In 2022, Environmental Defence released Highway 413: The Road to Our Ruin[10] which found that the construction of Highway 413 would affect 29 federally identified species at risk, including the Bank Swallow, Red-headed Woodpecker, and Short-eared Owl. Additionally, species such as the Blanding's Turtle and the Redside Dace, a rare minnow, would also be adversely impacted by the highway's construction.
- In 2022, Environmental Defence released a report titled: Roadmap to a Sustainable Financial System in Canada[11] which outlined how Canada could build a strong, clean economic future.
- In 2022, Environmental Defence released a report that examined dollar store products for dangerous chemicals. The report found toxic levels of heavy metals in products like children’s toys and headphones. It also found that 30% of all dollar store products tested contained heavy metals[12] such as lead and other toxic chemicals such as phthalates, bisphenols and PFAS (a.k.a. “forever chemicals.”)
- In 2022, a report by Environmental Defence found that the expansive “toxic tailings” ponds created by the oil industry exceeded 300 km²,[13] surpassing the size of Vancouver over 2.6 times. These "ponds" contain highly toxic substances, such as concentrated naphthenic acids, known to leak and evaporate into the environment, contradicting claims of responsible development by the oil industry.
- In 2023, Environmental Defence released the report Left Holding the Bag, which revealed that more than 70% of items found in Canada’s baby food and produce aisles are now packaged in plastic,[14] exposing people to microplastics and harmful chemical additives.
- In 2023, Environmental Defence commissioned a study to explore alternative, and less environmentally destructive, options to building Highway 413. The report found that redirecting trucks to the 407 would alleviate traffic on Highway 401 for regular commuters and reduce truckers' journey times by about 80 minutes, costing $6 billion less than constructing Highway 413, with an estimated $4 billion subsidy over 30 years.[15]
- In 2024, Environmental Defence and Équiterre released the report Putting Wheels on the Bus, which outlined policy recommendations for how Canada can reduce 65 million tons of polluting carbon emissions through doubling public transit ridership by 2035.[16]
