View source for Environment and Climate Change Canada

'''Environment and Climate Change Canada''' ('''ECCC''') is the federal department responsible for environmental protection, the national weather service, wildlife conservation, and climate change policy. ECCC develops and enforces environmental laws and regulations; delivers meteorological, hydrological, and air-quality services; protects species and habitats; advances climate science and adaptation; and represents Canada in many international environmental agreements.

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<div style="font-weight:700; color:#0b6bcb; margin-bottom:6px;">At a glance — Environment and Climate Change Canada</div>
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! style="text-align:left; width:44%; padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Type
| style="padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Federal department (Government of Canada)
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! style="text-align:left; width:44%; padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Core roles
| style="padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top; overflow-wrap:anywhere;" | Environmental protection & enforcement • Weather, climate & hydrology services • Wildlife & habitat conservation • Climate policy & international agreements
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! style="text-align:left; width:44%; padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Major branches
| style="padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top; overflow-wrap:anywhere;" | '''Meteorological Service of Canada''' • '''Canadian Wildlife Service''' • Environmental Protection & Enforcement • Science & Technology • Strategic Policy
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! style="text-align:left; width:44%; padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Key legislation (examples)
| style="padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top; overflow-wrap:anywhere;" | '''Canadian Environmental Protection Act''' • '''Species at Risk Act''' • '''Fisheries Act''' (pollution prevention provisions) • '''Migratory Birds Convention Act''' • '''Impact Assessment Act''' (role in reviews)
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! style="text-align:left; width:44%; padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | National alerting
| style="padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top; overflow-wrap:anywhere;" | Weather watches/warnings ('''weather.gc.ca''') • '''Air Quality Health Index''' (AQHI) • Wildfire smoke forecasts (FireWork) • Data to '''Alert Ready'''
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! style="text-align:left; width:44%; padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Portfolio partners
| style="padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top; overflow-wrap:anywhere;" | [[Parks Canada]] (separate agency) • [[Impact Assessment Agency of Canada]] (independent agency) • Environment & sustainable-development commissioner (OAG)
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! style="text-align:left; width:44%; padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Official sites
| style="padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top; overflow-wrap:anywhere;" | canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change • weather.gc.ca • climate.weather.gc.ca
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== Mandate and responsibilities ==
ECCC’s mandate is to protect the environment and conserve Canada’s natural heritage while supporting sustainable development and public safety. The department:
* Develops regulations, standards, and compliance programs to prevent pollution and manage toxic substances.  
* Issues '''weather, marine, and severe-weather warnings''', hydrological forecasts, and air-quality statements for public safety and economic sectors.  
* Conserves wildlife and habitats through the '''Canadian Wildlife Service''' (migratory birds, species at risk, protected areas).  
* Leads federal policies on '''climate change''', including GHG reporting, carbon-pollution pricing framework (with provinces/territories), adaptation, and clean-technology programs.  
* Conducts and funds environmental '''science, monitoring, and research''' (atmosphere, climate, water, contaminants, ecosystems).

== Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) ==
The MSC is Canada’s national weather service. It operates weather radars, upper-air stations, surface networks, forecast centres, numerical weather prediction systems, and specialized programs (aviation, marine, Arctic, ice). It provides:
* '''Public forecasts''' and '''alerts''' (watches, warnings, special weather statements) via '''weather.gc.ca''', apps, and media partners.  
* '''Marine and ice information''' for oceans and Great Lakes; aviation weather for air navigation.  
* '''Air-quality services''' including the '''Air Quality Health Index (AQHI)''' and wildfire-smoke outlooks (FireWork model).  
* Open data (observations, radar, model fields) for researchers, media, and industry.

== Environmental protection ==
Under the '''Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA)''' and related laws, ECCC:
* Assesses and manages risks from toxic substances; sets fuel and vehicle-emission standards; regulates industrial air and water emissions.  
* Oversees pollution prevention under the '''Fisheries Act''' (deleterious substances).  
* Monitors acid rain, ozone, POPs, and other transboundary issues; manages national pollutant inventories and reporting systems.  
* Operates an '''Enforcement Branch''' with designated officers who conduct inspections and investigations; prosecutions proceed through the courts with fines and court-ordered remedies.

== Wildlife and protected areas ==
Through the '''Canadian Wildlife Service''', ECCC:
* Administers the '''Migratory Birds Convention Act''' and implements the '''Species at Risk Act''' (federal portion).  
* Establishes and manages '''National Wildlife Areas (NWAs)''' and '''Migratory Bird Sanctuaries (MBSs)'''—complementing [[Parks Canada]]’s terrestrial parks.  
* Works with provinces/territories, Indigenous governments, and partners on conservation planning (e.g., boreal caribou range plans, bird conservation regions), stewardship, and recovery actions.

== Climate change, clean growth, and adaptation ==
ECCC coordinates federal climate policy, including:
* National greenhouse-gas (GHG) inventories and reporting under the UNFCCC/Paris Agreement.  
* Carbon-pollution pricing framework (federal backstop where provincial systems do not meet benchmarks).  
* Regulations and programs to reduce emissions across sectors (transport, electricity, industry, oil & gas, buildings).  
* '''Adaptation''' initiatives: climate-data portals, risk assessments, and support for resilient infrastructure and communities.  
* International engagement: climate finance programming, negotiations, and multilateral environmental agreements.

== Science, monitoring, and data ==
ECCC operates laboratories, observatories, and field stations across Canada. Core activities include:
* Atmospheric and climate observations (greenhouse gases, aerosols, ozone/UV).  
* Water and ecosystem monitoring (rivers, lakes, contaminants, biodiversity indicators).  
* Numerical modelling (weather, climate projections, air quality, hydrology) and environmental prediction research.  
* Open science: publications, datasets, and geospatial services through Open Government portals.

== Emergencies and public safety ==
ECCC supports public safety by:
* Issuing '''timely weather alerts''' and providing data to the national '''Alert Ready''' system.  
* Delivering specialized impact-based briefings to emergency managers and critical sectors (transport, energy).  
* Producing spill trajectory and environmental advice during pollution incidents, and coordinating environmental aspects of federal emergency response with partners.

== Programs, services, and engagement ==
* Grants & contributions for community and Indigenous stewardship, climate and clean-tech projects, and habitat restoration.  
* Environmental assessments and expert advice to regulators under the '''Impact Assessment Act'''.  
* Public education resources on weather safety, climate, wildlife, and conservation.

== History (brief) ==
* '''1871–1970s:''' Origins in the Meteorological Service; evolving federal conservation and pollution-control roles.  
* '''1990s–2010s:''' Expanded environmental statutes; creation of the Canadian Wildlife Service within the department; modernization of weather radar and forecasting.  
* '''2015–present:''' Renamed '''Environment and Climate Change Canada''' to reflect climate leadership; continued investments in observation networks, modelling, enforcement, and adaptation.

== See also ==
* [[Public safety in Canada]] • [[Emergency management in Canada]] • [[Parks Canada]]  
* [[Climate of Canada]] • [[Greenhouse gas emissions in Canada]] (if created)  
* [[National Wildlife Areas of Canada]] • [[Migratory Bird Sanctuaries of Canada]]  
* [[Weather in Canada]] • [[Air Quality Health Index]]

== External links (official) ==
* ECCC — Department home: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/  
* Weather warnings & forecasts: https://weather.gc.ca/warnings  
* Climate data & historical weather: https://climate.weather.gc.ca/  
* Air Quality Health Index: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/air-quality-health-index.html  
* Environmental enforcement: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-enforcement.html  
* National Wildlife Areas & MBS: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/national-wildlife-areas.html  
* Open environmental data: https://open.canada.ca/

[[Category:Government of Canada agencies]]
[[Category:Environment of Canada]]
[[Category:Meteorology in Canada]]
[[Category:Climate change in Canada]]
[[Category:Wildlife conservation in Canada]]