Canada Releases First National Strategy on Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice
On October 23, 2026, the Government of Canada published its first national strategy to address environmental racism and advance environmental justice for the period 2026–2031. The plan follows the royal assent of Bill C-226 in June 2024 and was shaped by consultations with Indigenous governments, communities, and the public.
The Government of Canada published Canada’s National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice 2026–2031 on October 23, 2026. It is the first national strategy of its kind in the country.
The strategy aims to guide the federal government and partners in advancing environmental justice and addressing environmental racism across Canada. It outlines a commitment to reducing environmental inequities in federal decision-making and improving access to environmental information. The plan also supports meaningful participation in environmental decisions by Indigenous, racialized, and marginalized groups.
Development of the strategy was informed by engagement and consultation with communities, Indigenous governments and organizations, partners, and the Canadian public. The initiative follows the passage of Bill C-226, An Act Respecting the Development of a National Strategy to Assess, Prevent and Address Environmental Racism and to Advance Environmental Justice, which received royal assent on June 20, 2024.
The strategy covers the period from 2026 to 2031.