Policies and Initiatives

Though policies and initiatives are not legally binding, they can exert considerable influence. They often take the form of a plan of action or system of guidance aimed at a desired outcome. In the oil sands region of Alberta, the dominant environmental policy, supported by a powerful Act, is to protect, or even enhance, the aquatic environment.

Relevant policies include those concerning Habitat Management (and the No Net Loss Policy), Water Management, Waste Management, Wetland Restoration/ Compensation and Sustainability. Within these topic areas we discuss provincial, federal, and regional/sub-regional policies and initiatives. We also describe the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME), a key organization in the proposal of environmental policies and initiatives in Canada.