Our Mission

Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.

Since 1984, Environmental Defence has been advocating for substantive change to better protect our environment and human health.

Our Programs

Tackling climate change and building a clean economy

Problem – Without urgent action, Canada will experience climate change twice as fast as other parts of the world. Yet Canada has missed every climate target we’ve ever set, and is still approving new fossil fuel projects that will lock us in to future greenhouse gas emissions.

Solution - By pushing for strong climate change action and accountability, we’re helping build a healthier future for everyone. Through our programs, we’re working to build more sustainable communities, challenging the power of the fossil fuel industry and ensuring Canada does our fair share to fix this global crisis.

Ending plastic pollution

Problem - Plastic pollution is found in every corner of the globe —from the deepest ocean trenches to the remotest Arctic regions. Plastics persist in the environment for hundreds of years, eventually fragmenting into tiny pieces called microplastics. These plastic particles make their way into our food, our water, and even into us.

Solution-  To protect wildlife, our environment, and our health, we need to stop plastic waste from piling up all around us. Governments must create laws aimed at reducing plastic waste. Businesses must commit to reducing and eliminating plastic packaging, and being responsible for the mess their plastic products create. And individuals can also help by Avoiding, Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling.

Kicking out toxic chemicals

Problem - You could unknowingly be exposed to toxic chemicals whether you are applying makeup, sitting on your couch, or cleaning your kitchen counter. Nasty chemicals continue to linger in products Canadians use daily, and many of these chemicals have been linked to serious health issues like cancer, infertility, and asthma.

Solution - To protect human health and the environment, we need to remove toxic chemicals from the products we use every day. That means that the government and industry need to take action to ban harmful ingredients in consumer products. Consumers also need to be given up-to-date information to choose safe options when they shop.

Safeguarding our freshwater

Problem -The Great Lakes hold over 20 per cent of the world’s surface freshwater, provide drinking water for millions of people, support billion-dollar economies, and are the foundation of the region’s ecosystem. And they are facing a multitude of threats—including toxic algae blooms, climate change, and plastic pollution—that are putting them at risk.

Solution - To protect human health, the environment, and the economy, we have to keep our waters clean and safe. That means governments need to take action and businesses need to change their practices in order to safeguard the Great Lakes and other waterways.

Protecting Ontario’s Environment

Problem:  Ontario’s environment includes some of Canada’s best farmland, abundant freshwater and one of the world’s largest protected Greenbelts. But our environment is under threat from the Ontario government. Environmental rollbacks are allowing more sprawl to pave over prime farmland, aggregate operations to threaten water supplies and industry operations to threaten endangered species.

Solution: Ontario is Yours To Protect. Let your MPP know that you value clean water, protected wildlife, local food, climate change action and a healthy future for all Ontarians.

Alberta's Energy Transition

Problem:  Alberta is the largest polluter of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada, making up a third of the entire country’s carbon footprint. The provincial government in Alberta is not only ignoring its pledge to reduce carbon emissions but is sabotaging Canada’s more ambitious emissions reduction plan.

Solution: Despite being the largest contributor to Canada’s emissions, Alberta also has the potential to lead the development of climate solutions. Until recently, four out of five clean energy projects in Canada were in Alberta.