Context
In 2023, the federal government modernized the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA), adding the notion that all people in Canada have the right to a healthy environment as provided under the Act. While some provinces and territories may have the concept of a right to a healthy environment enshrined in their regional laws, the amended CEPA adds a crucial layer of protection at the federal level.
In the fall of 2024, Sustainable Youth Canada developed a gamified workshop on the right to a healthy environment under CEPA with funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada. In collaboration with our partners at Break the Divide, we engaged 295 youth from 9 provinces in 16 consultative workshops which contributed to the development of Canadian policy: the implementation framework for the right to a healthy environment under CEPA. The workshop materials are now available for free online so that educators can continue to discuss these important topics in their classrooms.
Workshop Toolbox
Workshop presentation, slide scripts, workshop guide, case-study sheets to print. If you use our workshop, please fill out our feedback form so we can keep track of our impact and improve.
"The activities in the workshop that included elements of environmental law and political environmental aspects made this my favorite workshop. All the problems we had to solve in the workshops made me think more deeply on the reaction vs proaction of the government on the environment."
- Student testimony, February 3, 2025. From a workshop during the Leadership Forum organized by Learning for a Sustainable Future.
Disclaimer: The materials and information provided here were used to support the engagement of youth in the public consultation on the development of the implementation framework for the right to a healthy environment under CEPA. They were based on the draft implementation framework and were not reviewed by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The materials were accurate as of December 2024. The framework is currently being revised based on public consultation and the final version may differ from the draft used in this workshop. The anticipated publication date is Summer 2025.
