On October 21, 2003 the BC government passed Bill 57, the Environmental Management Act (the “Act”). Bill 57 replaces BC’s main pollution law, the Waste Management Act, with a new regime.
West Coast Environmental Law commented on the Environmental Management Act when it was first introduced into the Legislature in May, 2003, as well as on drafts of the main regulation under the new Act, the Waste Discharge Regulation (the “Regulation”). Our concerns about the Act remain very much unchanged, and can be found at by clicking here.
However, this backgrounder is intended to comment on new features appearing in the final version of the Regulation. Specifically, it examines a number of key industries that will not be regulated by government at all. In addition, we are pleased that the government has seen fit to increases in the fees paid by companies to pollute, although those rates are still too low.