1969:
We convinced the federal government to severely restrict the use of DDT,
and later to ban it, in Canada.
1970:
We
compelled the government to legislate limits on phosphate levels in
detergents.
1971:
Our
“Air Pollution Campaign” led to the closing of five Toronto refuse
incinerators
1973:
We
encouraged curbside recycling programmes in 140 Ontario communities,
helping lead to the development of the Blue Box programme.
1978:
We
alerted the public to the widespread use of additives in food and
provided information on the associated risks, with our first edition publication
of Additive
Alert.
1979:
We
used back room bargaining and grassroots organizing to launch the
Canadian Coalition on Acid Rain leading to strict controls on all the
major domestic sources of acid rain.
1982:
We
published Profit from
Pollution Prevention, a guide to help businesses understand that
saving the environment is in everybody’s best interest.
1984:
We
negotiated an end to land disposal of toxic chemicals in New York state.
1987:
We
set up a used motor oil recycling programme in Toronto and vicinity.
1988:
We
pressured the federal government to remove lead from gasoline.
1989:
We
released the Canadian Green
Consumer Guide, to give all Canadians the information they need to
take better care of their part of the world.
1992:
We
helped to ensure that environmental provisions were included in the
North American Free Trade Agreement and that the watchdog agency, the
North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation, was established.
1992:
We
documented and revealed the state of Canada’s air in our report Behind
the Smokescreen.
1993:
We
helped develop and make into law the Ontario Environmental Bill of
Rights Act, guaranteeing residents the legal right to participate in
environmental decisions.
1993:
We
educated more than 12 million Canadians via a media campaign about the
harmful environmental and health effects of smog, and promoted practical
ways to reduce it.
1994:
We
were instrumental in drafting and setting up the National Pollutants
Release Inventory which documents air and water
pollution emissions in Canada.
1996:
We
signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the federal and provincial
governments, and three GTA-area hospitals to voluntarily reduce and
eliminate the use of mercury.
1997:
We
assisted in securing a landmark win for the environment when the Supreme
Court of Canada upheld a law allowing the federal government to
criminally prosecute those in violation of the Canadian Environmental
Protection Act
1998:
We
were instrumental in the passage of Mandatory Vehicle Emissions Testing
in Ontario (also known as DriveClean), which is expected to reduce
smog-causing pollutants from vehicles by an estimated 22%.
1999:
We helped persuade the federal government to drastically cut the sulphur
content of gasoline.
