Abstract
Unlike many countries, Canada does not have a national soil policy. Rather, a patchwork of incentives, nonbinding guidelines, and mandatory regulations contribute to soil law in Canada. Constitutional mandates related to jurisdiction have resulted in all levels of government having some authority over soils. After providing the historical context for the emergence of soil law in Canada, this chapter provides an overview of soil policies in the areas of sustainable development, agriculture, forestry, and contaminated sites. As will be made clear, nonbinding guidelines and incentives have been the preferred tool of governments in the agricultural sector, while binding regulations are commonly employed in the forestry sector and to address contaminated sites.
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Notes
- 1.
The terms policy and regulation are generally used interchangeably throughout this text to describe government initiatives that have an impact on soils. Governments have a range of tools they can use to motivate specific action including nonbinding incentives and guidelines and binding regulations.
- 2.
1994-55 Conservation Committee (1956), p. 2.
- 3.
Due to the limited amount of soil in the Canadian territories and that much of it exists in the permafrost and has rarely attracted specific government attention, territorial regulation of soils is not discussed in this paper.
- 4.
Constitution Act, 1867, s92(13).
- 5.
Constitution Act, 1867, s92(16).
- 6.
Constitution Act, 1867,s92A.
- 7.
Constitution Act, 1867, s91(12).
- 8.
Constitution Act, 1867, s91(10).
- 9.
Interprovincial Co-operatives Ltd. et al v R (1976).
- 10.
R. v. Crown Zellerbach (1988).
- 11.
Constitution Act, 1867, s95.
- 12.
For a comprehensive overview of early explorers and soil surveying in Canada, see generally Gray (1967).
- 13.
McKeague and Stobbe (1978), p. 6.
- 14.
McKeague and Stobbe (1978), pp. 7–10.
- 15.
- 16.
McKeague and Stobbe (1978), p. 21.
- 17.
McKeague and Stobbe (1978), p. 14.
- 18.
McKeague and Stobbe (1978), p. 17.
- 19.
McKeague and Stobbe (1978), p. 22.
- 20.
Canadian Soil Information Service (2017).
- 21.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (2016).
- 22.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (2016), p. 60.
- 23.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (2016), pp. 19, 83, 84.
- 24.
AAFC (2015).
- 25.
AAFC (2016).
- 26.
Soil organic carbon has actually declined in eastern Canada as the percentage of cultivated acres of annual crops has increased.
- 27.
Statistics Canada (2016).
- 28.
The earliest policies targeting soil erosion typically referred to the problem as ‘soil drift’.
- 29.
The PFRA became the name used for the federal government agency that was established in 1937 to implement The Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration Act.
- 30.
Marchildon (2009), p. 289.
- 31.
Gray (1967), p. 99.
- 32.
Gray (1967), p. 99.
- 33.
Gray (1967), p. 100.
- 34.
Gray (1967), p. 121.
- 35.
Marchildon (2009), p. 293.
- 36.
Marchildon (2009), p. 294.
- 37.
Birnie (2013).
- 38.
Wilson (2012).
- 39.
Canada subsequently rejoined the UN Convention after a change in federal government.
- 40.
Briere (2012).
- 41.
AAFC (2014).
- 42.
Herriot (2013).
- 43.
CBC News online (2017).
- 44.
Worster (1992), p. 49.
- 45.
The Municipalities Act, s4(2)(d).
- 46.
The Soil Conservation Act, s3.
- 47.
Government of Prince Edward Island (2017).
- 48.
Dorff and Beaulieu (2014), p. 4.
- 49.
Dorff and Beaulieu (2014), p. 5.
- 50.
Fertilizer Act, s5.2(1).
- 51.
Fertilizer Act, s3.1.
- 52.
Fertilizer Act, s3(c).
- 53.
Agricultural Waste Control Regulation, s3.
- 54.
Agricultural Waste Control Regulation, s11.
- 55.
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (2015).
- 56.
CFIA (2014).
- 57.
Plant Protection Regulations, s43.
- 58.
Climate Change and Emissions Management Act; Jones (2017) Ontario signs agreement to join Quebec-California carbon market in 2018. The Globe and Mail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/ontario-signs-agreement-to-join-quebec-california-carbon-market-in-2018/article36368063/. Accessed 21 Feb 2018.
- 59.
Carbon Competitiveness Incentive Regulation, s16.
- 60.
Alberta Government (2017).
- 61.
CCFM (2008), p. 5.
- 62.
CCFM (2006).
- 63.
CCFM (2006), p. 6.
- 64.
CCFM (2006), p. 6.
- 65.
The Forest Resource Management Regulations, s8.
- 66.
Saskatchewan Environment (2007), p. 43.
- 67.
Saskatchewan Environment (2007), p. 51.
- 68.
CCME (2006), pp. 1–2.
- 69.
The Protocol was updated in 2006.
- 70.
CCME (2006), p. 2.
- 71.
CCME (1998).
- 72.
CCME (2001).
- 73.
CCME (2001), p. 2.
- 74.
CCME (2001), p. 4.
- 75.
CCME (2014), p. 9.
- 76.
Orland (2018).
- 77.
Oil Sands Conservation Act, s1(l)(i).
- 78.
Oil Sands Conservation Act, ss10, 11.
- 79.
Oil Sands Environmental Monitoring Program Regulation.
- 80.
Oil and Gas Conservation Rules, s12.140(1).
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Regulation
Agricultural Waste Control Regulation, BC Reg 5/2015
Carbon Competitiveness Incentive Regulation, AB Reg 255/2017
Climate Change and Emissions Management Act, SA, c. C-16.7
Constitution Act, 1867, 30 & 31 Victoria, c.3 (UK)
Fertilizer Act, RSC 1985, c. F-10
The Forest Resource Management Regulations, SK Reg F-19.1 Reg. 1
The Municipalities Act SS 2005, c. M-36.1
Oil and Gas Conservation Rules, AB Reg 151/1971
Oil Sands Conservation Act, RSA 2000, c.O-7
Oil Sands Environmental Monitoring Program Regulation, AB Reg 226/2013
Plant Protection Act, SC 1990, c.22
Plant Protection Regulations, SOR/95-212
Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Act, RSC 1985, c. P-17
The Soil Conservation Act, SA, c.S-15
The Soil Drift Control Act, SS 2012, c.23
Jurisprudence
Interprovincial Co-operatives Ltd. et al. v. R., [1976] 1 SCR 477
R. v. Crown Zellerbach, [1988] 1 SCR 401
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Farnese, P.L. (2019). Canadian Soil Law. In: Ginzky, H., Dooley, E., Heuser, I., Kasimbazi, E., Markus, T., Qin, T. (eds) International Yearbook of Soil Law and Policy 2018. International Yearbook of Soil Law and Policy, vol 2018. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00758-4_14
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