Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy

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Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy (CIELAP), is a nonpartisan Canada-based nonprofit environmental advocacy group. They aim to provide leadership in the research and development of environmental law and policy that promotes the public interest and sustainability. The group is known for its work on emerging and neglected issues including biotechnology, incineration, and pharmaceutical waste.

[edit] History

The Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) and the Canadian Environmental Law and Research Foundation (CELRF) were founded in 1970 (CELRF became CIELAP in 1988.) The two groups defended the environment by operating the Citizen's Environmental Law Advisory Office and Complaint Service. By holding public meetings and various other information sessions, CELA and CELRF became the focal point for serious review and evaluation of environmental law in Canada. Both groups critiqued the Ontario government's Environmental Protection Act (EPA) leading to many new amendments and changes to the Act to better serve the public's interest. As a result of CELA and CELRF's persistence and tenacity, more than 30 amendments were made between the first reading and final passage of the Environmental Assessment Act. CIELAP also participated in the development of the Ontario Environmental Bill of Rights and held the first conference in Ontario on its implementation.

CIELAP has become an international presence and continues its policy research, producing reports on a variety of topics including Reducing the Environmental Risks of Biotechnology; Cleaning up the Land: A National Dialogue on Contaminated Site Remediation in Canada.