Harmonizing chemical regulations--business-friendly?

A study released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives says that a security and prosperity partnership (SPP) regulatory agreement signed at Montebello sets Canada on course toward a single North American regime for regulating industrial chemicals. The study concludes that this will almost certainly weaken the existing Canadian regulatory system and erode policy autonomy.

The study, by the centre's executive director, Bruce Campbell, reveals that a sub-agreement on chemicals regulation was signed at Montebello, but was not publicized after the Montebello summit and was not posted on the Canadian government Web site. The sub-agreement commits the three NAFTA countries to harmonizing chemicals regulation in testing, research, information gathering, assessment and risk management as much as possible by 2012. It also commits the three governments to work toward a single North American voice in international standard-setting bodies. Given existing power realities, that means an American voice, according to the study.

The chemicals agreement follows the advice of the SPP business council, which complained that tougher Canadian regulations were preventing certain U.S. goods from being sold in Canada.

Published statements by the federal government in response to the study deny there are any plans to harmonize the chemical regulatory process with the U.S. The government said it is cooperating on chemical regulations and insisted that harmonizing is a completely different concept. Ottawa said the agreement is mostly about information sharing and best-practice sharing.

"Signing this SPP chemicals harmonization agreement is further evidence that the Harper government is moving Canada deeper into the business-friendly U.S. camp and away from the much stronger European system, which takes a safety-first approach to regulation," said Campbell.

Camford Chemical Report