FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2021
Environmental Bill of Rights passes, securing sustainable, green future for Islanders
Official Opposition bill will enshrine protections for the environment in law
Charlottetown, PE – Today, the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) introduced by the Official Opposition passed in the legislature. When rights are recognized and protected, people flourish. The same holds true when we articulate and acknowledge the rights of the environment and the right for all people to have a safe, healthy, and sustainable world in which to live. This EBR will hold government accountable to Islanders to promote and protect those communal rights.
“Prince Edward Island has become known as a leader on a number of important issues being brought forward by the Official Opposition Green caucus,” said Lynne Lund, Official Opposition Critic for the Environment. “This bill is no different. By debating and passing this bill, we are creating a pathway for Islanders to participate in decisions and projects that will have an affect on our environment.”
This EBR will give and protect Islanders’ rights to clean drinking water and unpolluted air. It also gives Islanders a better chance to engage with their government in making decisions about the future of our environment. It provides legal tools to protect the environment, Islanders’ long term health, and to keep the province’s most precious natural resources safe.
“I am thrilled that government recognized the necessity and importance of an Environmental Bill of Rights,” said Lund. “When we work together in a transparent and open manner for a common goal, that is when Islanders and the province as a whole benefit the greatest.”
Debate in the House resulted in a law that provides a clear path forward as we strive to attain the environmental goals of the province.
“This legislation will create better outcomes for the environment, will go a long way to build trust in how decisions are made regarding the environment, and essentially offers environmental oversight, rather than hindsight,” said Lund. “It creates an independent environmental commissioner who will oversee these rights and responsibilities, as well as a registry where Islanders can find information about what projects or policies are being proposed that may impact our environment.”
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Jonathan Hamel
Director of Communications
Office of the Official Opposition
Tel: (902) 213-0718
Email: jdhamel@assembly.pe.ca