Toronto Environmental Alliance

On December 3rd, Toronto City Council voted for a precedent setting toxics disclosure policy.  With an overwhelming vote of 33-3, Toronto became the first city that would require businesses - from dry cleaners to funeral homes and auto-body repair shops - to reveal their discharges of 25 priority chemicals.

The Community Right to Know bylaw (CRTK) will be phased in over four years starting in 2010.

Past Campaign

TEA’s CRTK campaign was launched in 2004.  Over the course of the campaign, the popular Toxics in Toronto map captured the attention of Torontonians, it highlighted the air emissions across Toronto currently being reported and more importantly, stressed the importance of what we don’t know.

Other highlights include the outpouring of support - over 50 community, health, labour, business, and environmental groups signed on to support the initiative, David Suzuki advocated at City Hall for right to know, TEA & community members launched the Secrecy is Toxic website,  and hundreds of Torontonians sent messages to City Hall calling on them to enact this groundbreaking policy.

Toronto residents should be proud, with your ongoing support we have paved the way for other cities across Canada to initiate and adopt similar bylaws – we all have a right to know!

For Toronto Public Health reports on the bylaw (Environmental Information, Disclosre and Innovation Program) go to: http://www.toronto.ca/health/hphe/enviro_info.htm

For more information on TEA’s Community Right to Know campaign go to:  www.secrecyistoxic.ca

See a list of the 25 substances to be monitored by the City of Toronto here