Toronto Environmental Alliance

From chemical pesticides to industrial pollutants, Toronto's air, water and land are laced with toxic chemicals that endanger human health and the environment.

Torontonians deserve an environment free of toxic chemicals. By reducing our own use of such substances and urging industries and facilities to use less toxic substances, we can make Toronto a safer place to live.

The Toronto Environmental Alliance is working to reduce and eliminate the impact of toxic chemicals on our health and environment: 

• ChemTRAC: Now that Toronto passed the first CRTK bylaw in Canada, TEA is monitoring the implementation of the City of Toronto's program for businesses to report and track their use and release of toxic chemicals. As results become publicly available, we are doing community outreach and education work to help residents develop local detox action plans.

• Toronto Toxic Reduction Tool Kit: TEA helped write this kit, which is a great resource to help community leaders investigate local toxic substances and take steps to reduce exposures and releases in their neighbourhood or work place. This kit will help readers learn how to exercise their 'right to know' through the new ChemTRAC Program.
• Good Neighbour Campaign:
  TEA is organizing and supporting community groups to create productive
  relationships with local industries to reduce pollution and protect
  human health and the environment. To read more about the process, the
  campaigns, and the tools and resources available for download visit our Good Neighbour Campaign website.
• Toronto Cancer Prevention Coalition: TEA is a founding member of the Environmental and Occupational Carcinogens Working Group and meets regularly with health, environment, labour, and community representatives to engage on toxics reduction for cancer prevention.

Some of our past campaigns include: 

• Community Right to Know: In 2004, TEA launched a campaign to raise awareness of toxic chemical releases across Toronto and encouraging City Council to pass a Community Right to Know Bylaw to give residents access to information about toxic chemicals used, stored, and released in their neighbourhoods.  The campaign was a success, and the bylaw, officially called the Environmental Reporting & Disclosure By-law was passed in December 2008 and came into effect in January 2010. June 2012 marked the first year chemical use and release data was publicly disclosed online through the ChemTRAC Program.
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• Toxics in Toronto Map: In 2005, TEA released a map of Toronto showing reported toxic releases, which identified the most polluted neighbourhoods in the city. The map motivated communities to engage their Councillors on the need for stronger rules to protect residents from toxic exposures.
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• Pesticide By-law: TEA advocated for an end to cosmetic pesticide use on Toronto lawns - in response, the City passed Toronto Pesticide Bylaw in 2003. Following Toronto's lead, in 2009, the Cosmetic Pesticides Ban was added to the Ontario Pesticides Act was passed, prohibiting the use of cosmetic pesticides across Ontario (eliminating the need for Toronto's by-law).

Thank you to all of our DeTOx Toronto supporters. In 2013-2014, TEA received grant funding from:

• Salamander Foundation
• The Echo Foundation
• Live Green Toronto ChemTRAC Toxics Reduction Grant