Regulations and the environment: the Canadian environment

Environmental scientists need to know their regulations. Some scientists will even have to work with the legal system. Even environmental researchers need to stay in compliance. No matter the environmental field of study, environmental concerns are heavily regulated. So, a career in environmental science will bring the professional into close contact with regulations. Including regulating the profession itself. The professional might be applying for a permit, completing a form or helping to keep an organization in compliance. This means that every professional must have some understanding of the law and how regulations work. We are going to examine the Canadian context. Canada is heavily influenced by the United States of America (US) and by the United Kingdom (UK). We have inherited a system that is based heavily on the UK experience, so the occasional UK reference is interesting. The following chapters will help introduce some basic concepts and some important Canadian regulations.