Media Releases

A black and white image of two women in a protest, one speaking through a sound magnifier. Text overlay in green reads:

Global Plastic Treaty Negotiations: Action on Conflict of Interest

Civil Society Calls for Action on Conflict of Interest at the Global Plastic Pollution Treaty negotiations “Public participation is a human right, and meaningful and active participation is integral to the success of the negotiations of the plastics treaty.” Dear Executive Director Andersen and Secretary Mathur-Filipp, At least 143 fossil fuel and chemical industry lobbyists registered for

Image depicting a sea turtle with a plastic bag wrapped around its head, illustrating concerns over conflicts of interest in the High Ambition Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty. Text overlays include

Concerns over UAE’s role in the HAC for a Global Plastics Treaty

UAE in the HAC letter To: High Ambition Coalition co-chairs Tuesday, 16 April 2024 Subject: No Ambition with UAE in the HAC Dear HAC co-chairs, Ahead of the upcoming fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to advance a plastic treaty (INC-4) in Ottawa, Canada, and following the publication of your Member States Ministerial Statement the undersigned

Illustration of a Canadian girl at the dentist's office undergoing a dental procedure amid calls for mercury-free dentistry in Canada by Friends of the Earth.

Historic deal to end use of mercury in dental amalgam in the European Union

When will Canada act? February 12, 2024 (Ottawa) Dental amalgam (inaccurately called “silver fillings”) is approximately 50% mercury — a neurotoxin and reproductive toxin. The European Union has already banned the use of amalgam in children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers in a regulation that went into effect in 2018. The 2018 measure

Distant landscape photo of nuclear power plant in Pickering,Ontario with the water from Frenchman's Bay in the foreground.

Small nuclear reactors in Canada: at what cost?

The sudden cancellation last week of the first small nuclear reactor project in the United States, the NuScale project, calls into question the economic viability of Canada’s plans to develop and deploy small modular reactors. Potential customers in Utah balked at the soaring projections for the cost of electricity the NuScale reactor would generate, and the project was unable to

Mosquitos sitting on a green leaf with water drops.

Expert Panel Commissioned by Health Canada Urges Caution on Gene-Edited Insects for Pest Control

Environmental groups call for a ban on releasing GMOs into the wild Halifax, Ottawa, Sutton, November 8, 2023 – Today, the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) released an Expert Panel report commissioned by the Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency of Health Canada on the regulation of genetically engineering (genetically modified or GM) insects for pest control.

A group of young people stand together holding a large round sign that says Gen Climate Action outside Queen’s Park in Toronto. They are wearing dark green t-shirts. Some are standing with their arms raised, some are kneeling. A second signs says, “A great big thank you.”

Indigenous, environmental, health, and civil society groups intervene in support of youth climate case

Toronto, Ont./ Traditional territories of several First Nations including the Williams Treaties First Nations, Huron-Wendat, the Anishnaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Chippewas, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation — Twelve Indigenous, environmental, health, and civil society groups have been granted intervenor status in the appeal of a historic youth-led Charter case on climate change. Sophia, Zoe, Shaelyn,

New study links glyphosate to leukaemia, pressuring Canada’s pesticide regulator to review approvals

For Immediate Release Environmental and food safety groups, scientists and filmmakers call for immediate ban of glyphosate October 26, 2023 (Ottawa) A major study on glyphosate, the world’s most used herbicide, found in food, water and humans, has been linked to early leukaemia deaths. This finding comes as environmental and food safety groups take

A school lunch box filled with various snacks, symbolizing the shift to eco-friendly choices instead of Single-use Plastics. Text overlay in blue: 'Save $$ and the Planet by ditching Single-use Plastics in School Lunches.'

Families can save money and the planet by ditching single-use plastics in school lunches

Maya’s Eco-Mission: 11-Year-Old Star Takes on School Lunch Waste! Ottawa, October 2, 2023 – Friends of the Earth’s 11-year old Plastics Campaigner, Maya, is calling on students, parents, and teachers to join her in getting rid of single-use plastics in school lunches. Canadian families could save more than $527 million over the school year by

two lanes of traffic including cars and tractor trailer heavy trucks

Feds could save thousands of lives by cleaning up dirty truck pollution

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Doctors and environmental groups urge federal government to act on truck pollution OTTAWA/TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE – Smoke from wildfires is not the only source of air pollution threatening the health of Canadians. According to Health Canada, diesel emissions in major cities and along transportation corridors are a

Federal government signals its willingness to get serious on pesticides; reducing pesticide risk and use must be a priority to protect human health and biodiversity, say environmental groups.

Toronto, Ont./ Traditional territories of several First Nations including the Williams Treaties First Nations, Huron-Wendat, the Anishnaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Chippewas, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation – Environmental groups welcome today’s announcement from the federal government stating its intention to end the cosmetic use of pesticides on federal lands and strengthen regulation of pesticides. The David

tractor spraying glyphosate on field crop

Thousands of Canadians, led by celebrated filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal and supported by author Margaret Atwood, call for glyphosate ban and political accountability for pesticide reduction

For Immediate Release (05/01/23) (OTTAWA | Traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People) — New Brunswick MP, Jenica Atwin, and prominent documentary filmmaker, Jennifer Baichwal are calling on Parliament to ban the use of glyphosate, Canada’s most widely-used weed killer. Atwin is presenting a petition – signed by more than 18,000 Canadians and backed

Court finds Ontario’s response to climate change “severely” inadequate in youth climate case

For Immediate Release – April 18, 2023 Intervenor Friends of the Earth finds important gains despite dismissal (Ottawa) Canada’s courts are a step closer to legally recognizing governments’ duty to protect Canadians from climate change. The Ontario Superior Court released a historic judgment in Mathur v Ontario – the youth climate lawsuit where