Environmental compliance in B.C.
Last updated on May 31, 2024The B.C. government creates and applies laws that protect our environment and community health and safety. Our compliance and enforcement activities ensure these laws are being followed.
Environmental compliance, or regulatory compliance, refers to dischargers’ adherence to these laws.
Environmental enforcement is the set of actions that government takes to make sure dischargers comply with these laws.
On this page
- Our responsibility
- Your responsibility
- Environmental Management Act and its regulations
- Integrated Pest Management Act and its regulation
- Related topics
​Our responsibility
Under the Environmental Management Act (EMA) and the Integrated Pest Management Act (IPMA) and their regulations, environmental protection officers and other government officers are authorized to:
- Check that the law is being complied with
- Use compliance tools to bring dischargers into compliance
Your responsibility
If you discharge waste from an activity requiring an authorization, you must familiarize yourself with the regulatory requirements and ensure they are followed. All citizens are responsible for ensuring that any discharge does not cause pollution, even those that don’t require an authorization.
EMA and its regulations
The Environmental Management Act (EMA) is:
- The main law that regulates industrial, business and municipal waste discharge, pollution, hazardous waste and contaminated site remediation in BC
- Supported by its regulations and codes of practice that have rules that must be followed
Review the full list of regulations and codes of practice under the EMA.
For a full list of activities, discharges that require authorizations administered under EMA, see Waste discharge authorizations.
IPMA and its regulation
The Integrated Pest Management Act (IPMA) is:
- The key law that governs the use, storage, sale and transport of pesticides in B.C.
- Supported by the Integrated Pest Management Regulation (IPMR) which governs pest management in B.C.
See Pesticides and pest management to learn more about:
- Regulatory requirements
- Activities that require authorization
Related topics
To review compliance inspection reports, audits, and administrative penalties issued under the Environmental Management Act and Integrated Pest Management Act, see Environmental compliance reports.
Search the Natural Resource Compliance and Enforcement Database for compliance and enforcement actions taken by natural resource agencies.
See pollution or poaching occurring?
See the How to report section on the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) page.
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