By: Cheryl Wong
This is a list of select proposed EHS regulatory changes in Canada, the United States, and the European Union. Nimonik monitors EHS legislation, regulations and standards in over 30 countries and 400 jurisdictions. If you would like to track EHS legislation in specific regions, jurisdictions or countries, we are happy to help. Please send us a request for more information here and we will get in touch shortly.
Canada
- Federal – G06-08: Storage of Explosives [Draft]
- Alberta – Water availability engagement
- Manitoba – The Technical Safety Regulation
- Ontario – Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025
- Ontario – Modernizing fishing and hunting licence products and processes to support the development of Ontario’s new fishing and hunting licensing system
- Quebec – Construction Code—Amendment
- Quebec – Safety Code—Amendment
United States
- National Wildlife Refuge System; 2025-2026 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations
- Rescinding Reporting Requirements, Certification, Independent Verification, and DOE Review for Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Reporting
- Methylene Chloride; Regulation Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Compliance Date Extensions
European Union
- Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention area of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Regulation (EU) 2018/975 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) Convention Area, Regulation (EU) 2019/833 laying down conservation and enforcement measures applicable in the Regulatory Area of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation, Regulation (EU) 2021/56 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Convention, Regulation (EU) 2022/2056 laying down conservation and management measures applicable in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Area, Regulation (EU) 2022/2343 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) Area of Competence, and Regulation (EU) 2023/2053 establishing a multiannual management plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean
- Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) No 765/2008, (EU) 2016/424, (EU) 2016/425, (EU) 2016/426, (EU) 2023/1230, (EU) 2023/1542 and (EU) 2024/1781 as regards digitalisation and common specifications
- Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 as regards obligations of economic operators concerning battery due diligence policies
- Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2016/679, (EU) 2016/1036, (EU) 2016/1037, (EU) 2017/1129, (EU) 2023/1542 and (EU) 2024/573 as regards the extension of certain mitigating measures available for small and medium sized enterprises to small mid-cap enterprises and further simplification measures
Canada – Federal
G06-08: Storage of Explosives [Draft]
Published Date: 5 May 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry
The Government of Canada is developing a new standard concerning explosives storage, to “communicate to stakeholders how to meet the intent of requirements for the licensed storage of explosives under the Explosives Regulations, and to support explosives licence applications”.
According to the Government, the document “describes how stakeholders can meet the intent of the Regulations for the construction and monitoring of magazines at sites with manufacturing (factory) licences and/or certificates, and sites with storage (magazine) licences issued under [the Explosives Act and the Explosives Regulations]. The “document is also intended to assist in determining the suitability for storage of multiple types and/or kinds of explosives in a single magazine”.
Interested parties may submit comments until May 30, 2025.
Additional information is available here.
Alberta
Water availability engagement
Published Date: 28 April 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry, Office Spaces, Building Management and Maintenance
The Government of Alberta is seeking feedback to “help the government enhance the water management system in Alberta and make more water available to use for years to come”. According to the Government, the change would “seek to increase the availability of water to Alberta municipalities, businesses, and agricultural producers, while continuing to protect the environment”. The change would also specify “new or updated policy and regulatory tools […] to increase water availability for Albertans and optimize the water management system”.
According to the discussion document, the changes would include “streamlining decision making for water licensing and transfers, enhancing water use information to support effective and transparent management of water by all users, including licencing and licence transfers, enabling lower risk inter-basin transfers, and enabling the use of alternative water sources (e.g., rainwater, stormwater, wastewater)”.
The change would be made by amending the Water Act.
Interested parties may submit comments until 30 June 2025.
Additional information is available here.
Manitoba
The Technical Safety Regulation
Published Date: 2 May 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry, Office Spaces, Building Management and Maintenance
The Government of Manitoba has announced its intention to modernize safety standards and requirements for elevating and amusement devices in Manitoba. According to the Government, the change would outline a “common set of requirements and processes that will apply to all types of regulated technical safety equipment, including provisions related to licencing, permitting, code and standard adherence, variances and field approvals, reporting of dangerous incidents and technical safety risks, reconsideration and appeal processes, administrative penalties, and fees.”
The change would be made by enacting the Technical Safety Regulation and repealing The Elevator Act and The Amusements Act.
Additional information is available here and here.
Ontario
Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025
Published Date: 6 May 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry, Office Spaces, Building Management and Maintenance
The Government of Ontario has announced its intention to update a variety of rules and regulations to, according to McCarthy Tetrault, “reduce regulatory barriers to project development and stimulate economic growth.” According to the government, the changes to specific documents are as follows:
The Endangered Species Act, 2007 would be amended (and ultimately replaced by the Species Conservation Act, 2025) to notably update definitions, provide that the listing of certain species would be “at the discretion of the Lieutenant Governor in Council”, remove “the temporary suspension of protections upon initial listing of a species,” and “provisions regarding government response statements, management plans and agreements.” The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks states that the changes would:
- “establish a framework for setting clear expectations and rules for proponents to follow, ones that are focused on those activities that are most likely to have a direct negative impact on species”;
- “establish a new Species Conservation Program to support voluntary initiatives like habitat restoration that protect and conserve species”; and
- “strengthen [the Ministry’s] ability to enforce species protection laws to ensure that all proponents comply with the rules and expectations of this new approach”.
The Ministry is soliciting comments on these proposed changes here until 17 May 2025.
The Mining Act would be amended by notably expanding Ministerial powers to:
- “make [orders] suspending the operation of some or all functions of the mining lands administration system”, “deny the issuance of a lease”, and “cancel or revoke unpatented mining claims or a licence of occupation or terminate a lease of any mining lands or mining rights” if any of these actions is considered desirable for the protection of the strategic national mineral supply chain; and
- “establish a mine authorization and permitting delivery team” for designated projects that would “prepare an integrated authorization and permitting plan that sets out steps for the application, review and decision-making processes for obtaining the permits and authorizations required for the project under this and any other Act”.
The Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 would be amended to establish “restrictions respecting the procurement of a good or service that meets [certain conditions] respecting its country, region or territory of origin by” gas transmitters, distributors and storage companies, as well as licence holders and their subsidiaries.
The Rebuilding Ontario Place Act, 2023 would be amended to “provide that Part II of the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993 [which sets out rules concerning public participation in government decision-making] does not apply to a proposal to issue, amend or revoke an instrument related to the Ontario Place Redevelopment Project or any enterprise or activity that furthers the Project.” The Ministry of Infrastructure is soliciting comments on these proposed changes here until 17 May 2025.
The Special Economic Zones Act, 2025, would be enacted, which, according to the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, would allow the government “to designate special areas that are critical to Ontario’s economy and security.” Approved projects in these zones would be subject to faster and streamlined permitting and approval processes and simplified requirements. The Ministry is soliciting comments on these proposed changes here until 17 May 2025.
Other changes to the Electricity Act, 1998, the Environmental Assessment Act, the Environmental Protection Act and the Ontario Heritage Act would also be made.
Additional information is available here.
Modernizing fishing and hunting licence products and processes to support the development of Ontario’s new fishing and hunting licensing system
Published Date: 13 May 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is seeking feedback on “proposed changes to modernize fishing and hunting licence products and processes to support the development of Ontario’s new fishing and hunting licensing system”. According to the Government, the change would develop “a new fishing and hunting licensing system as part of the ministry’s ongoing commitment to enhance service delivery to clients”. The changes would notably:
- “introduce a new fish and wildlife mobile application for clients to download free of charge”;
- “enable the submission of hunter accreditation digitally through the licensing system to improve efficiency for clients”;
- “allow falconers to purchase their apprentice and general falconry licences through the new fishing and hunting licensing system” and update the eligibility requirements for a general falconry licence “to allow issuance to a person if they held a general falconry licence or a commercial falconry licence in Ontario at any time (rather than only in the previous 5 years)”;
- “provide hunters the option to carry a tag in a digital format”;
- “develop an ‘outfitter portal’ in the new licensing system that moose tourist outfitters and licensed black bear operators could access to improve service”. The outfitter portal “would allow outfitters and operators to digitally manage their own assigned quota of tags or validation certificates, renew and pay annual licence associated fees (bear only), issue tags or validation certificates to their clients, manage client records and submit hunter reports completed by the hunter online through their account in the outfitter portal”; and
- “eliminate the requirement for a licence to hunt fox by a fox hunt club”.
The change would be made by amending regulations under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.
Interested parties are invited to submit feedback until 27 June 2025.
Additional information is available here.
Quebec
Construction Code—Amendment
Published Date: 14 May 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry, Building Management and Maintenance
The Government of Quebec has announced its intention to “update the requirements and standards incorporated by reference with respect to the specific needs of Québec”. According to the Government, the change would “[include] provisions for increasing the safety level of certain large gas installations and for recognizing inspection bodies for approvals of appliances or equipment”.
The change would also “[incorporate] by reference, CSA Standard B108.2, Liquefied natural gas refuelling stations installation code, published by CSA Group, and BNQ Standard 1784-000, Canadian Hydrogen Installation Code, published by the Bureau de normalisation du Québec” and “allow, in encapsulated mass timber buildings having not more than 12 storeys in building height, that the fire separations of exit stair shafts be of encapsulated mass timber construction”.
Lastly, the change would “incorporate provisions respecting the qualifications of persons carrying out welding work”.
The change would be made by amending the Construction Code.
Interested parties may submit comments until 28 June 2025.
Additional information is available here.
Safety Code—Amendment
Published Date: 14 May 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry, Building Management and Maintenance
The Government of Quebec has announced its intention to “update the regulation according to the latest amendments made to the Building Act with respect to permits”. According to the Government, the change would increase “the safety level of certain large gas installations, particularly by amending certain requirements respecting the drafting of risk assessment reports and operation permits” and “[provide] new requirements in respect of overpressure protection devices on gas tanks and installations intended to use, store or distribute hydrogen”.
The change would be made by amending the Safety Code.
Interested parties may submit comments until 28 June 2025.
Additional information is available here.
United States
National Wildlife Refuge System; 2025-2026 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations
Published Date: 15 May 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is proposing to “open or expand hunting or sport fishing opportunities on 16 National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) stations and 1 National Fish Hatchery System (NFHS) station.” According to the government, “[t]hese actions will open or expand 42 opportunities for hunting and fishing across more than 87,000 acres of Service lands and waters.”
These changes would be implemented by amending, notably, 50 CFR 32 Subpart A General Provisions and 50 CFR 32 Subpart B Refuge-Specific Regulations For Hunting And Fishing.
Interested persons are invited to submit comments by June 30, 2025.
Additional information is available here.
Rescinding Reporting Requirements, Certification, Independent Verification, and DOE Review for Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Reporting
Published Date: 16 May 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry, Building Management and Maintenance
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to “rescind reporting requirements, certification, independent verification, and DOE review for the Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program”. According to the government, “[t]he regulations will retain, consistent with 42 U.S.C. 13385, detailed procedures for voluntarily calculating and submitting greenhouse gas emissions, codified in the rest of 10 CFR part 300.”
These changes would be implemented by amending Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program: General Guidelines.
Interested persons are invited to submit comments by June 16, 2025.
Additional information is available here.
Methylene Chloride; Regulation Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Compliance Date Extensions
Published Date: 27 May 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to “extend the compliance date applicable to certain entities subject to the regulation of methylene chloride recently promulgated under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Specifically, EPA is proposing to extend by 18 months the Workplace Chemical Protection Program (WCPP) and the associated recordkeeping compliance dates for laboratories that are not owned or operated by agencies or Federal contractors acting on behalf of the Federal government. Under this proposal, all laboratories, whether federal or not, would have the same compliance dates, which would be aligned with current compliance dates for Federal agencies and Federal contractors.”
These changes would be implemented by amending 40 CFR 751 Subpart B Methylene Chloride.
Interested persons are invited to submit comments by June 26, 2025.
Additional information is available here.
European Union
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention area of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Regulation (EU) 2018/975 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) Convention Area […]
Published Date: 12 May 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry
The European Commission has announced its intention to incorporate into European Union law the binding management measures adopted by different Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) with regard to the international obligations of the Union on fishing activities and regional fisheries cooperation.
According to the content of the proposal, this would be made in particular by amending existing Regulation (EU) 2022/2056, Regulation (EU) 2022/2343 and Regulation (EU) 2023/2053, focusing on the following areas:
- requirements for EU longline vessels with regard to enhanced shark protection, a ban on shark retention, duty to release, and surrender of unintentionally caught oceanic whitetip and silky sharks;
- requirements for managing anchored and drifting fish aggregating devices, voluntary fishery closures, electronic monitoring standards, enhanced mitigation measures for non-target species and observer scheme; and
- updated control measures for quota exchanges between Joint Fishing Operations, landing notifications, video camera monitoring of bluefin tuna transfers, and monitoring of caging and farm operations.
Additional information is available here.
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) No 765/2008, (EU) 2016/424, (EU) 2016/425, (EU) 2016/426, (EU) 2023/1230, (EU) 2023/1542 and (EU) 2024/1781 as regards digitalisation and common specifications
Published Date: 21 May 2025
Industry Sector: Hardware Manufacturing
The European Commission has announced its intention to rationalise and simplify economic operators’ reporting obligations with regard to harmonised rules for placing certain products on the market or putting them into service.
According to the content of the proposal, this would be made in particular by amending certain existing Regulations, such as Regulation (EU) 2016/425, Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, focusing on the following areas:
- “the removal of paper-based references and the digitalisation of the EU declaration of conformity and instructions”; and
- the establishment of common specifications that provide means of complying with the essential health and safety or other requirements applicable to concerned products or services, such as personal protective equipment, machinery, batteries, and waste batteries, in the absence of available harmonised standards.
Additional information about this initiative is available here.
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 as regards obligations of economic operators concerning battery due diligence policies
Published Date: 21 May 2025
Industry Sector: Hardware Manufacturing
The European Commission has announced its intention to amend Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 to postpone the date of application of the battery due diligence obligations for economic operators placing batteries on the market or putting them into service by two years.
Additional information about this initiative is available here.
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2016/679, (EU) 2016/1036, (EU) 2016/1037, (EU) 2017/1129, (EU) 2023/1542 and (EU) 2024/573 as regards the extension of certain mitigating measures available for small and medium sized enterprises to small mid-cap enterprises and further simplification measures
Published Date: 21 May 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry, Building Management and Maintenance
The European Commission has announced its intention to extend certain mitigating measures available for small and medium sized enterprises to small mid-cap enterprises (SMCs).
According to the content of the proposal, this would be made in particular by amending certain existing Regulations, such as Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and Regulation (EU) 2024/573, focusing on the following areas:
- the exemption of SMCs from certain battery due diligence policy obligations;
- the reduction of the administrative burden on all economic operators, including SMCs, by allowing them to review and make their due diligence policy publicly available only every three years instead of annually; and
- the limitation of the F-gas Portal registration requirements for importing and exporting products and equipment containing fluorinated greenhouse gases.
Additional information about this initiative is available here.
Past months’ proposed changes are available here: April 2025, March 2025, February 2025, January 2025, December 2024, November 2024
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