Looking after solid waste is a shared responsibility between the three levels of government - federal, provincial/territorial and municipal. The federal government, through Environment Canada, is responsible for protecting the air, land, and water, from toxic substances.

Environment Canada is engaged in a variety of municipal solid waste issues, including:

  • sustainable development
  • managing toxic substances
  • international and interprovincial movement of hazardous wastes
  • federal lands and operations
  • air emissions, including greenhouse gas emissions
  • federal funding programmes

The Canadian government also collects data regarding solid waste from businesses and municipalities through Statistics Canada.