Canada Gazette, Part I, Volume 158, Number 21: GOVERNMENT NOTICES

May 25, 2024

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT, 1999

Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines for iron

Whereas the Minister of the Environment issues the environmental quality guidelines for the purpose of carrying out the Minister’s mandate related to preserving the quality of the environment;

Whereas the guidelines relate to the environment pursuant to paragraph 54(2)(a) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999;

And whereas the Minister of the Environment has consulted provincial and territorial governments and the members of the National Advisory Committee who are representatives of Indigenous governments in accordance with subsection 54(3) of the Act,

Notice is hereby given that the Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines for iron are available on the Canada.ca (Chemical substances) website.

Jacqueline Gonçalves
Director General
Science Reporting and Assessment Directorate
On behalf of the Minister of the Environment

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT, 1999

Interim Order Respecting Releases of Benzene from Petrochemical Facilities in Sarnia, Ontario

Notice is hereby given that the above-mentioned notice was published as Extra Vol. 158, No. 3, on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT, 1999

Publication of final decision after assessment of five substances in the Aldehydes Group specified on the Domestic Substances List (section 77 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999)

Whereas a summary of the assessment conducted on the five substances identified in the annex below pursuant to paragraphs 68(b) and (c) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 is annexed hereby;

And whereas it is concluded that the substances do not meet any of the criteria set out in section 64 of the Act,

Notice therefore is hereby given that the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health propose to take no further action on these substances at this time under section 77 of the Act.

Steven Guilbeault
Minister of the Environment

Mark Holland
Minister of Health

ANNEX

Summary of the assessment of the five substances in the Aldehydes Group

Pursuant to section 77 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA), the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health have conducted an assessment of five substances referred to collectively under the Chemicals Management Plan as the Aldehydes Group. The five substances are listed in the table below along with their Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Numbers (CAS RNfootnote 1), their Domestic Substances List (DSL) names and their common names.

Table: Substances in the Aldehydes Group
CAS RN DSL name Common name
100-52-7 Benzaldehyde NA
124-13-0 Octanal NA
124-19-6 Nonanal NA
1334-78-7 Benzaldehyde, methyl- Methylbenzaldehyde
8024-06-4table 1 note a Oils, vanilla Vanilla oils

Table 1 Notes

Table 1 Note a

The substance bearing this CAS RN is a UVCB (substance of unknown or variable composition, complex reaction product or biological material).

Return to table 1 note a referrer

Abbreviation: NA, not available

Benzaldehyde, octanal, nonanal and methylbenzaldehyde are reported to naturally occur in a variety of foods. Vanilla oils are also naturally occurring and are defined as the extractives and physically modified derivatives of Vanilla planifolia. All five substances in the Aldehydes Group were included in surveys issued pursuant to section 71 of CEPA. According to information submitted, octanal and methylbenzaldehyde were not imported or manufactured in Canada above the reporting threshold of 100 kg in 2011. Benzaldehyde, nonanal and vanilla oils were imported into Canada with quantities ranging from 123 kg to 9 075 kg, while 3 086 kg of benzaldehyde were manufactured in the same year. Reported uses include air care, cleaning and furnishing care, lubricants and greases, and personal care products.

In Canada, the substances in the Aldehydes Group have uses as ingredients in cosmetics, as formulants in pest control products, as non-medicinal ingredients in natural health products, and may be used as food flavouring agents and as components in the manufacture of certain food packaging materials. In addition, substances in the Aldehydes Group are present in various other products available to consumers, including air fresheners.

The ecological risks of the substances in the Aldehydes Group were characterized using the ecological risk classification of organic substances (ERC), which is a risk-based approach that employs multiple metrics for both hazard and exposure, with weighted consideration of multiple lines of evidence for determining risk classification. Hazard profiles are based principally on metrics regarding mode of toxic action, chemical reactivity, food web–derived internal toxicity thresholds, bioavailability, and chemical and biological activity. Metrics considered in the exposure profiles include potential emission rate, overall persistence, and long-range transport potential. A risk matrix is used to assign a low, moderate or high level of potential concern for substances on the basis of their hazard and exposure profiles. Based on the outcome of the ERC analysis, the substances in the Aldehydes Group are considered unlikely to be causing ecological harm.

Considering all available lines of evidence presented in this assessment, there is low risk of harm to the environment from benzaldehyde, octanal, nonanal, methylbenzaldehyde and vanilla oils. It is concluded that benzaldehyde, octanal, nonanal, methylbenzaldehyde and vanilla oils do not meet the criteria under paragraph 64(a) or (b) of CEPA, as they are not entering the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions that have or may have an immediate or long-term harmful effect on the environment or its biological diversity or that constitute or may constitute a danger to the environment on which life depends.

With respect to the general population of Canada, scenarios which result in the highest levels of exposure were used to characterize potential exposure of Canadians to the substances in the Aldehydes Group through the use of products available to consumers and from environmental media and food.

According to the available information, the general population is expected to be exposed to benzaldehyde from the use of various products available to consumers (such as body moisturizers and air fresheners), environmental media, its potential use as a food flavouring agent, and its natural occurrence in food. Based on laboratory studies, the critical health effects of benzaldehyde are liver toxicity when administered via the inhalation route and decreased survival rate when administered orally.

Exposure of the general population to octanal is expected from the use of various products available to consumers (such as natural health products), environmental media, its potential use as a food flavouring agent, and its natural occurrence in food. Potential health effects via the oral route were informed by read-across data from butanal, which was reported to cause stomach lesions. Potential health effects via the dermal route were informed by read-across data from nonanal.

Exposure of the general population to nonanal is expected from the use of various products available to consumers (such as air fresheners and spray sunscreens), environmental media, its potential use as a food flavouring agent, and its natural occurrence in food. Potential health effects via the oral route were informed by read-across data from butanal, which was reported to cause stomach lesions. When administered dermally, nonanal was found to cause skin irritation but no adverse systemic effects.

Due to a lack of data on the health effects of octanal and nonanal via the inhalation route, butanal and isobutanal were selected as analogues to support hazard characterization for inhalation exposures. These substances were found to act as respiratory irritants causing minimal to moderate nasal lesions in laboratory animals, but without any apparent systemic toxicity.

Exposure of the general population to methylbenzaldehyde is expected from its potential use as a food flavouring agent and from its natural occurrence in food. The critical health effect for this substance is reduced relative pituitary weight when administered orally.

According to comparisons of levels of exposure to benzaldehyde, octanal, nonanal and methylbenzaldehyde from environmental media, food and/or from the use of products available to consumers with levels at which health effects occur, there are margins that are considered adequate to address uncertainties in the health effects and exposure datasets.

Exposure of the general population to vanilla oils is expected from its natural occurrence in food, from its potential use as a food flavouring agent, and from the use of various products available to consumers such as body moisturizers, lip balms, and bath products. No health effects information was available for vanilla oils; therefore, its major component, vanillin, was used to inform the health effects of vanilla oils. In several short-term and long-term repeated-dose studies, vanillin did not produce any adverse effects up to the limit dose and was negative for genotoxicity and carcinogenicity. There was no evidence of developmental or reproductive effects based on read-across to the analogue ethyl vanillin. Taking into account the available data, vanilla oils are considered to be of low hazard potential and therefore risk to human health is considered to be low.

The human health assessment took into consideration those groups of individuals within the Canadian population who, due to greater susceptibility or greater exposure, may be more vulnerable to experiencing adverse health effects. For substances in the Aldehydes Group, these subpopulations with potential for higher exposure, and those who may be more susceptible, were taken into account in the risk assessment outcomes.

Considering all the information presented in this assessment, it is concluded that benzaldehyde, octanal, nonanal, methylbenzaldehyde and vanilla oils do not meet the criteria under paragraph 64(c) of CEPA, as they are not entering the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions that constitute or may constitute a danger in Canada to human life or health.

It is therefore concluded that benzaldehyde, octanal, nonanal, methylbenzaldehyde and vanilla oils do not meet any of the criteria set out in section 64 of CEPA.

Overall conclusion

It is therefore concluded that benzaldehyde, octanal, nonanal, methylbenzaldehyde and vanilla oils do not meet any of the criteria set out in section 64 of CEPA.

The assessment for these substances is available on the Canada.ca (Chemical substances) website.

INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CANADA

RADIOCOMMUNICATION ACT

Notice No. SMSE-002-24 — Publication of RSS-295, Issue 1

Notice is hereby given that Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada has published the following document:

This document is now official and available on the Published documents page of the Spectrum management and telecommunications website.

Submitting comments

Comments and suggestions for improving this document may be submitted online using the Standard Change Request form.

May 9, 2024

Martin Proulx
Director General
Engineering, Planning and Standards Branch

PRIVY COUNCIL OFFICE

Appointment opportunities

We know that our country is stronger — and our government more effective — when decision-makers reflect Canada’s diversity. The Government of Canada has implemented an appointment process that is transparent and merit-based, strives for gender parity, and ensures that Indigenous peoples and minority groups are properly represented in positions of leadership. We continue to search for Canadians who reflect the values that we all embrace: inclusion, honesty, fiscal prudence, and generosity of spirit. Together, we will build a government as diverse as Canada.

We are equally committed to providing a healthy workplace that supports one’s dignity, self-esteem and the ability to work to one’s full potential. With this in mind, all appointees will be expected to take steps to promote and maintain a healthy, respectful and harassment-free work environment.

The Government of Canada is currently seeking applications from diverse and talented Canadians from across the country who are interested in the following positions.

Current opportunities

The following opportunities for appointments to Governor in Council positions are currently open for applications. Every opportunity is open for a minimum of two weeks from the date of posting on the Governor in Council appointments website.

Governor in Council appointment opportunities
Position Organization Closing date
Director Bank of Canada  
Director Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development Technology  
Director Canada Infrastructure Bank  
Chairperson Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation  
Director Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation  
President Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation  
Director Canadian Air Transport Security Authority  
President Canadian Broadcasting Corporation  
Director Canadian Commercial Corporation  
Commissioner Canadian Energy Regulator  
Director Canadian Energy Regulator  
Chief Commissioner Canadian Human Rights Commission  
Member Canadian Institutes of Health Research  
President Canadian Institutes of Health Research  
Chairperson Canadian Museum for Human Rights  
President Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission  
Director Canadian Race Relations Foundation  
Director Canadian Tourism Commission  
Chairperson Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board  
Member Copyright Board  
Executive Head Employment Insurance Board of Appeal June 20, 2024
Member Employment Insurance Board of Appeal June 20, 2024
Regional Coordinator Employment Insurance Board of Appeal June 20, 2024
Director Export Development Canada  
Commissioner Financial Consumer Agency of Canada  
Commissioner First Nations Tax Commission  
Director (Federal) Halifax Port Authority  
Deputy Chairperson and Member, Refugee Appeal Division Immigration and Refugee Board  
Member Independent Advisory Board on Eligibility for Journalism Tax Measures  
Vice-Chairperson Independent Advisory Board on Eligibility for Journalism Tax Measures  
Chairperson Laurentian Pilotage Authority  
Commissioner Law Commission of Canada  
Parliamentary Librarian Library of Parliament  
Chairperson National Advisory Council on Poverty  
Member (Children’s Issues) National Advisory Council on Poverty  
Member National Arts Centre Corporation  
Chairperson National Gallery of Canada  
Chairperson National Seniors Council  
Member National Seniors Council  
Member Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council  
Canadian Representative North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization  
Director of Public Prosecutions Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions  
Member Parole Board of Canada June 7, 2024
Administrator Ship-source Oil Pollution Fund and Fund for Railway Accidents Involving Designated Goods  
Chief Statistician Statistics Canada  
Member Telefilm Canada  
Director VIA Rail Canada Inc.