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tt. CURRENT STANDARDS & MANAGEMENT
1. FEDERAL

The responsibility for federal air pollution control
programs resided with the Department of National Health
and Welfare until the early 1970's. In 1969, the Federal
Provincial Committee on Air Pollution was created as the
means for co-ordinated liason between the two governmental
levels, thus allowing initial planning uniformity across
Canada to combat pollution problems. In mid 1971 the
Department of the Environment was formed, incorporating
relevant sections of other departments such as the Meteoro-
logical Service, Canadian Wildlife Service, and Water
Resources. On November 1, 1971, the Clean Air Act was
officially proclaimed and provided the means for three main
objectives to combat the pollution problem:

a) promotion of a uniform nationwide approach

b) creation of systems to ensure that all
possible pollution control measures can be
taken

c) delineation of federal leadership role

Administration of the Clean Air Act is by the Environ-
mental Protection Service of Environment Canada's Air Pollution
Control Directorate, the responsibility being managed by the
three branches of the Directorate, namely the Air Pollution
Programs Branch, the Abatement and Compliance Branch and the
Technology Development Branch. The branches' main function is
to act on the control and abatement of pollution, based on the
results from the study of the factors influencing the problem.
Environment Canada, under terms of the Clean Air Act, is able to
prescribe national emission standards to the emission of an air
pollutant that may contribute a significant danger to health,
ot is likely to result in the violation of an international
agreement. This provision of the Act will initially be used to
control specific pollutants such as asbestos, beryllium, lead
and mercury.