Policies can provide a high-level overall plan to embrace the general goals and acceptable procedures of the Act or can provide direction on how laws or regulations will be implemented. Policies are not law but may form the basis for laws and regulations.
Policies provide a framework which forms the basis for attaining of key management objectives.
The federal government's Toxic Substances Management Policy was announced in Parliament on June 2, 1995. This policy provides a science-based framework for the management of toxic substances. For substances declared to be toxic under CEPA, the policy provides directional guidance in selecting management objectives. The initial list of 12 substances which meet the criteria for management under Track 1 of TSMP was published in Part 1 of the Canada Gazette on July 4, 1998. Within Canada, action has already been taken to severely limit or ban the production, use or release of these 12 substances.