About this Committee

Mandate

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development (“the Committee”) is a permanent committee established by the Standing Orders of the House. The Committee studies and reports on matters referred to it by the House of Commons, including legislation, departmental activities and spending, and other matters related to the general subject matter of the Committee. As well, the Committee studies and reports on topics the Committee itself chooses to examine.

Powers

Under Standing Order 108(1), standing committees can examine any matters referred to them by the House of Commons. In relation to such examinations, they can:

• send for persons, papers and records,
• sit while the House is sitting or during periods when the House stands adjourned,
• sit jointly with other standing committees,
• print from day to day such papers and evidence as may be ordered by them,
• delegate to subcommittees all or any of their powers except the power to report directly to the House, and
• report from time to time to the House, and print a brief appendix with a dissenting or supplementary report, as proposed by committee members.

Under Standing Order 108(2), this Committee can study the policies, programs and legislation of departments or agencies assigned to it, including: Environment Canada, Parks Canada, the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development are also referred to the Committee.