Canada Gazette, Part I, Volume 160, Number 4: GOVERNMENT NOTICES

January 24, 2026

DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND OCEANS

FISHERIES ACT

Notice with respect to final standards and codes of practice

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to subsection 34.2(4) of the Fisheries Act, that the following four codes of practice and one standard will be considered final upon publication of this notice in the Canada Gazette, Part I.

Codes of practice

Standard

Details and finalization requirements are specified in the Fish and Fish Habitat Protection and Pollution Prevention provisions (section 34.2 of the Fisheries Act).

The final codes of practice and standard are available on the Projects near water website.

Nicole Bouchard
Director General
Permitting Operations and Policies
Aquatic Ecosystems

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT, 1999

Draft Guidance on Asbestos in Drinking Water

Pursuant to subsection 55(3) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, the Minister of Health hereby gives notice of the Draft Guidance on Asbestos in Drinking Water. The proposed guidance document is available from January 23, 2026, to March 24, 2026, and can be found on Health Canada’s Environment and workplace health consultations web page. Any person may file written comments on the proposed document with the Minister of Health within 60 days after publication of this notice. Comments must be sent by email to water-consultations-eau@hc-sc.gc.ca.

January 23, 2026

Greg Carreau
Director General
Safe Environments Directorate
On behalf of the Minister of Health

ANNEX

Executive summary

Asbestos can enter drinking water through natural sources (erosion and runoff from soil and rock), emissions from human activities (such as mining), and releases from aging asbestos-cement (A-C) pipes in drinking water distribution systems. Asbestos fibres have no detectable odour or taste, and they do not dissolve in water or evaporate. Canadian data are limited but indicate that there was no asbestos detected in most samples. A maximum acceptable concentration for asbestos in drinking water is not recommended since there is no consistent, convincing evidence that oral exposure to asbestos causes adverse effects in humans and animals. Given public concern with asbestos and the goal of minimizing particle loading in treated drinking water to effectively operate the distribution system, it is recommended to implement good practices to minimize the concentrations of asbestos fibres in drinking water.

Monitoring for asbestos can help provide a condition assessment of A-C pipes and inform infrastructure replacement schedules.

This guidance document was prepared in collaboration with the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water (CDW) and assesses the available information on asbestos in the context of exposure from drinking water.

Assessment

The health effects of asbestos related to inhalation exposure are well-established and extensively researched. In contrast, oral exposure studies have not clearly demonstrated adverse health outcomes when considering the weight of evidence and the strength of the available studies.

At the municipal scale, conventional coagulation and filtration treatment can effectively remove asbestos fibres from source water. At the residential and small scale, there are certified drinking water treatment devices capable of removing asbestos fibres from drinking water. The technologies certified to the NSF standards include carbon-based filters and reverse osmosis systems.

Water mains can be composed of A-C. Most A-C mains were installed many decades ago (from the 1940s until the late 1970s, with the use of products containing asbestos prohibited in Canada in 2018) and are at or near the end of their useful life span. The existing mains eventually deteriorate, and the erosion of the pipe material can lead to the release of asbestos fibres, loss of mechanical stability and possibly pipe failure. Corrosion, or dissolution, as well as flow rate (low or high) and water quality (such as low pH, soft water and high sulphate concentrations) conditions impact the integrity of A-C pipes and can also lead to the release of asbestos fibres.

The proposed guidance outlines good practices, including related to monitoring, that can help provide a condition assessment of A-C pipes and inform infrastructure replacement schedules with a view to minimizing the concentrations of asbestos fibres in drinking water.

DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY

INVESTMENT CANADA ACT

Amounts for the year 2026

Limits for trade agreement investors

Pursuant to subsections 14.11(1), (2) and (3) of the Investment Canada Act, I hereby determine that the amount for the year 2026, equal to or above which an investment is reviewable, is 2.179 billion dollars.

Limits for World Trade Organization investors

Pursuant to subsections 14.1(1) and (2) of the Investment Canada Act, I hereby determine that the amount for the year 2026, equal to or above which an investment is reviewable, is 1.452 billion dollars.

Limits for World Trade Organization investors that are state-owned enterprises

Pursuant to subsections 14.1(1.1) and (2) of the Investment Canada Act, I hereby determine that the amount for the year 2026, equal to or above which an investment is reviewable, is 578 million dollars.

Mélanie Joly
Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

INSURANCE COMPANIES ACT

Indemnity National Insurance Company — Order to insure in Canada risks

Notice is hereby given of the issuance, pursuant to subsection 574(1) of the Insurance Companies Act, of an order to insure in Canada risks, effective December 19, 2025, authorizing Indemnity National Insurance Company, under the name Indemnity National Insurance Company, in English, and, in French, Société d’assurance indemnité nationale, to insure risks falling within the classes of automobile insurance, boiler and machinery insurance, fidelity insurance, legal expenses insurance, liability insurance, marine insurance, property insurance and surety insurance.

January 24, 2026

Peter Routledge
Superintendent of Financial Institutions

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
Parliamentary Budget Officer Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer