Shifts in environmental governance in Canada: how are citizen environment groups to respond?

During a period when the relationship between government agencies and citizen environmental monitoring activities is shifting, this paper examines the nature of the relationship between government and citizen stewardship, by describing some citizen monitoring initiatives in Ontario, Canada. The authors begin by characterizing the changing nature of environmental governance by focusing specifically on the complexity surrounding the relationship between government administrative reform, demands for improved and increased environmental monitoring, and the role and function of citizens in monitoring activities. Then, building on the experience of one citizen-based environmental organization, Citizens' Environment Watch, as well as on two other local examples, they document possible new forms of collaboration that retain government responsibility while building community authority, knowledge, and power to improve local environmental quality. Suggested remedies include a recognition and public articulation of what government should do and what it does not do. In the case of the latter, government should commit to provide support for citizen monitoring efforts, and to heed the work of volunteer monitors. Finally, government needs to follow up on concerns about degraded environmental quality raised by local citizens through strong investigative and enforcement responses.