COMPENDIUM OF CANADA’S ENGAGEMENT IN
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS AND INSTRUMENTS
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
(Protocol to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone
Layer)
PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY
SUBJECT CATEGORY: The Montreal Protocol is the international agreement that
Air ensures the protection of the earth’s ozone layer through
the global phase-out of ozone-depleting substances
TYPE OF AGREEMENT / INSTRUMENT: (ODS). All countries that are members of the United
Multilateral Nations have signed on to the Montreal Protocol and all
have obligations to gradually eliminate ODS, which are
FORM: used in refrigeration and air conditioning, foam blowing,
Legally-binding treaty aerosols, solvents and other applications.
STATUS: Originally signed in Montreal by 24 countries, including
Canada, the Montreal Protocol is regarded as one of the
Signed by Canada September 16, 1987
most successful multilateral agreements. It has achieved
Ratified by Canada June 30, 1988
the elimination of the large majority of ODS and, as a
In force in Canada April 1, 1989
result, the ozone layer is on a path to recovery. Since
In force internationally January 1, 1989 many of the substances controlled by the Protocol are also
greenhouse gases, their elimination has also significantly
LEAD & PARTNER DEPARTMENTS: contributed to combatting climate change.
Lead: Environment and Climate Change
Canada OBJECTIVE
Partner: Global Affairs Canada
The objective of this agreement is to phase out the
production and consumption of ODS in order to reduce
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
their abundance in the atmosphere, and thereby protect
Web Links: the earth’s fragile ozone layer. An additional objective is to
Ozone Secretariat website reduce the production and consumption of
Text of the Montreal Protocol hydrofluorocarbon (HFCs), powerful greenhouse gases
Government of Canada website on the (GHGs) used as alternatives to some ODS.
ozone layer KEY ELEMENTS
Contacts: The original Montreal Protocol agreement (1987) required
ECCC Inquiry Centre developed country Parties to begin phasing out
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in 1993 and achieve a 50%
COMPENDIUM EDITION: reduction relative to 1986 consumption levels by 1998.
February 2022 Under this agreement, CFCs and halons were the only
ODS addressed.
Since 1987, the Montreal Protocol has been repeatedly
strengthened by controlling additional ODS (now totalling
165), advancing the dates by which already controlled
substances must be phased out, and establishing phase-
out schedules for developing country-Parties. In 2016,
Parties agreed to add HFCs to the control regime of the
Montreal Protocol through the Kigali Amendment. HFCs
do not deplete the ozone layer, but are powerful GHGs
used as alternatives to ODS phased out under the CANADA’S INVOLVEMENT
Protocol. In total, there are five amendments to the
Protocol: the London Amendment (1990), the Canada was one of the first countries to ratify the Montreal
Copenhagen Amendment (1992), the Montreal Protocol and is the host of the Protocol’s Multilateral Fund
Amendment (1997), the Beijing Amendment (1999), and Secretariat in Montreal.
the Kigali Amendment (2016). All these amendments are The means by which this agreement is implemented in
in force internationally and in Canada. The Kigali Canada is through the federal Ozone-depleting
Amendment entered into force on January 1st, 2019. Substances and Halocarbon Alternatives Regulations
Parties to the Protocol meet annually and take a variety of made under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act,
decisions aimed at enabling effective implementation of 1999. In April 2018, amendments to these regulations
this important legal instrument. entered into force, which added controls on HFCs, in line
with Canada’s obligations under the Kigali Amendment.
The Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the
Montreal Protocol was established by a decision of the In addition, Canada has in place a suite of federal,
Parties and began its operation in 1991. The main provincial and territorial legislation to control various
objective of the Fund is to assist developing country aspects of the life-cycle of ODS and HFCs, an
parties to the Montreal Protocol to comply with the control Environmental Code of Practice outlining best practices
measures of the Protocol. for minimizing and reducing emissions for refrigeration
and air conditioning equipment, and industry-led
EXPECTED RESULTS stewardship programs to manage end of life refrigerants.
The primary expected result of the Montreal Protocol is As a developed country, Canada also contributes to the
the gradual reduction of the production and consumption Multilateral Fund to assist developing countries phase out
of ODS, thereby reducing threats to the ozone layer. substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol. As
Given that many ODS are also GHGs, a secondary host of the Multilateral Fund Secretariat located in
expected result is a reduction of GHGs to protect the Montreal, Canada also contributes to the administrative
climate system. With the adoption of the Kigali costs of this Secretariat.
Amendment, the role of the Montreal Protocol in protecting
the climate has been strengthened through the addition of RESULTS / PROGRESS
a phase-down of HFCs. Activities
Indicators of progress in achieving this result are: In addition to hosting the Multilateral Fund Secretariat and
contributing key scientific data that underpins the Montreal
Reduced consumption and production of ODS and
Protocol, Canada operates a comprehensive ozone-
HFCs globally;
monitoring program, which provides the international
Multilateral Fund projects to assist developing
community with key information on the state of the ozone
countries are successfully implemented and meet
layer over the Arctic, and in hosting the World Ozone and
their phase-out targets.
UV Radiation Centre. The monitoring of ozone in the
For Canada specifically, indicators of progress towards upper atmosphere is conducted in support of the Montreal
achieving results include: Protocol under the Vienna Convention for the Protection of
the Ozone Layer.
Canada meets its obligations under the Montreal
Protocol to eliminate and, when applicable, In recent years, Canada played a leadership role
reduces its consumption and production of ODS internationally in proposing and contributing to the
and HFCs; adoption of the Kigali Amendment to phase down HFCs
Canada contributes its assessed share to the (adopted in Kigali, Rwanda in October 2016).
Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Subsequently, Canada was among the first countries to
Montreal Protocol; ratify the Kigali Amendment and was active in
Canada actively participates in all multilateral encouraging others to do the same. Partly thanks to
negotiations and forums to further strengthen and Canada’s efforts, by November 2017, a sufficient number
advance the global implementation of the Montreal of countries had ratified the Kigali Amendment to ensure
Protocol. its entry into force on January 1st, 2019.
To further support global efforts to eliminate HFCs,
Canada is also undertaking several bilateral projects in
developing countries to assist them in taking the initial
steps to control HFCs.
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Environment and
Climate Change, 2020 2
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Reports
Pursuant to Article 7 of the Montreal Protocol, Canada
submits annual reports to the Ozone Secretariat on the
production and consumption of ODS and HFCs. This
information is used to ensure compliance with legal
obligations under the Montreal Protocol. Data reported by
Canada and other Parties can be found at the following
website: https://ozone.unep.org/countries
Canada also responds to the various decisions of the
Parties that regularly request that information and data on
specific issues be submitted to the Secretariat.
Results
Results from continuing global observations have
confirmed that atmospheric levels of key ODS are
decreasing, and it is believed that, with continued, full
implementation of the Protocol’s provisions, the ozone
layer should return to pre-1980 levels by 2050.
Controls implemented under the Montreal Protocol will
enable the global community to avoid millions of cases of
fatal skin cancer and tens of millions of cases of non-fatal
skin cancer and eye cataracts. The Protocol has also
resulted in substantial climate benefits. Because most
ODS are GHGs, the Protocol has already averted GHG
emissions equivalent to more than 135 billion tonnes of
CO2.
Emissions reductions resulting from the phase-out of ODS
contribute to protecting the environment and health of
Canadians. As depletion of the ozone layer is particularly
severe above the earth’s poles, Canada’s Arctic
environment is particularly vulnerable to the negative
effects of increased levels of UV radiation.
Domestically, ODS (including CFCs and HCFCs)
consumption in Canada has been virtually eliminated
when measured in terms of ozone-depleting potential
(ODP). Globally, over 90% of ODS have been eliminated
in ODP terms.
The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol requires
Canada to reduce its annual HFC consumption by 10%
below baseline levels for the period 2019-2023. In 2019
and 2020, Canada surpassed this target by reducing
consumption of HFCs by 13.8% and 23.6%, respectively,
thereby averting emissions exceeding 6,7 million tonnes of
CO2, relative to Canada’s baseline consumption.
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Environment and
Climate Change, 2020 3
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