Canada’s Environment ministers wrapped up two days of meetings Wednesday in Whitehorse.

They talked about climate change, biodiversity and general environmental issues facing all the provinces and territories, such as how to best deal with plastic waste.

The meeting of the Canadian Council of Environment Ministers (CCME) was organized by Yukon Environment Minister Nils Clarke.

Most Environment ministers were in attendance, and if they were not there, their deputy ministers were. It was the first face-to-face meeting of the Environment ministers in three years.

Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault was there, and the ministers met with Yukon First Nations.

“We are grateful to have met with the First Nations,” Clarke said in his closing remarks Wednesday afternoon.

“Over the last two days, we had a good meeting and discussions.”

Clarke, too, noted the issue of plastic waste.

“More and more Canadians want action from government to deal with plastic, to lessen the use of plastic,” he said.

Clarke said Canadians want to reduce the amount of plastic going into landfills.

The CCME has committed to developing a road map to address the issues around the use of plastics, Clarke noted.

While Canadians want the issue of plastic use addressed, he said, it’s important to recognize that each of the territories and provinces has its own jurisdiction over the use of plastics.

“We must have full respect for territorial and provincial jurisdiction,” he said.

Clarke said the development of a strategy will require a strong collective of the provinces and territories.

“There are areas of disagreement, but the fact is that we are all here; we are all here standing together.”

He said there is a commitment from all the jurisdictions to work together.

The development of federal regulations governing the use of plastic is already underway, he noted.

Clarke said he strongly believes it will take different tools to tackle the issues around plastic.

“Ministers also emphasized the work governments are already doing to ensure the plastic goods Canadians and the world need are produced and managed in a responsible manner,” the ministers said in a communiqué.

“Ministers talked about the importance of policies tailored to provincial and territorial circumstances that respect each government’s plastic waste management programs.”

Whitney Issik, Alberta’s minister of Environment and Parks, summed up the meeting on behalf of her colleagues.

“I have to say what a great pleasure it was to be part of CCME this week, seeing federal, provincial and territorial Environment ministers meeting in person for the first time in three years to discuss our progress on climate change, adaptation, and managing waste,” she said.

Issik told her colleagues Alberta is hard at work preparing to bring forward a new extended producer responsibility frame work that is good for their environment and economy.

A key component of the framework is that it incorporates stakeholder feedback and lessons learned from other jurisdictions, but is also tailored to Alberta’s unique economy and needs, she said.

Issik said it’s crucial that respect is shown to each individual government’s plastic waste management programs.

It’s important, she said, to recognize the uniqueness of the provinces and territories and to respect their jurisdiction over management of plastic waste because that ultimately leads to better and positive outcomes.

Respect for provincial and territorial jurisdiction must be upheld, and there must be recognition of provincial and territorial autonomy to determine their own courses of action in dealing with plastic waste, she said.

Issik said Alberta stands by the fact Canada must not make international commitments on areas of action that fall within provincial jurisdiction without a collaborative decision-making process with the territories and provinces.

The roadmap to strengthen the management of single-use plastic and disposable plastics that came out of the meeting is a prime example of how much can be accomplished when all the jurisdictions work together, she said.

Issik said Alberta’s recycling programs work because the province takes the time to talk to industry, organizations, municipalities and Albertans.

“For years, many municipalities and organizations across Alberta have advocated for long-term solutions and improvements to waste and recycling, and we’re pleased to be bringing extended producer responsibility to Alberta this fall,” the minister said.

Clarke now passes the CCME presidency to Ontario Environment Minister David Piccini.

As the meeting drew to a close Wednesday afternoon, the sun was high, and it was warm.

One of the ministers taking in the sun commented on how beautiful it is here.

“I’m going to stick around for a couple of more days,” she said.