This section explains how Canada’s constitutional framework and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms shape environmental law. We highlight important sections in both documents and note that while the environment is not specifically included in our constitutional documents it has been addressed indirectly through divisions of federal and provincial powers, Charter litigation, and advocacy. This topic also situates Canada within a broader international context, comparing constitutional environmental protections in countries such as Norway, Costa Rica, and France, and weighs the potential benefits and drawbacks of formally entrenching environmental rights in the Charter, including stronger legal accountability, reconciliation with Indigenous laws, and concerns about judicial power and enforceability