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MINISTRY OF
THE ENVIRONMENT
2001-2002
Business Plan
Ontario
As Ministerofthe Environment, Iampleased tosharewith
you our2001-2002 businessplan. Itoutlinesthe ministry's
achievementsoverthepastyearandourcommitmentsand
targets forthecomingyear,to furtherstrengthenthehealthof
ourenvironmentandourcommunities.
OnFebruar>' 7 ofthisyear, whentheOntarioGovernment
accepted thereport fromValerieGibbonsentitledManaging
theEnvironment:A ReviewofBestPractices, itsignalleda
shifttowardanewand forward-lookingvisionforprotecting
Hon. Elizabeth Witmer theenvironment.
Wewillbuild strongerpartnerships,bothacrossministriesandwiththebusinesses,
communit>'groupsandcitizenswhomakeconser\'ationandpollutionpreventionadaily
concern. We will inviteparticipation ineverystageofenvironmentalprotection, from
planningandmanagementtomonitoringand enforcement.
Whileourstrategicapproachtomanagingtheenvironmentcontinuestoevolve,our
primaryconcernremainsthe same: protectingourair,water, landandthehealthofour
citizens. Inthecomingyear,weproposetomodernizeand strengthenthe lawsthat
protectthequalit>'ofourenvironment.
ImprovingOntario's airqualit)'and meetingourcommitmentsto reduceemissions will
continuetobeamajorfocus. We willbuildonthecomprehensi\eenvironmental
protection frameworkthatweproposed forOntario's electricitymarketandwill moveto
make additional sectorspartofourAirQualityandClimateChange Strategy.
Inthepastyear, we haveworkedhardtoensurethatOntario'sdrinkingwateristhebest
and safestdrinkingwaterinCanada. WewillcontinueOperationCleanWaterandmove
forwardona comprehensive strategytoprotectOntario'sgroundwater. Wewillworkto
increasetheamountofwastediverted from landfillsanddevelopa frameworkfor
cleaningupcontaminated lands.
Asournewvisionofenvironmental managementtakes shape,wewillrelyon
contributionsfromallOntarianstomakethischallengingtransitionasuccess.
TheHonourable ElizabethWitmer
MinisteroftheEnvironment
BusinessPlan 2001-2002 Ministryofthe Environment
Ministry Vision
OurvisionisanOntariowherehuman heahh,ecosystems, recreation,commerceand
industryaresustainedbyclean air, waterand land.
To fulfil thisvision,theministrysetsclearpolicies, standardsandrulestoprotectthe
environmentandtoencourageconservationactivities. Alongwith monitoringthe
environmentandenforcingtheserules, the ministry looksforinnovativeapproachesto
complement legislationandregulations. These includeworkingwithcommunities,
industriesandorganizationstowards finding flexible,practical,cost-effectivewaysto
strengthenenvironmental protectionandconservationefforts.
Inthe fiature,wewillbroadenenvironmental responsibility acrossall ministriesand
beyond, toinvolvecommunitygroups,businesses,academics,andthepublic,all withina
climateoiopenness, accountabilityandcontinuousimprovement.
Ahealthy,naturalenvironmentis vital tothewell-beingofourfamilies. Wecontinueto
playan importantrole inmakingthisprovinceoneofthebestjurisdictions inNorth
Americainwhich tolive,workandraisea familybyprovidingbetter, strongerand
clearerenvironmentalprotection.
WeinviteallOntarioresidents,communityrepresentatives,expertsandconcerned
citizenstojoinusinshapingandrealizingabold,new21"centuryvisionof
environmental healthand safety.
Business Plan2001-2002 Ministryofthe Environment
Core Businesses
Environmental Protection
TheministiTisi?i thebusinessofsafeguardingourenvironmentbyworkingtoensure
cleanerair. waterandland, andhealthierecosystemsforthehealth andwelfareofall
Ontarians.
GuidedbytheManagingtheEnvironmentReport, wewill move forwardwithanew
visionthatwillenabletheMinistryofthe Environmenttocarryoutitscorebusinessof
environmentalprotectionmoreeffectively. Westartfromastrongfoundationofclear
laws, stringentregulationsandtough standards. Buildingonthisfoundation,wewill
encourageallpolluterstomovebeyondwhatisrequiredby law, adoptinganethic of
continuousimprovement. Workingwithstakeholders, theministrywilldevelopa full set
ofregulator)'andnon-regulatorytoolsand incentivestoensureeffectiveenvironmental
protection inthe21"century.
Conservation and Stewardship
Theministiyisalso in thebusinessofencouragingandprovidingguidanceon
environmentallysustainableuseofwater, landandresources. Thismeansmaximizing
efficientuseofresourcematerialsandbecomingbetterstewardsoftheenvironment.
The recommendationscontained intheManagingtheEnvironment reportconfirmand
enhancethe importanceofthe ministr\''s roleasachampion ofconservationand
stewardship. Raisingenvironmental awarenessand instillingaprovince-wideethicof
continuousimprovement, pollutionpreventionand resourceconservation is ftindamental
toeffectivemanagementoftheenvironment. Theministry willputrenewedemphasison
beingoneoftheleadersinthemonitoringanddisseminationofenvironmental
informationandknowledge,butalsoreachouttoall levelsofgovernment, to industry,
municipalities, communities, organizations, universitiesand individualsthroughabroad
rangeofenvironmental partnerships. Morethanever,wecanreducepollutantsand
waste, saveenergyandconserveresourcesbyworkingtogether.
BusinessPlan2001-2002 Ministr>'ofthe Environment
Annual Report on Key
Achievements for 2000-2001
Protecting Air Quality
TheOntariogovernmenthasdevelopedoneofNorthAmerica'smostcomprehensive
strategiesto fight smogandotherformsofairpollution. Although morethanhalfof
Ontario'ssmogdriftsovertheborder from the United States,theprovincehastaken
strongactionathometoreduceemissions from itsownsources. Real progresswasmade
thispastyearandmoreactionsareon theway.
Theministryannouncedtoughnew measures, targeteddirectlyatsmog, acidrainand
climatechange,tostrengthenouralreadyaggressivecampaignto improveairquality in
OntarioandmeetourcommitmentsundertheAnti-SmogAction Plan (ASAP). ASAP's
target is toreducesmog-causingemissionsby45 percent(from 1990baseyear)by2015.
InMay2000, thegovernmentplaceda moratorium onthe saleofall coal-firedelectricity
plantswhileit reviewedenvironmental protectionmeasures. The review,completed in
thespringof2001,proposeda frameworkofactionsthatwillallowthegovernment to lift
themoratorium.
Proposedactions includestrictemissionslimits forthesix fossil-fuel plantscurrently
ownedbyOntario PowerGeneration. When fully implemented in 2007, thecurrent limit
onsmog-causingnitrogeno.xides would bereducedby 53 percent,while thecaponacid
rain-causingsulphurdioxide wouldbecutby 25 percent. Theproposed capswouldbe
extended toall electricitygenerators intheprovinceby2004. Theministryalsoproposed
aregulation requiringtheLakeviewGenerating Station in Mississaugatoceaseburning
coalbyApril 2005.
Adiscussionpaperwasreleasedonemissionsreductiontrading-an innovativeprogram
thatwouldmakepolluterspay,whilerewardingbusinessesthatareabletoreducetheirair
emissions. Theministrywill use the feedbackgeneratedbythediscussionpaperfor
developingaregulationthatwouldgovernOntario'ssystemofemissionsreduction
trading. Theproposedsystem would includespecial safeguardstoverifyandmonitor
tradesinanopen,transparentmarket.
InMay2000, aregulationwas implementedrequiringtheelectricitysectortomonitorand
publiclyreporton 28 substances, includingkeysmog,acidrainandclimatechange
causingpollutants. Thisregulation(Ontario Regulation 129/01)wasexpandedon May2,
2001 toincludeatotal of358 airpollutants, andnowcoversotherlarge industrial
facilities- suchas ironand steel manufacturersandpetroleumrefiners. Ontario isthe
firstjurisdiction intheworldtorequiremonitoringandreportingofthe full suiteof
Business Plan2001-2002 Ministryofthe Environment
Annual Report on Key Achievements for 2000-2001 (cont'd)
greenhousegases.
Morethan halfofoursmogoriginates from U.S. sources. TheOntarioGovernment
continuedasan interxenorbeforetheU.S. SupremeCourttosupporttheU.S.
Environmental ProtectionAgency(USEPA)transboundarysmogrule. Ontariowelcomed
theU.S. SupremeCourt'srecentdecisiontoupholdtherule. Thepeopleofthisprovince
canexpect tobenefit from cleanerairasaresult.
InJanuan.'2001.Ontario'sDri\eCleanprogramoff'iciall>'expanded intoitsPhase2area-
urbancentresfromPeterboroughtoSamiaandtheNiagara Region. DriveClean facilities
havetestedabout2.5 millionlight-dut\'xehiclesand200,000heavy-dutytrucksandbuses
since 1999. Initsfirstyear, Dri\eCleanproduced anestimated6.7percentreductionin
smog-causingpollutants fromtheprogramarea. WTienfrillyimplementedin 2004.the
program isexpectedtoreducesmog-causingemissionsfromvehiclesintheprogramarea
by22percent(or62.000tonnes),whilealsocutting 100,000tonnesofgreenhousegases-
theequivalentoftaking23,000carsofftheroad. InMarch2001,theministryannounced
publicconsultationsonimprovementstotheDriveCleanprogram.
Onclimatechange, weworkedwiththe federal governmentandotherprovincesand
territoriestoexaminenational optionsandtheconsequencesoftheKyotoProtocol. At
home, theministr}'workedwithotherministries totakeactionandplan forthe
investmentofOntario's SIO millionClimateChange Fund.
InFebruary2001, theministryposteddecisionstostrengthenairstandards for 14
substancesaspartofthe firstmajoroverhaulofenvironmental standardsinmorethan20
years. Wealsoreleasedtwodiscussionpapersrelatedtoimplementingnewairquality
standards forpublic comment.
Protecting Water Quality
Cleandrinkingwatercannotbe taken forgranted. The recentevents inNorth Battleford,
Saskatchewanserve asreminders oftheneed forvigilanceand strongactionsacrossall
Canadiancommunities inordertoprotectthe qualityofourwater.
Here inOntario,thegovernmentlaunchedOperafionCleanWaterinAugust2000-a
groundbreakingcomprehensiveactionplantoensureOntarioresidentshavethebest,
safestdrinkingwaterinCanada. Thecornerstoneofthiscomprehensiveactionplanisthe
Drinking WaterProtectionRegulation (OntarioRegulation459/00), whichappliesto
municipal waterworksandotherlarge systems. Keyrequirementsofthenewregulation
include: regularand frequentsamplingandtesting; stringenttreatmentrequirements;
public reporting; clearrulesonreportingadverseresults; andthe required useof
accredited laboratories.
The ministry launchedconsultationsontestingandreportingrequirements forsmall
waterworksandworkedwithotherministriesonestablishingRoundOneoftheOntario
Business Plan 2001-2002 Ministryofthe Environment
Annual Report on Key Achievements for 2000-2001 (cont'd)
Small Townand Rural development initiative. Underthis firstround, theprovincewill
commita minimum of$240 milliontoaddresspublic healthand safety infrastructure
priorities, includingcompliancewiththe new DrinkingWaterProtection Regulation
(DWPR).
Lastyear, theMinistrycompletedthe inspectionof645 municipal watertreatmentplants,
169municipal sewage treatment facilitiesand 277 industrial waste-waterfacilitiesin
Ontario. Municipal waterworks inspectionswill now takeplaceannuallyatall facilities.
Inresponsetotheevents in Walkerton, we tookdecisiveactiontorestorea safe supply of
drinkingwatertoresidents. Walkerton'swatersupply hasundergone one ofthemost
extensiveremediationandmonitoringprogramseverundertakenonacommunal water
systeminOntario. Thiswasanextraordinary situationthatdemanded-andreceived-
extraordinary action.
The MinistryoftheEnvironmentoversawtheOntarioCleanWaterAgency's(OCWA)
effortstocleananddisinfectthewaterdistributionsystem,which included-amongother
actions-swabbing31 kilometresofpipinganddisinfectingeachofthe 1,816 separate
buildingsin Walkerton. Theministryalsomanagedthe Brockton ResponseCentre,which
providedemergencyreliefforlocal businessesand individuals forall directwater-related
expensesandoverheadcosts.
Starting lastyear, theministrybeganimplementingitsthree-year, $6-millionProvincial
GroumhvaterMonitoringNenvork. Approximately400monitoringsites in38 key
watershedswill provide vital informationon groundwaterconditions inOntario. The
Provincial WaterProtection Fundalsohelpedmunicipalitiesundertakecrucial
groundwatermanagement studies. Thirty-fourgroundwaterstudiesacrosstheprovmce
were initiatedwithaministry fundingcommitmentof$4.3 million.
Tough Enforcement and Compliance
Tofurtherstrengthenourcommitmenttogettoughonpolluters,the Toughest
EnvironmentalPenaltiesActtookeffectinNovember, 2000. TheActintroducedthe
toughest finesandlongestjailtermsinallofCanadaformajorenvironmentaloffences,
increasingthemaximum fine fora firstconvictionofamajoroffencebyacorporation
fi-om$1 millionto $6millionperday,and forasubsequentconviction from $2million to
$10millionperday. Maximumjail terms forapersonconvictedofamajoroffence
increasedfi-omtwoyearsto fiveyears. Thegovernmentalsolaunchedanenvironmental
SWATTeamtocrackdownondeliberateandrepeatpolluterstoensurecompliancewith
Ontario'senvironmental laws. Todate,over 130 inspectionshavebeenconductedand
haveresultedinthe issuingoffickets, summonsesandprovincial officerorders.
To ftirtherassistthegovernment in fulfillingitscommitmenttogettoughonpolluters,
theministry establishedatoll-ft-ee. 24 hourpublic hotline forthepublic toreportactsof
pollufion.
Business Plan2001-2002 MinistryoftheEnvironment
Annual Report on Key Achievements for 2000-2001 (cont'd)
Protecting Ecosystems
Lastyearthe toughesthazardouswaste regulation inOntario'shistorywasannounced.
Thenewregulationmakestheprovincial law morecompatiblewithU.S. hazardouswaste
regulations. Theministry inspected611 hazardouswastegeneratorsandconducted 347
PCB site inspections. Actionstodestroyhigh level PCBsinstoragealsocontinued. Asof
April, 2001, over9,300 tonnesofhigh le\el PCBshad beendestroyed (from the 1994
baselineof18,600tonnes). By December2001,o\er 11,200tonneswillhavebeen
destroyed.
Thegovernmentachieved itstargetofa41 percentreduction(from 1987baseyear) in
theamountofnon-hazardouswastegoingtodisposal lastyear.
Preventing Pollution
Ontario'spollutionpreventioninitiativeshavepreventedtheproductionandreleaseof
over460,000tonnesofpollutantssince 1992. Lastyear, pollutionpreventionprograms
resultedinanover60.000tonne reduction. TheagreementwiththeCanadianVehicle
ManufacturersAssociation (CVMA)alone resulted inthepreventionof58,000tonnesof
pollutants from beingproduced, earningtheCVMAanawardofrecognition fromthe
Canadian Council ofMinistersofthe Environment. Theministry iscommitted to
buildingonthesesuccessesandmakingpollutionpreventionincreasinglycentral to
managingtheenvironment.
Key Commitments and Strategies
for 2001-2002
A \e>v Vision and a Commitment to Continuous Improvement
TheMinistryoftheEnvironment'skeystrategiesandcommitmentsfor2001-2002will
beshapedbya fundamental shiftfromatraditionalcommand-and-controlfocus, towarda
newwaytoprotectOntario'senvironment. TheFebruary 7reportbymanagementexpert
ValerieGibbons-titledManagingtheEnvironment:A ReviewofBestPractices-serves
asthevisionandguide forthisambitious newcourseofaction.
Thechangeprocesshasalreadybegun. The Ministerofthe Environment Elizabeth
WitmernowchairsaCabinetCommittee ontheenvironment, andanassociatedeputy
Business Plan2001-2002 Ministryofthe Environment
