IEPD’s Policy Framework Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Regional Public Works Commissioners of Ontario ’s Fall meeting Muskoka,

IEPD’s Policy Framework

Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change

Regional Public Works Commissioners of Ontario ’s Fall meeting

Muskoka, Ontario – October 9, 2014

Presentation Overview

• Provide an overview of current initiatives in the Integrated Environmental Policy Division

• Great Lakes Protection • Nutrients• Waste Initiatives• Climate Change

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GREAT LAKES PROTECTION

The health of the Great Lakes has improved in some areas, while other areas have seen a decline. The causes are varied and require many partners to achieve solutions.

Issues Facing the Great Lakes

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Beach Closures and Algae• Shorelines and waterfronts

are being degraded• Beach postings• Filamentous (nuisance) algae

(green slime) covering waterfronts

• Massive blooms of potentially toxic blue-green algae

Invasive Species• Changes in the food-web,

decline in fisheries• Clogged water intakes• More pathogens• Risk of new invaders: Asian

carpPopulation Growth • Increased stormwater and

wastewater, treatment not keeping pace

• Loss of natural cover • More water use

Natural Heritage • Loss of critical habitat• Declining coastal health• More species at risk • Loss of natural and cultural heritage

Harmful Pollutants • Toxic chemicals and

chemicals of emerging concern (e.g., some flame retardants, pharmaceuticals)

• Fish consumption restrictions

• Reproductive/ immune impairment in some wildlife

• Potential human health impacts

Climate Change Could impact:• Lake levels• Water availability• Intensity of storms• Stressed infrastructure• Increased flooding

Proposed Great Lakes Protection ActOntario is committed to passing a strong proposed Great Lakes Protection Act, which is designed to give the province new tools to protect beaches, wetlands and other coastal areas of the Great Lakes and the waterways that flow into them.

Ontario’s Great Lakes Protection Efforts

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Ontario’s Great Lakes StrategyReleased in December 2012; provides a roadmap for how Ontario will focus a variety of tools, across ministries, to take action to protect the Great LakesOutlines future actions to achieve Ontario’s vision of “Healthy Great Lakes for a stronger Ontario – Great Lakes that are drinkable, swimmable and fishable” through six Great Lakes goals: 1. Engaging and empowering communities 2. Protecting water for human and ecological health 3. Improving wetlands, beaches and coastal areas 4. Protecting habitats and species 5. Enhancing understanding and adaptation 6. Ensuring environmentally sustainable economic opportunities and innovationA key action under the Strategy is the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund, launched by Ontario to help grassroots community groups, non-profit organizations and First Nations and Métis communities restore the lakes through local projects

Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement

Agreement Background:•The Agreement, signed in 2005 by the Great Lakes provinces and states, focuses on managing water quantity and aims to protect, restore and conserve the waters of the Great Lakes.•Ontario has implemented most elements of the Agreement. Current proposal will fully implement the Agreement in Ontario by:

– Managing the movement of water between Great Lake watersheds (intra-basin transfer) consistent with Agreement standards

– Regulating large consumptive uses of water within the Basin, consistent with Agreement provisions

Key elements of proposal:•Manage water takings according to provisions of the Agreement•Regulate intra-basin transfers of 379,000 litres per day or more based on Agreement standards•Retain existing exemptions for watering livestock or for domestic purposes unless a new or increased transfer is established (i.e., 379,000 litres per day or more)•Identify other Parties to the Agreement that would have the right to challenge water taking and transfer decisions in specified instances•Identify that proposals for water transfers would be subject to posting on the Environmental Registry in a manner consistent with existing rules for posting water-taking proposals•Proclaim legislative amendments required to give effect to the Regulations.

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• Principal mechanism through which Ontario and Canada coordinate their work to address their respective and shared commitments to protect the Great Lakes

• Province has negotiated with Canada a proposed 8th Canada-Ontario Agreement

• New annexes on nutrients, aquatic invasive species, habitat and species, climate change impacts, groundwater quality, discharges from vessels, promoting innovation, and engaging communities, First Nations and Métis

• Canada and Ontario are close to finalizing the draft Canada- Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health (COA). We are considering the many thoughtful public comments received on the draft text

• In the interim, Ontario and Canada are continuing to collaborate to protect Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem health

• We look forward to signing the 8th COA in 2014. Once signed, COA will support implementation of Ontario’s Great Lakes Strategy and the Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA)

Canada-Ontario Agreement (COA)

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NUTRIENTS

Lake Erie Current Canada/US/Ontario Priority

•The 2011 algal bloom in Lake Erie was three times larger than the next largest previously recorded.•August 2, 2014, Toledo was forced to close drinking water system for 2 days due to blue green algae.•MOECC has a strong blue green algae monitoring program and has a protocol with the Ministry of Health, municipalities when blue green algae is found. •MOECC released a 12 point plan to address algae September 24, 2014 http://www.ontario.ca/environment-and-energy/blue-green-algae•Ontario committed to supporting Canada in developing a nutrient target for Lake Erie by 2016.

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2011 Algae Bloom, Lake Erie, Western Basin. Source: MERIS/NASA

Sources of Nutrients

Point source discharges to Lake Erie from Canada (ON) and the US (MI, OH, IN, PA, NY) include municipal and industrial sewer discharges:• treated effluent, • partially treated bypasses, • untreated bypasses and • combined sewer overflows

Non-point sources (NPS) include runoff and subsurface drainage from residential, commercial and industrial property in urban and rural areas as well as from agricultural land;• Treated stormwater• Untreated runoff ( urban and agricultural) • Tile drainage• Septic beds (treated)• Landfill seepage• Air• Sediment

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Nutrient Loadings

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The levels of nutrients from point source discharges are relatively well monitored and controlled and generally reflect the level of technology and expertise used in wastewater treatment.

• Ontario wastewater treatment policy requires a minimum of secondary level of treatment.

• Municipalities within the Grand River watershed have partnered with the GRCA and MOECC to champion optimization studies and develop training programs.

• Ontario working with Canada to agree on a one-window approach to regulating municipal wastewater – requirements for chlorine in effluent, reporting of CSO and bypasses.

• Challenges faced by wastewater treatment service providers are linked to growth and municipal planning. Loss of wetlands and permeable surfaces lead to increased flow into sewer systems.

Non-point sources of nutrients are more difficult to monitor and control•The levels of nutrients arising from non-point sources more typically reflect conditions in the natural environment•Non point sources are also more vulnerable to storm events that will intensify as a result of climate change

Showcasing Water Innovations•$1.3 million to improve water quality and protect the ecological health of both land and water resources within the Grand and Thames River watersheds•6 wastewater & stormwater projects in Lake Erie basin receive $2.2 million to assist in reducing nutrient loading

WASTE INITIATIVES

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Producer Responsibility Legislation

Background:

•Ontario’s overall diversion rate stalled at 25%

•Many stakeholders call for the reform of existing policy framework

•Significant opportunities to recover the economic value in waste; not only from residential sector but industrial, commercial and institutional (IC&I) sectors

Path Forward:

•Government is committed to introducing new legislation in near future

•If passed, new legislation would transform Ontario’s waste diversion framework by making producers responsible for end-of-life management of their products and packaging

•New legislation would build on:

• Lessons learned from previous Waste Reduction Act (Bill 91)

• Stakeholder feedback on harnessing the economic potential of recycling our wastes back into economy as valuable resources

•Look to parties to temper concerns with existing initiatives - focus on path forwardo E.g. move forward with voluntary producer initiatives on fluorescents, rechargeable batteries

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Background:•Diversion in industrial, commercial and institutional (IC&I) sectors is low (11% vs. 47% for residential sector in 2010). Millions of tonnes of potential raw materials are being disposed of rather than being recycled back into the economy

•3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) regulations under the Environmental Protection Act, which focus on waste diversion in the IC&I sectors, are 20 years old

Path Forward:• In 2012, the ministry accepted a request to review Ontario Regulation 103/94, which

relates to source separation programs in IC&I sectors and broadened its scope to include all three IC&I regulations for a more comprehensive review

• MOECC is also working with stakeholders to discuss what tools will best achieve increased IC&I diversion

Industrial, Commercial & Institutional (IC&I) Review

Background:•Approximately 1/3 of the non-hazardous wastes generated from homes and businesses in Ontario are organic (e.g. food scraps, leaf & yard wastes)•When landfilled, organic wastes generate a potent greenhouse gas•Provincial organic waste diversion rates are ~22-39%

• Could be as low as 9% in IC&I, while residential diversion is between 44-47%

•Collection infrastructure, local processing capacity, cheap disposal costs, community resistance on approval of facilities because of odours.

Path forward:•The ministry will continue to work with stakeholders to develop a long-term, strategy to increase diversion of organic wastes.•The strategy will also include attainable objectives in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from landfills

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Organic Waste Diversion

CLIMATE CHANGE

Ontario Leadership on Climate Change

Ontario’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change is committed to a new long-term strategy to fight, adapt and rise to the challenge of climate change.

On September 25, 2014 the Government outlined its priorities in public mandate letters.

The path forward builds on Ontario's actions to date, including meeting our 2014 greenhouse gas reduction target. It also includes:

•Establishing a strategy to achieve our ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets for 2020 and 2050.

•Working with Quebec to push for greater prominence of climate change in the Canadian Energy Strategy, which includes co-ordinated efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

•Ensuring that climate change is incorporated into government decision making including greenhouse gas (GHG) impact analyses for significant policies, legislation and regulations and adaptation considerations for public infrastructure investments.

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Ontario Leadership on Climate Change

• In 2007, Ontario established greenhouse gas reduction targets in its Climate Change Action Plan. The targets are:

• 2014 target: 6% below 1990 levels• 2020 target: 15% below 1990 levels• 2050 target: 80% below 1990 levels

• Ontario is on track to achieve or surpass its 2014 target. Go online to see Ontario’s Climate Change Update 2014• www.ontario.ca/environment-and-energy/ontarios-climate-change-update-2014

• Ontario’s climate change actions have been informed by international and federal actions but driven by provincial priorities and policy paths under provincial jurisdiction. Ontario’s actions to tackle greenhouse gas emissions include the following :

• Eliminating coal-fired power – the single largest greenhouse gas initiative in North America.

• Implementing energy initiatives, including the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) program, which have attracted billions of dollars in new private sector investments.

• Transit investments. Moving Ontario Forward will make available nearly $29 billion over the next 10 years for public transit and transportation infrastructure.

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Ontario Leadership on Climate Change

• In 2011, the province released Climate Ready: Ontario’s Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan with 37 actions across government as a first step in addressing adaptation in Ontario.

• Some examples of recent provincial initiatives include:• Updated Provincial Policy Statement, requiring planning authorities to consider the

impacts of climate change (MMAH).

• 10-Year Infrastructure Plan (Building Together) includes requirements for municipalities to consider climate change in asset management planning (MEDEI)

• Municipal Adaptation and Resiliency Service (MARS) developed by Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (provincial funding) to help municipalities accelerate local adaptation to climate change in the Great Lakes Region (MOECC)

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Appendix A: Ontario Emissions reductions by sectoral initiatives (climate change)

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Sector Initiative Projected

Reductions (Mt) 2014 2020

Transportation

The Big Move regional transportation plan and Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan Passenger vehicle efficiency regulations Freight truck speed limiter regulation Municipal hybrid bus purchase and Green Commercial Vehicle programs Ethanol in Gasoline regulation Greener Diesel regulation

1.9 4.6

Industry Natural gas utility conservation programs 0.3 0.8

Buildings

Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan Natural gas utility conservation programs Building Code amendments Residential retrofits

0.9 2.3

Electricity Long-Term Energy Plan: coal phase-out; Feed-In Tariff program; residential, commercial and industrial demand management programs; and related electricity plans

20.5 32.5

Agriculture and Waste

Biogas Financial Assistance Program Landfill Gas Collection and Control regulation 1.5 1.8

All initiatives 25.0 41.9 Source: Ontario Climate Change Update, 2014)