Drinking water standards getting a little tighter
Health Canada has released its new Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, prepared by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water (CDW).[1] This replaces the existing 1996 edition. Bottom line: the numbers are a little stricter than 15 years ago.
Continue reading the post titled Drinking water standards getting a little tighterPCBs in fish
PCBs in your fish dinner? Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) were used for decades in industry and to make electrical equipment like transformers and capacitors.[i] They are slow to break down and hard to destroy. PCB are known carcinogens and have been linked to adverse reproductive, immune, nervous and endocrine effects, among others.[ii] Trace levels are found...
Continue reading the post titled PCBs in fishMore on approvals reform
Bill 68, the 166 page Open for Business Act [i] is now available for download. The Bill establishes a framework for reform of environmental approvals, as part of a three-year initiative intended to foster more efficient government services to business, while continuing to protect the environment and the public interest. This long-overdue Bill received first...
Continue reading the post titled More on approvals reformDrive Clean tweaked
Ontario’s vehicle emissions control program, Drive Clean, is getting a tuneup. Amendments to Ontario Regulation 361/98[i] (Motor Vehicles) under the Environmental Protection Act will modernize the Drive Clean program.[ii] By December 12, 2012, the Acceleration Simulation Mode (dynamometer) tailpipe test will be replaced with: [iii],[iv]
Continue reading the post titled Drive Clean tweakedWater meters inexorable
Pay for use or flat rates? Flat rates are often popular, but they are poor public policy. Flat rates encourage waste. Flat rates discourage conservation of water and energy, and devalue their importance. Flat rates make conscientious citizens pay for the bad habits of wasteful neighbours. And flat rates are generally too low to pay...
Continue reading the post titled Water meters inexorableOntario's proposed approach to cap and trade
Last week, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (“MOECC”) posted to the Environmental Registry its proposed approach to establishing a cap and trade regime in the province. Preferred and considered options for such a regime were are outlined in a “Cap and Trade Program Design Options” document, upon which the MOECC is accepting comments...
Continue reading the post titled Ontario's proposed approach to cap and tradeBird-building collisions and ECAs
The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (“MOECC”) has posted to the Environmental Registry (“ER”) a proposal for a draft regulatory amendment to exempt reflective building surfaces (such as the windows of office buildings) from requiring an Environmental Compliance Approval (“ECA”). (Unfortunately, the date for providing comments has just passed). Reflective building surfaces are...
Continue reading the post titled Bird-building collisions and ECAsFurther momentum on cap and trade
The Ontario government announced earlier this week the signing of an MOU between Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba to link their respective cap and trade programmes. The agreement was signed while the Premiers of the three provinces were participating in the Paris Conference on Climate change (COP21) that is wrapping up this week. Manitoba is a...
Continue reading the post titled Further momentum on cap and tradeThe Paris Agreement
Over the weekend, representatives from 195 countries signed an historic agreement aimed at curbing climate change. The “Paris Agreement,” which has yet, of course, to be ratified, is being touted as a “universal” climate agreement, with 195 signatories. Industry, policy-makers, ENGOs, and others will no doubt continue to digest the Agreement, and its implications, over the...
Continue reading the post titled The Paris AgreementThe (Contaminated) Ground Beneath our Feet
The extent and nature of contaminated land in Canada — the toxic legacy of our collective history of poor environmental stewardship, including through weak environmental regulation — continues to invade the headlines. A few weeks ago, a CBC/Radio-Canada report revealed that dozens of former dumps on the island of Montreal have been covered over without ever having been decontaminated. Numerous municipal...
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