To the immediate attention of the Clerk and Council

December 22, 2005 – Alert 05/96 

AMO’s Proposal for Integrated Provincial Waste Management Strategy Now Online

Issue:  AMO forwards to the Province a strategy that integrates waste management, resource use and energy creation.

Background:

Ontario is currently in the midst of a waste disposal crisis. While municipalities have been assigned operational and financial responsibility for waste management, the Province has the leading role to play in the approvals process as well as in developing policy and legislation to support waste diversion, waste infrastructure, product stewardship, and other related issues.

The AMO-AMRC (Association of Municipal Recycling Coordinators) Joint Waste Management Task Force has developed a waste strategy for Ontario in order to help the Province develop solutions for this crisis. This strategy details an integrated framework for policy and legislative tools that AMO believes the Province should implement as soon as possible, which includes the following:

• Financial incentives and penalties (including charges, subsidies and deposit-return systems where applicable) to encourage industry to reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover products;
• Support to develop a simplified Class EA System for waste management options that allows for a ranking of new alternative waste management technologies;
• Establishment of waste-related research and development capabilities;
• Support for reduction and reuse initiatives via eco-labelling, procurement, outreach and education programs;
• Develop and implement a plan for the 60% waste diversion target, including a funding program for the facilities needed to manage organic waste;
• Reinstate waste management facilities as an eligible service under the Development Charges Act so that growing communities can recover the costs of new facilities required as a result of an increased population base;
• Empower Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO) by ensuring that it has sustainable funding, full authority to develop diversion programs and the necessary policy and approval support from the Minister of the Environment;
• Amend its current regulatory environment as set out in the guidelines governing energy from waste facilities, the Environmental Assessment Act, and the Waste Diversion Act;
• Work with all municipalities to establish long term, viable, progressive solutions to the 40% of waste in the stream that requires management;
• Utilize residual waste to produce energy.

Status:  AMO forwarded the proposed strategy to Premier McGuinty and the Ministers of Environment, Energy, and Municipal Affairs & Housing.  AMO anticipates an opportunity to meet with the government to discuss the proposed strategy early in the new year.  A copy of the Strategy is on AMO’s Municom website at www.municom.com.

For more information, contact: Scott Vokey,AMO Policy Advisor, at 416-971-9856 extension 334