CIELAP - Spring 2009 Newsletter

What's New in this Issue?
New CIELAP Publications
Government News
CIELAP Events
Other CIELAP News

CIELAP Successes

Options Paper and background papers on the review of Ontario's Waste Diversion Act (February 2009)

In October 2008 the Ontario government began broad public consultation for its 5-year review of the Waste Diversion Act. CIELAP has undertaken its own review of the goals and objectives of the WDA and the results achieved under the legislation thus far. As part of this review, CIELAP conducted interviews with a broad range of stakeholders that included representatives from industry, municipalities, environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs), lawyers, academics, media and others. CIELAP also held a multi-stakeholder Roundtable to explore the possibilities for reforming the WDA. CIELAP's Options Paper reflects the views and opinions of respondents from CIELAP’s interviews and the participants at CIELAP’s Roundtable. Download the report

Bringing Local Food Home: Legal, Regulatory and Institutional Barriers to Local Food (December 2008)

Ontario's Greenbelt, covering 1.8 million acres from Niagara Falls to Tobermory to Peterborough, contains some of the most fertile farmland in Canada including the Holland Marsh and the Niagara Peninsula tender fruit and grape area. There are over 7,000 farms whose production capacity and proximity to urban areas present a unique opportunity to feed Ontario’s diverse population. This paper examines a sub-set of those barriers—those arising out of laws, regulations or international agreements. As the research makes clear, all of these barriers are surmountable, and some specific actions to be taken by policymakers to overcome them are identified. Download the report

Achieving Resilient Agricultural Systems: Innovation, People and Partnerships - Workshop Proceedings (workshop held in November 2008)

On November 13 and 14, 2008 CIELAP held its 4th Partnering for Sustainability Workshop. This event, held in collaboration with the Government Canada, provided an interactive, discussion-based forum for 60 Canadian sustainability leaders from business, civil society, government, and academia to share best practices, lessons learned, challenges, and community initiatives about the United Nations’ Commission for Sustainable Development’s 2008/09 thematic areas: Agriculture, Rural Development, Land Use, Drought, Desertification and Africa. Workshop participants heard presentations on the three workshop sub-themes: valuing landscape services; local food systems; and agricultural production systems. Participants discussed the question “what policy instruments, programs, and processes need to be put in place for the development of a national vision and practices that foster resilient agricultural systems and advance sustainable development in Canada?”. Assess the Workshop Proceedings

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Government News

Proposed federal budget and stimulus package for 2009
In January 2009 CIELAP provided comments on the Federal government’s proposed budget and stimulus package for 2009. CIELAP recommended placing greater priority on the following areas: (1) Canada’s commitments to the Kyoto Agreement and addressing climate change; (2) cities, especially public transit and environmental infrastructure – water, sewage, retrofitting homes and offices; (3) early childhood poverty and deprivation, including early education and daycare; (4) housing for the homeless; and (5) “greening” Canadian innovation and competitiveness. Download CIELAP's comments

Ontario’s New General Regulation under the Pesticides Act, 1990 to implement the Cosmetic Pesticides Ban Act, 2008
Ontario’s Cosmetic Pesticides Ban Act, 2008 (formerly Bill 64), was passed in the Ontario Legislature on June 18, 2008. The Act amends the Pesticides Act and prohibits the use and sale of pesticides that are used for cosmetic purposes. The Ministry of the Environment has finalized this regulation, which comes into effect on April 22, 2009. CIELAP welcomes implementation of the new regulation.

In December 2008 CIELAP commented on the Ontario government’s proposed New General Regulation under the Pesticides Act, 1990 to implement the Cosmetic Pesticides Ban Act, 2008. CIELAP strongly supported the draft regulation and expressed that it would allow for effective implementation of the objectives of the Cosmetic Pesticides Ban Act. In particular, CIELAP commended the Ministry of the Environment for including a comprehensive list of Class 9 chemicals that are proposed to be banned for cosmetic use. CIELAP expressed concerns about the provisions of the draft regulation that apply to golf courses, however. Download CIELAP's comments

MOE Discussion Paper: Creating Ontario's Toxics Reduction Strategy
In August 2008 the Ontario government proposed a Toxics Reduction Strategy with the stated intention of fostering a greener economy and informing Ontarians about toxics in the environment and consumer products.

CIELAP responded to the Ministry of the Environment’s discussion paper and sees the proposal for this legislation as an excellent first step toward lessening the exposure of Ontario residents to toxic substances. However, there are additional measures that should be taken to ensure that the public has minimal exposure to toxic substances. CIELAP fully endorses the recommendations of the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) in their August 2008 report, Our Toxic-Free Future: An Action Plan and Model Toxics Use Reduction Law for Ontario. Also, CIELAP recommends that the government show support to the development of green chemistry and the research on the potential risks of emerging toxic substances, including those found in pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and the products of nanotechnology. Download CIELAP's comments

Postings on the Ontario Environmental Registry

Green Energy and Green Economy Act, 2009 (EBR Registry Number 010-6017) – Ontario’s proposed Act is intended to facilitate the development of renewable energy and to foster a culture of conservation and promote energy efficiency in the province. Comments will be accepted until March 26, 2009.

Used Tires Program Plan (EBR Registry Number 010-6037) – The Minister of the Environment is seeking comments on the proposed Used Tire diversion program plan developed by Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO). The plan proposes to manage all used tires in Ontario from the point of their removal from a vehicle through to final processing. The reduction, reuse and recycling of used tires to higher end uses is promoted under the proposed plan and this is supported by the development of new markets for products made from recycled tires. Comments will be accepted until March 29, 2009.

Review of Ontario’s Waste Diversion Act, 2002: Discussion Paper for Public Consultation (EBR Registry Number 010-4676) – Ontario is proposing to adopt a zero waste approach to help reduce waste, increase diversion, and build a greener economy and more sustainable society. The Ministry of the Environment is seeking input from the public and stakeholders to help determine policy direction relating to the review of the Waste Diversion Act and waste management strategies. Comments will be accepted until April 1, 2009.

Guideline A-7: Air Pollution Control, Design and Operation Guidelines for Municipal Waste Thermal Treatment Facilities (EBR Registry Number 010-5887) – The Ministry of the Environment is requesting public comments on the proposed revisions to Guideline A-7: “Combustion and Air Pollution Control Requirements for New Municipal Waste Incinerators”, now renamed as “Air Pollution Control, Design and Operation Guidelines for Municipal Waste Thermal Treatment Facilities”. Comments will be accepted until May 12, 2009.

CIELAP Events

Upcoming Green Screens movie showings in partnership with NFB:

April 20, 7 p.m. - Shipbreakers (2004). Directed by Michael Kot. Shipbreakers vividly captures both the haunting beauty of the ships and the deplorable conditions of the workers – in an unforgettable portrayal where Third World ingenuity meets 21st century global economics. Come and join the journey into the heart of Alang, India, a vibrant shantytown where 40,000 people live and work in the most primitive conditions. The screening will be held at NFB Mediatheque, 150 John St, Toronto.

Upcoming Event: “Toward A Moral Economy”

CIELAP and Quaker Institute for the Future invite you to “Toward A Moral Economy” on March 24, 2009 from 7:30-9:00 pm at Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Avenue, Toronto. Peter G. Brown, author of Right Relationship: Building a Whole Earth Economy, will discuss how mainstream economics has failed, and what needs to be done to bring the economy back into line with ecological and moral realities. Note that a booksigning will be taking place at the Free Times Cafe earlier in the day; however space is limited at this earlier event.

Other CIELAP News

An Introduction to Environmental Law and Policy in Canada
In 2008 Emond Montgomery Publications published An Introduction to Environmental Law and Policy, authored by Paul Muldoon, Alastair Lucas, Robert Gibson, and Peter Pickfield. This 258-page resource offers a comprehensive look at current laws and policies governing Canada’s environment and natural resources. CIELAP would like to once again thank the authors for agreeing to pass on their share of the royalties to CIELAP. The book can be purchased from Emond Montgomery Publications and from CIELAP directly.

Environmental Law Centre in South Africa

CIELAP has been working for several years with the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) on the establishment of an environmental law centre in the country. IDRC funded the initial exploratory phase of this project and a follow-up review of models for environmental law centres in other regions of the world. The Table Mountain Foundation of South Africa has just agreed to fund a South African to take the project to the next stage: identifying the most suitable model for South Africa and establishing such a centre in the Western Cape area of the country.

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