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Implement our nation-leading Endangered Species Act, beginning with a plan to protect large scale areas for caribou habitat in the Boreal Forest. Moving Forward Together, Liberal Party Platform, 2007, p. 29
Ontario is establishing a working group of experts in emissions trading, the environmental community and relevant sectors to develop protocols for carbon offsets. The ministry plans to have pilot carbon offset projects for farms and forests up and running in 2008.. -ONTARIO WORKING TO ENSURE EFFICENT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS Next year, the government will adopt the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard for at least 30 per cent of all virgin paper purchased for its offices, as well as other uses as appropriate. . . . The government will also move toward increasing the level of recycled content in printed materials to 50 per cent by 2012 and will encourage its printers and suppliers to meet these standards. MCGUINTY GOVERNMENT TO USE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY PAPER – Media release, Ministry of Government Services, Sept. 4, 2007. The government looks forward to working with forest companies, First Nations and environmental groups and other stakeholders to provide protection for areas that have been identified through Forest Stewardship Council certification. PROVINCE SUPPORTS INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF WOODLAND CARIBOU, Ministry of Natural Resources press release, Sept. 6, 2007
We will work with our northern and native communities to implement a long-term plan that protects the Boreal Forest in Ontario's Far North. Moving Forward Together, Liberal Party Platform, 2007, p. 29 Ontario Liberals believe that the development and implementation of a land use plan for Ontario’s Far North is vital for the future of Ontario’s environment and economy. . . Our plan will ensure protection of the key ecological features of this vast landscape while allowing for environmentally sustainable development that respects the rights of First Nations. The plan will support an environmentally sustainable future for the region’s people and communities. . . . Many of the issues in developing a land use plan for the Far North relate to the Mining Act. The Act has not been updated for many years. In our next mandate, we will work with First Nations, industry, environment groups and other stakeholders to revise and modernize the Mining Act. We will be undertaking a very broad consultation as part of the review of the Act. . . . --Letter from Dalton McGuinty to Ontario Nature, CPAWS Wildlands League, Forest Ethics, Environmental Defence, World Wildlife Fund and EcoJustice received Sept.13, 2007. Deadline for full coal shutdown: 2014. We have reduced emissions by 1/3rd during our first mandate, will reduce emissions by another 1/3 within our second mandate and will eliminate coal by 2014. Ontario Clean Air Alliance Election Survey, August 2007 The Ontario Power Authority has developed, but not fully implemented, both a Standard Offer Program and Request for Proposal system for combined heat and power projects: For details on the Standard Offer Program, seehttp://www.powerauthority.on.ca/Page.asp?PageID=924&SiteNodeID=245 For details on the RFP process, see:http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/gp/Page.asp?PageID=861&SiteNodeID=174
Make our energy greener and cleaner, with the province’s first long-term energy plan in a generation. Our plan will replace coal by doubling renewables and doubling conservation. Moving Forward Together, Liberal Party Platform, 2007, p. 28 Note: For details on the conservation targets in the Integrated Power System Plan, filed Aug. 29, 2007, see www.powerauthority.on.ca/ipsp Reduce emissions that cause climate change by 6% below 1990 levels by 2014, 15% below by 2020 and 80% by 2050. Moving Forward Together, Liberal Party Platform, 2007, p. 28
Make our energy greener and cleaner, with the province’s first long-term energy plan in a generation. Moving Forward Together, Liberal Party Platform, 2007, p. 28 Coalition note: Integrated Power System Plan filed Aug. 29, 2007 calls for the development of 14,000 megawatts (MW) of new nuclear capacity at a cost of $46 billion. For more details on the plan, visit http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/ipsp/ Ontario Liberals know that artificially reducing electricity prices is the single worst policy you could advocate if you want to see industry and consumers reduce their energy use . . .The plan we implemented took the politics out of electricity pricing. Our new regulated plan resulted in four price increases for electricity. While not politically popular, that is what was needed to ensure responsible pricing and promote conservation and efficiency. Letter to Environmental Priorities Coalition, Sept. 25, 2007. Make our energy greener and cleaner, with the province’s first long-term energy plan in a generation. Our plan will replace coal by doubling renewables and doubling conservation. Moving Forward Together, Liberal Party Platform, 2007, p. 28 Ontario Liberals have implemented one of the most aggressive renewable energy programs in the world. . . We have brought online 416 MW of renewables and will bring online 1,600 MW more in the near to medium term. Our North American leading standard offer will lead to 1,000 MW of new renewables. Letter to Environmental Priorities Coalition, Sept. 25, 2007. The Ontario Liberals are committed to continue to act on the lessons of Walkerton. For example, we have acted on the needs of communities with small water systems by providing $40 million over five years with both operating and capital costs for essential water systems upgrades as recommended by Justice O’Connor. I am pleased to recognize, that with the support from groups like those you represent, the Ontario government has announced that all 121 recommendations in the Report of the Walkerton Inquiry have now been implemented. Letter to Environmental Priorities Coalition, Sept. 22, 2007.
In 2005 the McGuinty government signed the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River Sustainable Water Resources Agreement with Quebec and the eight Great Lakes states to end and prevent the diversion of water from the Great Lakes, and implemented this agreement into law in 2007 with the Safeguarding and Sustaining Ontario’s Water Act. This legislation also puts into law extremely stringent provisions regarding intra-basin transfers in the province, and Ontario will be continuing to integrate the provincial water-taking, drinking water, and sewage-systems decisions into the agreement and the implementing legislation. This will include requirements for return flow, together with more stringent requirements in Ontario, over and above the agreement provisions. Liberal Party response to Rouge Duffins Greenspace Coalition election survey, Sept. 12, 2007 Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem (COA), we have committed $32 million to clean up four Areas of Concern (AOCs) by 2010: Randle Reef in Hamilton, Wheatley Harbour on the north shore of Lake Erie, Nipigon Bay and Jackfish Bay of Lake Superior, and the St. Lawrence River near Cornwall. We recently committed to providing an additional $30 million for Randle Reef. This will provide one-third of the remaining cost of clean-up of one of the most toxic sites in Canada. Since 2003, our government has been providing funding to upgrade and improve the remaining primary sewer treatment plants in the province. For example, we have provided funding to upgrade primary plants in:
Letter to Environmental Priorities Coalition, Sept. 22, 2007 Great Lakes - Conservation plans In passing SSOWA [Safeguarding and Sustaining Ontario’s Water Act], our government included restrictions on large new or increased transfers, with requirements for return flow and environmental standards; strengthened the ban on water diversions, and implemented an authority to charge for profit consumptive water users for their water takings. We have already implemented the first phase of water charges with the regulation setting out charges for the highly consumptive water users passed this past summer. The next two phases of regulations will address the charges for the medium and low consumptive users. We also included robust powers to require water conservation plans on water taking permits, either on an individual or sectoral basis and have already begun consultations on Ontario’s water conservation and efficiency initiatives. Letter to Environmental Priorities Coalition, Sept. 22, 2007 On conservation plans, our government put into the OWRA, by way of Safeguarding and Sustaining Ontario's Water Act, explicit powers to require conservation plans, either in individual permits to take water — or more broadly on a sectoral or other province-wide basis by regulation. Letter to Environmental Priorities Coalition, Sept. 25, 2007 A key next step that we highlighted in our Northern platform is the establishment of a centre for invasive species management in Sault Ste. Marie. This new centre will build on the expertise on invasive species already centred in Sault Ste. Marie and work with experts all over Ontario, the country and in the Great Lakes Basin. Letter to Environmental Priorities Coalition, Sept. 22, 2007 Greenbelt - infrastructure and highways In the Growth Plan for the GTA that the Ontario Liberal government finalized in our first term, we ensured that the previous Conservative government’s plans to extend Highway 427 to Barrie and Collingwood, and extend Highway 404 deep into Victoria-Haliburton and the Bradford By-Pass were not part of our 25-year infrastructure plan. In our next mandate, we will continue with implementing the Growth Plan and ensure that the infrastructure planning focus is on what is in our balanced 25-year plan. Letter to Environmental Priorities Coalition, Sept. 25, 2007
Consider applications by regional and county governments to grow the Greenbelt -- Moving Forward Together, Liberal Party Platform, 2007, p. 29
Build more rapid transit, with Move Ontario 2020, the largest transit expansion in Canadian history. -- Moving Forward Together, Liberal Party Platform, 2007, p. 28 Our Move Ontario 2020 plan will invest $17.5 billion over 12 years toward 52 public transit projects in the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton that will contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system that gets people out of their cars and onto public transit. Liberal Party response to Rouge Duffins Greenspace Coalition election survey, Sept. 12, 2007
We have enabled local municipalities, not the Ontario Municipal Board, to determine their local boundaries and have given them more time to review planning applications. Liberal Party response to Rouge Duffins Greenspace Coalition election survey, Sept. 12, 2007 . . . For example, we have improved the advertising and scrutiny process for Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) appointments. Panel interviews are now required for all chair and full-time appointments. We are attracting and retaining more qualified professionals on the OMB by extending the length of term to ten years and increasing pay. Our government is also in the process of implementing the recommendations of the Agency Cluster Facilitator for the Municipal, Environment and Land Planning Tribunals. Lastly, the new Citizen Liaison Office will help citizens understand the appeals process and how they can participate. Letter to Environmental Priorities Coalition, Sept. 22, 2007 The Lake Simcoe Act would be developed and implemented in cooperation with municipalities, conservation authorities, local residents, cottagers, farmers, environment groups, developers, First Nations and the tourism industry. The new act would:
From speech by Premier McGuinty, delivered at the Lake Simcoe Summit, Southshore Community Centre, Barrie Ontario, July 6th, 2007 During this mandate we have expanded Rouge Park by 2,000 acres or 22 square kilometres, thereby protecting more than 5,500 acres of provincially owned, ecologically significant land in Rouge Park and Bob Hunter Memorial Park. Liberal Party response to Rouge Duffins Greenspace Coalition election survey, Sept. 12, 2007
We recognize that more needs to be done on aggregate resource conservation, but that conservation will address only a part of the growing demand for aggregate products. As a key next step to ensure a better understanding of aggregate resources, we will undertake to update key parts of the Aggregate Resources of Southern Ontario — A State of the Resource Study (1992). The Ministry of Natural Resources will work with other ministries and stakeholders to review this new information. Letter to Environmental Priorities Coalition, Sept. 22, 2007 We will: Create a tough new toxic reduction law that requires companies that emit toxic pollution to reduce their emissions over time. Work with Cancer Care Ontario and the Ontario Medical Association to identify, target and reduce the number of cancer-causing agents released into our environment Ban the cosmetic use of pesticides across the province Moving Forward Together, Liberal Party Platform, 2007, p. 29
Build on our efforts to reduce plastic bags and recycle beverage containers by working with retailers in the private sector to further reduce packaging and encourage diversion. -- Moving Forward Together, Liberal Party Platform, 2007, p. 29 Ontario Liberals are committed to completing a comprehensive review of the Waste Diversion Act to ensure it advances Ontario’s waste reduction and diversion agenda. Additionally, we are supporting research with the Association of Municipal Recycling Coordinators, the Recycling Council of Ontario, and the Clean Air Foundation that will foster a more in-depth understanding of how to reduce packaging both at production sources and at the point of purchase. . . . The McGuinty government announced as part of its 2007 budget that the Ministry of Environment is hiring 10 new environmental officers to inspect Ontario industrial, commercial and institutional sectors to ensure that they comply with provincial recycling requirements. This follows on the heels of a recent compliance inspection blitz, where MOE inspected 260 facilities for compliance with waste regulations 102 and 103. Letter to Environmental Priorities Coalition, Sept. 22, 2007
Waste - producer responsibility One of our first actions in government was to make producers pay for half of the cost of the Blue Box program. We also took strong action to bring in a deposit return system for the LCBO. In our next mandate, we will continue this policy of ensuring that producers pay for half of the cost of Blue Box. As we expand into new waste diversion initiatives for hazardous waste and electronics, producer responsibility will be an important element in our efforts. Letter to Environmental Priorities Coalition, Sept. 25, 2007 New and emerging waste management technologies, including energy-from-waste technologies such as gasification and plasma arc, are operating in other jurisdictions but are largely unknown in Ontario. . . . Ontario’s existing approvals process did not distinguish between pilot, demonstration or full-scale operations or between proven and unproven technologies. This hindered the testing and development of new and emerging technologies. The ministry has changed that by exempting these pilots or demonstration projects from the environmental assessment process and from a mandatory waste hearing. REGULATORY AMENDMENTS TO FACILITATE WASTE DIVERSION, USE OF ALTERNATIVE FUELS AND NEW AND EMERGING WASTE MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES – Ministry of the Environment Press Release, March, 23, 2007.
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