FIXING ONTARIO S BROKEN WASTE SYSTEM

Transcription

1 FIXING ONTARIO S BROKEN WASTE SYSTEM Richmond St. W Toronto, Ontario M5V 1Y1 T: F: E: info@cleanprosperity.ca : CleanProsperity.ca : /cleanprosperity

2 Wednesday, June 1, 2015 The Honourable Glen Murray Minister of the Environment and Climate Change 11th Floor, Ferguson Block 77 Wellesley Street West Toronto ON M7A 2T5 Re: Planned revisions to the Waste Diversion Act Dear Minister Murray, Thank you to you and your staff for your efforts to fix Ontario s broken waste management system and to replace the Waste Diversion Act with a system that will increase our diversion rates. Ontario s economic and ecological realities mean that we need a solution that works for both our economy and environment, simultaneously stimulating growth while curbing waste. The strongest, most powerful forces available to us in that regard are competition and market forces. Just as the Ministry plans to price carbon pollution as a way of driving down waste and incentivizing innovation, so too will charging the full lifecycle costs for products and packaging incentivize better choices. It is our belief that Ontario should learn from the successful use of Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR) in other jurisdictions, to bring forward a system that: makes producers responsible for end-of-life costs and diversion targets; incentivizes competition; and has strong oversight and enforcement. Having worked with leading mayors and councillors on this issue, we recognize the need to ensure municipalities are treated fairly in transition to this new system. Our experience has been that the majority of elected municipal officials we spoke with supported full producer responsibility for both costs and operations, and that few are eager to hold on to the current broken system. In fact, the 5 municipal resolutions passed in support of IPR were passed unanimously by those councils. Please find enclosed a briefing document outlining: our concerns with the current broken system, the principles that we believe must be reflected in a new system, and some of the support we have received from Ontario municipalities thus far. Thank you for your time, commitment and consideration. Sincerely, Tom Chervinsky, Executive Director Canadians for Clean Prosperity Greg Kiessling, Chair Canadians for Clean Prosperity

3 ABOUT CANADIANS FOR CLEAN PROSPERITY VISION: A growing, prosperous and competitive economy where economic opportunities and innovation are accelerated by a fair, transparent system where polluters pay the cost of their pollution. Canadians for Clean Prosperity is an economic non-profit that is building public and political support for polluter responsibility across Canada. We educate Canadians about the hidden costs of pollution that they re already paying, and the economic benefits of making polluters pay for the cost of their pollution. We empower individuals to use their personal and political voices for change. We engage passionate grassroots activists and thought leaders with strategic efforts to build support for changing laws and building a cleaner, more prosperous Canada. TURNING GARBAGE TO GOLD WITH INDIVIDUAL PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY Garbage to Gold is Canadians for Clean Prosperity s campaign to build the political will for Individual Producer Responsibility in Ontario through strategic political action and grassroots political engagement with Ontario voters. Currently, municipalities bear the cost and operation burden for garbage and recycling. Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR) shifts this responsibility to the people who produce and sell to consumers. IPR is not just about making producers responsible for recycling costs it encourages producers to develop products that are designed, manufactured and distributed in ways that reduce garbage. When each individual producer is responsible for recycling their products and packaging, they create products and packaging that are easier to recycle. This ensures a competitive producer recycling market, since producers are always looking for ways to reduce the price of their products, and will compete to recycle more cheaply than their competitor. This is a system which has worked in jurisdictions in Europe and was introduced in British Columbia last year. Ontario can learn from the experience of these regions to implement IPR in a way that works for Ontario families, the economy, and the environment. To do this, Ontario s system should be rooted in the following principles: 1. Producers should be responsible for the full cost of meeting diversion targets for their products. 2. Producers should have flexibility as to how they meet diversion targets to allow competition and innovation.

4 3. In order to ensure positive outcomes and incentivize innovation, the programs created must be subject to competition provisions and targets must be backed-up by strong standards and enforcement. Learning from the successful implementation of IPR in other jurisdictions, there is no reason why Ontario cannot reach its 60% diversion target. In addition to the positive environmental outcomes of less landfill and less greenhouse gas pollution, Ontario s success will be a vital boon to its economy. According to the Conference Board of Canada, increasing Ontario s rate of waste diversion to 60% would create about 13,000 jobs and increase GDP by $1.5 billion. SUPPORT FOR IPR Canadians for Clean Prosperity has been working with municipalities and councils across Ontario to build support for true IPR as a way of increasing diversion, reducing costs for cash strapped municipalities, and generating economic growth. In addition to the 74 councillors and 10 mayors (listed in Appendix A) who have pledged their support, the following municipal councils have unanimously passed resolutions in support of IPR: August 25, 2014 City of Barrie December 15, 2014 Municipality of Clarington January 26, 2015 Town of Ajax March 4, 2015 May 13, 2015 Councillors understand that taxpayers, consumers, users, residents, and voters are in actuality diverse titles for the same Ontarians. As such they recognize the importance of designing a successful system based in proven economic and ecological principles that ultimately serves the economic and environmental needs of Ontarians rather than pitting different sectors against each other. We look forward to your decision regarding the changes to our waste system. If we can be of any help or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to let us know. For more information: TOM CHERVINSKY Acting Executive Director & VP, Campaigns T: F: E: tchervinsky@cleanprosperity.ca CANADIANS FOR CLEAN PROSPERITY Building a Stronger Economy cleanprosperity.ca

5 APPENDIX A: MUNICIPAL COUNCILLORS WHO VE PLEDGED SUPPORT FOR PRODUCER RESPONSIBILIY Councillor Jeff Bowman Councillor Cheryl Antoski Councillor David Neumann Councillor Brian Van TIlborg Councillor Leigh Bursey Councillor Jack Dennison Councillor Marianne Meed Ward Councillor Jan Liggett Councillor Peter Stroud Councillor Jesse Helmer Councillor Anna Hopkins Councillor George Carlson Councillor Matt Mahoney Councillor Carolyn Parrish Councillor Pat Saito Councillor Rick Kerr Councillor Doug Sanders Councillor David Chernushenko Councillor Mathieu Fleury Councillor Marianne Wilkinson Deputy Mayor Arlene Wright Councillor Lesley Parnell Councillor Keith Riel Councillor Diane Therrien Councillor Rick Johnson Councillor Duncan Armstrong Councillor Frank Fata Councillor Carlos Garcia Alderman Mark Tinlin Councillor Janet Davis Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon Councillor Gord Perks Councillor Pierre Brianceau Mayor Adrian Foster Councillor Ron Hooper Councillor Dan Carter Councillor Bob Chapman City of Brampton City of Brantford City of Brantford City of Brantford City of Brockville City of Burlington City of Burlington City of Cambridge City of Kingston City of London City of London City of Oshawa City of Oshawa City of Ottawa City of Ottawa City of Ottawa City of Owen Sound City of Peterborough City of Peterborough City of Peterborough City of Pickering City of Quinte West City of Sault Ste. Marie City of St. Catharines City of St. Thomas City of Toronto City of Toronto City of Toronto County of Wellington Municipality of Clarington Municipality of Clarington

6 Councillor Amy England Councillor Colleen Jordan Councillor David Pickles Councillor Elizabeth Roy Councillor Tom Adams Councillor Jane Fogal Councillor John Taylor Councillor Annette Groves Councillor Elaine Moore Councillor Marilyn Crawford Councillor Joanne Dies Mayor Geoffrey Dawe Councillor Harold Kim Councillor Barb McMurray Mayor Rob Keffer Councillor Gary Baynes Councillor Ron Orr Councillor Pam Wolf Mayor Sandra Cooper Councillor Deb Doherty Councillor Kathy Jeffery Mayor Virginia Hackson Councillor Joe Persechini Councillor John Brennan Councillor Ray Dufour Mayor Margaret Quirk Councillor Naomi Davison Councillor David Harding Councillor Dave Neeson Deputy Mayor Marg Isbester Mayor Bob Bentley Alderman Steve Berry Councillor Bob Inglis Councillor Jonathan Wiebe Councillor Brian Petrie Councillor Dave Monk Councillor Michael Beattie Councillor Chris Ross Councillor J.J.Paul Whiteside Mayor Tony Van Bynen Councillor Jim Marshall Mayor Dave Barrow Councillor Karen Cilevitz Regional Municipality of Halton Regional Municipality of Halton Regional Municipality of Halton Regional Municipality of Peel Regional Municipality of Peel Town of Ajax Town of Ajax Town of Aurora Town of Aurora Town of Bracebridge Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury Town of Cambridge Town of Collingwood Town of Collingwood Town of Collingwood Town of East Gwillimbury Town of East Gwillimbury Town of Erin Town of Espanola Town of Greater Napanee Town of Grimsby Town of Grimsby Town of Halton Hills Town of Huntsville Town of Ingersoll Town of Lakeshore Town of New Tecumseth Town of New Tecumseth Town of New Tecumseth Town of Newmarket Town of Parry Sound Town of Richmond Hill Town of Richmond Hill

7 Mayor Brian Smith Councillor Ron Ego Councillor Chris Leahy Councillor Katy Austin Town of Wasaga Beach Town of Wasaga Beach Town of Whitby Township of Springwater