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A&WMA Ontario Section Recognized for Membership Performance
The A&WMA Ontario Section was one of four Sections recognized for superior performance in getting new members and retaining members. Three Chapters were also recognized. The award is based on membership statistics and descriptions of local unit membership efforts.
For the year 2013, the Sections and Chapters recognized for outstanding performance are:
- Lake Michigan States Section
- Louisiana Section
- Ontario Section
- Allegheny Mountain Section
- Western Michigan Chapter
- Indiana Chapter
- Northwest Pennsylvania Chapter
The A&WMA Ontario Section has over 155 members and growing.
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Save The Date
Waste Conference April 10th, 2014
Location:
Delta Meadowvale Hotel
Mississauga, Ontario
More details to follow.
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Welcome To Our New Members
We welcome the following individuals to the A&WMA Ontario Section. These people joined the A&WMA since our last newsletter in November 2013.
- Cindy Toth, Town of Oakville
- Hirva Vyas, Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc
- Justie Chung, Altech Environmental Consulting Ltd
- Taylor Purdy, University Of Windsor
- Victor Mguni
- Yue Zhao
Note: Existing members are considered "New" if they renew their membership after their renewal date.
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Organizational Membership
One way we can continue grow the membership is through the Organizational Membership category.
Organizational Membership is popular with companies and organizations with more than 3 environmental professionals who want to reduce membership costs and increase participation in A&WMA!
Organizational Membership (up to 10 members)
$495/company + $88/employee USD/CAD
Organizational Membership (more than 10 members)
$1,050/company + $88/employee USD/CAD
Organizational Government Membership
$470/company + $88/employee USD/CAD
Click here to see if your company or organization holds an Organizational Membership and make sure to take advantage of the reduced membership costs on your renewal.
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Ontario Greenhouse Gas Verification and Cap and Trade Program
Gordon Reusing, Conestoga-Rovers & Associates
Ontario Greenhouse Gas Verification
Ontario completed its second round of greenhouse gas verifications under Ontario Regulation 452/09 this past August for the 2012 reporting year. All facilities that generated more than 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) are required to report their emissions and commission an independent verification. The Ministry of Environment released a question and answer paper in March 2013 that clarified 45 issues of GHG measurement and calculation, many of which were identified in the first verification process.
Cap and Trade Program
The Ministry of Environment released a discussion paper in January 2013 about the potential routes that Ontario may take when implementing a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction program. The paper reviews programs from the US and Canada:
- Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiatives (RGGI), which are flexible trading programs that began in 2009 for electricity generation. States that are involved in RGGI include; Connecticut, Delaware, Main, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Road Island, and Vermont
- The Western Climate Initiative (WCI), which is a Cap and Trade program in the US that currently covers large emitters, although smaller emitters will be included in the WCI soon.
- British Columbia’s carbon tax program, which commenced in 2008
- Quebec’s new Cap and Trade Program, which started this past year
- Saskatchewan’s draft emissions trading program for electricity and industry.
After the program review and consultation with stakeholders and consultants, MOE announced that Ontario’s will establish a cap and trade program that will follow the WCI. The program will initially target a limited number of industrial sectors and will be based on requiring absolute reductions than intensity based targets. Ontario intends to obtain equivalency with whatever federal greenhouse gas regulations are developed, to avoid subjecting industry to duplicative regulatory requirements.
Through this GHG Program, Ontario is not just looking at reducing its overall GHG emissions, but also at promoting cleaner technologies to industries and service providers. However, if this program is not implemented correctly it could have a negative effect on the economy, cost the Province money if the credits are not priced correctly, and lead to unfair treatment for certain sectors being targeted. The MOE expects to have the program in place in 2015, one year before the target date of 2016 for federal regulations. |
Case Law: Development in Prosecutions
Dan Kirby, Jack Coop, Jennifer Fairfax and Pat Welsh, all from Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
“When in Doubt, Report”: Ontario companies facing stricter obligations to report discharges under the Ontario Environmental Protection Act after Supreme Court of Canada upholds conviction in Castonguay Blasting v. Ontario (Environment)
On October 17, 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the conviction of Castonguay Blasting Ltd (Castonguay) under the Ontario Environmental Protection Act (EPA) for failing to report the discharge of a contaminant (in this case, fly-rock that caused damage to a neighbouring property). Castonguay, as its appeal wound its way up to the Supreme Court, argued that the discharge of the fly-rock, while causing property damage, was not an environmental event and therefore should not have triggered a requirement to report under the EPA.
Despite the fact that the fly-rock incident was reported to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) charged Castonguay for failing to report “the discharge of a contaminant into the natural environment” contrary to section 15(1) of the EPA. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction and confirmed the minimum fine of $25,000.
In light of Castonguay Blasting, Ontario companies now need to carefully consider whether they must report to the MOE every time there has been a discharge out of the ordinary course of events. They would be wise to heed the Supreme Court’s warning that “when in doubt, report.”
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
Dan Kirby, Edward Sellers, Andrew MacDougall, Jennifer Fairfax, Pat Welsh, all from Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Company Directors and Officers in Ontario at greater risk of personal liability for Ministry of Environment Cleanup Orders – Northstar Aerospace Inc.
On October 23, 2013, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) announced that it had reached a settlement with the former directors and officers of Northstar Aerospace Inc. (Northstar) whereby those former directors and officers agreed to pay $4.75 million for costs associated with the remediation of contaminated lands owned by the now-bankrupt company.
Northstar operated a facility in Cambridge, Ontario from 1981 to 2010. In 2004, it discovered the presence of carcinogenic contaminants in the groundwater well above MOE standards. When Northstar declared bankruptcy in 2012, the MOE was faced with the prospect of having to conduct (and fund) the cleanup of the Cambridge site. In response, the MOE issued cleanup orders against the former directors and officers of Northstar, including against those who began their terms well after the contamination was alleged to have occurred.
While an Ontario court confirmed that the directors and officers were responsible for interim remediation costs until their appeal of the MOE orders was heard and decided, the settlement reached between the directors and officers and the MOE prevented a full hearing. Consequently, a court’s willingness to uphold orders directed against directors and officers remains untested. The dark corollary is that directors and officers are currently at risk of being named in environmental protection orders and to being exposed to personal liability for costs.
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
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ACE – The 2014 Annual Conference & Exhibition
The 107th Annual Conference & Exhibition will be held June 24-27, 2014 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California.
The theme for this year's conference is Navigating Environmental Crossroad to bring together responsible environmental stewardship amid a growing economic future. The term "navigating" also reflects the seaside conference location and the major seaport there. The draft title for the conference's Critical Review is Carbonaceous Black Carbon/Elemental Carbon (BC/EC) PM2.5 Emissions - Monitoring, Epidemiological and Toxicological studies for assessing health effects and decision-making.
Long Beach is home to the second busiest seaport in the United States and together with the Port of Los Angeles, ranks as the 8th busiest container volume seaport in the world. Mark your calendars for the 2014 Annual Conference. We hope you will navigate to Long Beach for four days of professional growth and camaraderie with thousands of the best minds in our profession! |
Graduation Present
Students can receive one year full membership for free upon graduation, whether undergraduate or graduate. Just have them send their graduation information and any new contact information, including email address to Gerald at garmstrong@awma.org or Kate at kfischer@awma.org.
Note: the graduate must already be a student member to receive this gift.
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Members on the Move
If you have made a career move that you like to share with the membership, please email info@awma.on.ca and we will share it on our website and in the next newsletter. |
Member Contact Information
On another note, please keep your A&WMA membership information up to date. You may do so on a self-service basis:
- Go to www.awma.org
- Select the “Log In” button at the upper right.
- Enter your member number and password (or follow the password help instructions).
- Select “Membership” from the menu at the top of the page.
- Select “My Account” from the Member Services memo on the left of the page.
- To update your address or email address, select “Address” and “Edit” at the bottom of the “Address” page.
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Our Next Newsletter
If you have an idea for a future newsletter article please email info@awma.on.ca.
Tony van der Vooren, Newsletter Coordinator
tony.vandervooren@amec.com
John Willms, Content Editor
jwillms@willmsshier.com
Sarah McQuaig, Design Editor
smcquaig@suncor.com |
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