Official site of the City of Ottawa

Environmental Strategy

Annex 1: Summary of Environmental Management Best Practices

The following is a sampling of best practices employed by various Canadian municipalities and other government agencies to address current environmental issues and, ultimately, to achieve more sustainable communities. Electronic and paper literature searches were conducted to collate the following text. Each environmental issue is described and includes a sampling of environmental management best practices that include by-laws, techniques to engage public participation, and public education measures. A list of examples aimed at corporate and community initiatives are also provided.

The City of Ottawa's Environmental Strategy will aim to address these environmental issues that have been identified as currently relevant at both a national level and within our community. Over time, the environmental issues will change in subject and magnitude, as they have in the past, in response to changes in environmental conditions, human numbers and behaviour.

Air Quality/Climate Change

Issue: The air is a common space that is significantly influenced by global human activities. Poor air quality arrives as the concentration of primary air pollutants, including sulphur dioxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide and particulate matter, concentrate in our air. Above certain levels, these compounds have an adverse effect on human and ecosystem health. As fossil fuels burn, both increases in atmospheric temperature and releases of carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon particulate matter and methane (CH4) occur. The increased temperature acts as a catalyst for chemical reactions, which can in turn trap more heat. In addition, carbon particulate matter and gases trap energy. Finally, these high temperatures assist in evaporating toxic substances from sediments, paved surfaces and other areas where they were trapped. What has been achieved includes both climate change and deteriorating air quality. Within Ottawa, the source of our greenhouse gas emissions includes approximately 40% from building heating, cooling and use, 40% from transportation and about 20% from waste production.

Aerosols, which are pollutants in the form of particles or gases, can have both positive and negative atmospheric impacts. They act as cooling agents in the atmosphere because they reflect sunlight and indirectly modify cloud properties. Aerosols also form acid rain and trigger negative health impacts. Although aerosols counteract the warming effect of carbon dioxide emissions by about 25 percent, as long-lived CO2 accumulates in the atmosphere, continued balancing would require a greater and greater aerosol load with subsequent impacts on ecosystem and human health.

Based on 2000 data, Ontario is the second highest emitter of greenhouse gases in Canada, accounting for 29% of the national total (207 Mt) (www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/factsheet_e.cfm). Key to the success of managing air quality and climate change is to implement a variety of measures to reduce energy use and emission of pollutants and track the success through maintenance of a community wide GHG and air emission inventory. Management practices must be based on a solid understanding of the complexity involved in air quality and climate change issues.

Concern: Hospital admissions due to poor air quality have been reported in almost all major cities in Canada. Health problems include respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Asthma is also on the rise worldwide, with children and the elderly particularly vulnerable. Warmer temperatures and prolonged heat waves bring an increase in air pollution, particularly in urban and industrialized areas. More smog (ground-level ozone) days are expected to occur over time, due to sunlight and heat interacting with pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds.

Ontario could experience anywhere from 3-8°C increase in the average annual temperature by the latter part of the 21st century. This climate change will increase our weather variability and consequently impact our ecosystem balance. Some of the effects expected include:

• an increased number of stagnant air masses over our region, causing an increase in noxious pollutants;
• fewer weeks of snow;
• a longer growing season;
• less moisture in the soil;
• more pests and disease;
• an increase in the frequency and severity of droughts and hence more fires, and increased invasion of non-native species;
• lower water levels that would create risks to waterfowl populations and other wildlife and lower hydroelectric generating potential;
• more days when heat stress and air pollution adversely affect people's health; and
• an increase in the occurrence and severity of extreme weather events such as heavy rains, ice storms or droughts.

These impacts would have serious implications for the security and integrity of Canada's natural resource and social systems (www.on.ec.gc.ca/canada-country-study/intro.html).

Best Management Practices:

• Ontario Air Quality Management Plan - includes public education, smog action plans, emission reporting, drive clean test (car emissions) and measures to encourage energy efficiency, use of clean and alternative fuels and reduced exposure to tobacco and wood smoke;
• Control Instruments and Monitoring such as Certificates of Approval to control air emissions and air quality & energy use monitoring by The Ontario Ministry of Environment;
• Encourage walking, cycling and public transportation over single occupancy vehicle use through various measures, usually formalized in a transportation master plan. Municipalities practicing this include Toronto; Ottawa; Guelph; London; Waterloo; Kingston; Hamilton; Edmonton; Vancouver; Monterrey, California; Columbia River Gorge; Oregon, Washington;
• Walking and Wheeling, Park & Ride and Light Rail Train consist of facilities to support more than one transportation mode for travel (Ottawa; Edmonton; Guelph; Halifax; Middlesex - London; Winnipeg; Portland, Oregon);
• Implementation of a comprehensive approach, such as a Transportation Demand Management Strategy, which includes a bicycle route development program, Rack + Roll (bicycles on buses), subsidized bus passes, encouragement of alternatives to travel through revised work policies and provision of facilities that encourage walking, cycling and transit use.

Examples of legislative tools, including municipal by-laws, to address air quality and climate change include:

• Smoke free By-Law in public places (Ottawa, Toronto);
• By-laws to improve air quality (London, Toronto, Burlington, Caledon, Halton, King Township, Markham, Oakville, Oshawa, Peel Region, Pickering, Richmond Hill, York);
• Regulation of solvent use, automobile painting (California);
• By-laws for gasoline vapour recovery systems at gas stations (Europe, Washington DC);
• Vehicle Idling Control By-Law (London, Stratford, Township of Wilmot, Oakville, Toronto).

Programs for public education and community participation include:

• Promotion of water efficiency items such as showerheads and aerators (Ottawa)
• Cash rebates for energy efficient items such as clothes washers, discounts on Energy Star light bulbs and fixtures (Seattle);
• Cool Schools - school projects leading to GHG reductions (Toronto);
• Energy Efficiency Fair to market information to the public (Ottawa);
• Leave your Car at Home week (Toronto);
• Anti-Idling Campaign (promoted nation-wide through Natural Resources Canada and the Climate Change Bureau of Canada) and municipal anti-idling campaigns (Mississauga, Ottawa, Toronto, London);
• Clean Air Festivals -workshops on climate protection (Guelph);
• EnerGuide home energy efficiency audits (conducted by EnviroCentre in Ottawa, by Green Community Associations nation-wide);
• Assisting with car co-op programs (Guelph);
• Better Buildings Program to encourage commercial and industrial building retrofits (Toronto, Kingston);
• Revolving funds to provide loans for community energy efficiency projects (Toronto, Edmonton).
• Excess waste charge (Winnipeg); and
• Promotion of urban cooling and Green Roofs (Toronto).

Examples of municipal corporate programs include:

• Comprehensive recycling programs (Winnipeg, Waterloo, Guelph, Toronto, Ottawa);
• District energy systems (Calgary, Hamilton, Ottawa, Sudbury, Toronto);
• Residential street lighting retrofit (Calgary, Guelph);
• Using 10% recycled asphalt for road renewal (Winnipeg);
• High-occupancy vehicle lanes (Winnipeg, Gatineau);
• Wide curb lanes to accommodate bicycles (Ottawa, Calgary, Guelph);
• Fleet emission reduction strategy (Ottawa); and
• Effective Public Transit Systems (Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, etc.)

Biodiversity

Issue: Biodiversity is the assemblage of a broad range of inter and co-dependent living organisms within terrestrial, marine and aquatic ecosystems. With the fundamental changes to Ontario's landscape over the last 150 years, the range of species supported by our systems has been negatively affected. For example, over 75% of the wetlands south of the Canadian Shield have been lost to urban development. Forest cover has also experienced a rapid decline. With the loss of forest cover and wetlands there is a corresponding and direct loss of biodiversity because of decreased areas of natural habitat, reduction in water quality and flood control, decreased areas for fish spawning and consequently, the loss of the species themselves. Natural areas are storehouses of biodiversity. Loss of this species diversity and resulting genetic diversity can upset the delicate balance upon which ecological processes depend. Key to the success of managing biodiversity is limiting the loss of natural features.

Biodiversity supports human societies ecologically, economically, culturally and spiritually. Presently ecosystems are being degraded by human activity. Species and genetic diversity are being reduced at an alarming rate due to the impact of increasing population and resource consumption rates (www.cbin.ec.gc.ca/Document/CBs_e.pdf).

Concern: The threat to biodiversity in Ontario is imminent due to habitat loss and fragmentation as well as having been impacted by toxic substances, commercial and recreational use, non-native species, and climate change (www.cielap.org/infocent/research/biodiv.html).

Best Management Practices:

• Comprehensive plans to protect biodiversity through the preservation of an interconnected system of sensitive natural features and other greenspaces including Greenlands Strategy (York Region) and Greenspace Master Plan (Ottawa);
• Environmental Assessment (Ontario) -Provincial (full) Environmental and Class Environmental Assessment process that requires identification and mitigation of environmental impacts when planning public development projects;
• Forest Strategy (York, Ottawa) - comprehensive plan to manage and protect the urban and rural forest.

Examples of legislative tools, including municipal by-laws, to encourage biodiversity include:

• Tree Cutting by-laws (Oakville, York); and
• Site Alteration by-laws (London).

Programs for public education and community participation include:

• Specific Time Period Surveys - to survey a particular geographic area and identify and record as many species as possible in a 24-hour period (Ottawa); and Christmas Bird Count (Ontario) - annual count of bird species such that biodiversity can be monitored over time;
• Wildlife Festival (Ottawa) - an annual event showcasing work of various wildlife agencies, with speakers, display booths, etc.;
• Canadian Biodiversity Museum (Ottawa);
• Fletcher Wildlife Garden (Ottawa);
• Field Naturalists Clubs (Kitchener-Waterloo Field Naturalists Club) - gather biodiversity data to undertake habitat enhancement projects, native species re-vegetation, and demonstration projects;
• Schoolyard greening projects (Evergreen and Toronto District School Board, Toronto; Biodiversity Institute, Ottawa);
• Briar Nine Park and Nature Reserve (Richmond Hill); and
• Stewardship programs to inform public on sustainable land practices (Stewardship Council, Conservation Authorities)

Examples of municipal corporate programs include:

• Greening Strategy (York); and
• Environmental Lands Protection Program - educate public on the human use impacts of environmental features (Waterloo); and
• Trail Greening - City of Victoria Trail System.

Brownfields

Issue: Brownfields are defined as abandoned, idle or underused industrial or commercial properties that formerly supported development. They are located in built-up urban areas where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or potential environmental contamination, building deterioration/obsolescence, and/or inadequate infrastructure. The objective of a brownfield redevelopment is to recapture the social and economic value from contaminated property. It has long been difficult for communities to bring brownfield sites back into productive use because of the high costs of remediation, uncertainty about the level of contamination at many sites, and environmental liability issues. The benefits of brownfield redevelopment are many and include: renewal of downtown cores with consequent increases to municipal tax revenues (directly) and to the federal and provincial governments due to the increased employment; the ability to reduce urban sprawl, and subsequently reduce the impact on human health and the environment. Brownfield redevelopment is a key strategy for promoting reinvestment in existing urban areas and for reducing the need to expand into greenfield sites. Key to the success of managing brownfields is an ability to limit risk and liability and facilitate re-use of these sites.

Concern: The soil and groundwater may or may not be impacted by contaminants as a result of past practices and uses. The costs associated with site clean-up, the unknown financial risk and potential liabilities are areas of major concern.

Best Management Practices:

• The National Brownfield Redevelopment Strategy (national) - incorporates federal, provincial and municipal measures that will facilitate the redevelopment of brownfields in Canada;
• Tax increment equivalent financing to leverage the difference between current and potential tax yields on redevelopment properties (London, Thunder Bay);
• Municipal loans and grants - such as Contaminated Site Grants Program (Cambridge) - grants of up to 100% of restoration costs for all new development on contaminated properties in core areas and Urban Contaminated Sites Rehabilitation Program-Revisols (Montreal) - to spur revitalization of urban areas through the rehabilitation of contaminated sites with strong potential for redevelopment. The program contributes 50% of the eligible clean-up costs;
• Waiver for municipal fees and Brownfields Strategy - provision of measures to encourage brownfield development (Kingston);
• Environmental liability insurance (municipalities, lenders) - limits exposure to liability risks when developing sites.

Examples of legislative tools, including municipal by-laws, to encourage development of brownfields include:

• Brownfields Statute Law Amendment Act (Ontario) - an Act to encourage the revitalization of contaminated land and to make other amendments relating to environmental matters.

Programs for public education and community participation include:

• Community Task Forces (Kingston) - program development through consulting those senior private and public sector stakeholders from legal, finance, real estate, environmental management, engineering and urban planning that have an interest in addressing the redevelopment of brownfields;
• Recognition Programs (Hamilton) - to recognize successful brownfield re-development projects and demonstrate to others how such initiatives can be achieved. For example, The Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) awarded Minister Chris Hodgson for ground-breaking work on brownfields promotion and legislation.

Examples of municipal corporate/community brownfield development programs include:

• Concord Pacific Place (Vancouver, BC) - Former uses on this site included a harbour, railway maintenance yard and a number of coal gasification plants. Later the site of Expo 86, this project is currently under redevelopment as a mixed land use project. Upon completion, it will comprise 9,000 residential units (mostly apartments), 1.9 million square feet of office space, 600,000 square feet of retail and 20 hectares of parks and open space. A former railway roundhouse has been refurbished as a community center.
• Conor Pacific site (Cochrane, AB) - This was a former wood preservative treatment facility. Launched in June 2000, upon completion the project will consist of between 400 to 700 residential units, most of which will be high-density buildings. In addition, a number of commercial and industrial developments are planned, including a 130,000 square foot shopping centre. Under an agreement between the Town and the developer, profits generated from the development of the commercial phase are being used to finance the remediation of the residential portion of the project.
• CityPlace (Toronto, ON) - This site sits on the former Canadian National (CN) railway lands in the City of Toronto. This $1.5 billion development is expected to consist of approximately 20 residential high-rise buildings, accounting for some 7,000 units when completed in approximately 10 years. In addition, about 5-hectares of green space is planned, plus community centre facilities, pedestrian bridges, a neighbourhood shopping precinct and an elementary school.
• Spencer Creek Village (Dundas, ON) - The site of a former steel foundry, this 5 hectare parcel is being redeveloped as an adult lifestyle community with 398 high-rise apartment units and a 100-unit retirement home. Additional facilities include a "Eurohotel", clubhouse, community center and small retail uses. Development focused heavily on the recycling and reuse of materials from the former foundry. Before cleanup, the site contained a number of contaminants, including creosote, PCBs and hydrocarbons. Expected completion date is 2005.
• Bois-Franc (Saint Laurent, QC) - Developed on part of the former Canadair airport and manufacturing facilities, the community of Bois-Franc began development in 1993. In all, it will consist of 8,000 units, mostly condominium apartments and town-homes. Amenities include an outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, ball fields, pedestrian walkways and numerous man-made lakes.
• Moncton Shops Project (Moncton, NB) - A former CN repair shop and rail yard, this site is under development as a mixed-use project. To date, 16 ball fields are being completed on 40 hectares, while plans to develop a 24-hectare technology park are also underway. Some 26-hectares of land have also been set aside for residential development. Uses for the remaining parcels of land have yet to be decided. The site was previously contaminated with materials such as asbestos, paint residue and arsenic. The site was cleaned up using risk-based assessment (cleaned up to comply with safety standards for proposed future use).

Emergence of Vector-borne Diseases

Issue: Insects are a major cause of human mortality and morbidity, largely as a result of infectious pathogens transmitted by blood-feeding species. Transmission of these vector-born diseases is governed by complex interactions between the parasite, the vector and people. Vector-borne diseases are diseases caused by protozoa, bacteria, and viruses, which are transmitted from one living organism to another by an insect or worm, which acts as the carrier of the disease. Key to the success of managing vector- borne diseases is to know the life cycle of the vector and determine the best measure (either chemical or biological control) to manage the vector.

Concern: Vector-borne infectious diseases are emerging or resurging as a result of changes in public health policy, insecticide and drug resistance, shift in emphasis from prevention to emergency response, demographic and societal changes, genetic changes in pathogens and increases in annual average temperatures.

Best Management Practices:

African countries are advanced in their management of vector borne diseases such as malaria, tsetse flies (sleeping sickness) and yellow fever. They have the following strategic programs in place:

• Environmental Information systems and GIS - to determine the area of insect vector concentrations in order to implement the most effective control measures;
• Advanced weather forecasting systems - sing remote sensing to determine when the vectors are at their most vulnerable state so as to manage their populations;
• Safe and sustainable use of chemical pesticides - without compromising the destruction of beneficial predators and parasites;
• Avoiding the development of resistance in the target pest - programs include insecticide resistance management, advice and training for safe and effective handling and application of pesticides, pesticide legislation and residue analysis and integrated vector management;
• In the USA, the American Mosquito Control Association advocates control methods such as larviciding, adulticiding, biological control, research and education (New Jersey).

Currently, relevant by-laws do not exist. West Nile, Dengue and Yellow fever are relatively new arrivals to North America. Dengue and Yellow fever have not yet been reported in Canada.

Programs for public education and community participation include:

• National mosquito awareness week (USA);
• Provincial and Municipal West Nile Education Programs - website and pamphlet information and media promotion.

Examples of municipal corporate programs include:

• West Nile Surveillance Program (nation wide);
• Mosquito Control Programs (nation wide) includes larvicide and adulticide if required; and
• Web information links on environmental health (federal, provincial and municipal).

Forest Health

Issue: Forest health is the condition in which forest ecosystems sustain their complexity, species diversity, resiliency, and productivity. Forest health concerns are becoming more prominent as forests experience increasing stress in the form of invasive species, forest pests, air pollution, and poor forest management practices. Municipalities have relatively limited control over forest health in that forest management on private lands is not a direct municipal responsibility. However, there are some tools and best practices that are gaining wider application at the municipal level in an effort to ensure that public forests are healthy and that forest management follows best practices on private and public lands. Key to the success of managing forest health is to promote proper forest management practices.

Concern: Forests are becoming less able to withstand stress. The health of a forest is impacted by the incursions by unwanted pests, weeds and diseases. In addition, forests are vulnerable to natural forces, such as wind, ice and fire. The warming occurring as a result of climate change will increase lightning occurrences and thus make weaker forest more susceptible to damage. Acid rain, acidic fog and nutrient deficiency in soils are some elements that will also harm a forest. A forest's health depends upon its biodiversity and the age of the stand. The forest's health, in turn, determines its economic and ecosystem value.

Best Management Practices:

• Programs to monitor forest health (Hamilton) - partners, including the City, have established permanent monitoring plots in several forest ecosystems based on the Canadian Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN) program;
• Good forest management practices (York)- includes sustainable harvesting practices, promotion of native species and control of invasive species such as glossy buckthorn;
• Urban Forest management - to address tree health, discourage tree cutting on private lands, education on trees, greenspace, diversity, and decreasing energy needs by shading. Municipalities are increasingly improving maintenance programs for urban tree cover;
• Forest Certification Program - in York Region, the regional Forest has been certified as sustainable in accordance with international standards (a set of 75 criteria) set by the Smartwood Program and the Forest Stewardship Council;
• Encourage use of native species and promote natural diversity - in public forests and along rights-of-way. City of Ottawa Official Plan and Pesticide Reduction Strategy include policies to promote use of native species;
• Effective tree saving measures during development planning - requirement for preparations of tree saving plans is now a relatively common aspect of the development process. City of Ottawa policies require tree preservation and protection plans for development applications.

Programs for public education and community participation include:

• Green Acres Program (Ottawa) - in partnership with the Conservation Authorities to support rural tree planting;
• Advisory Committees (Ottawa, York, Waterloo) - organize forums and other community liaison activities;
• The Landowner Resource Centre (Manotick) - to provide information to rural landowners on, among other topics, proper forest management; and
• The Eastern Ontario Model Forest - an organization supported in part by municipalities, promotes proper forest management and forest health across Eastern Ontario including the publishing of a State of the Forests report.

Examples of legislative tools, including municipal by-laws, to address forest health include:

• Tree Conservation By-laws (York, Mississauga, Waterloo, London) - to regulate tree cutting to protect environmental values, and ensure that proper forest management practices are followed.

Groundwater and Surface Water

Issue: Groundwater occurs in an extensive underground network of aquifers. Approximately 23% of Ontario's residents and almost all rural communities depend on groundwater for their potable water supply. Groundwater often flows into our surface water, and plays an important role in maintaining unique fish habitat in some area streams. Surface water (fresh) is found within our lakes, rivers and streams and is fundamental to sustaining life. Water is critical for the survival of fish and aquatic life in Ontario's watercourses. As a community, our rivers and streams provide the majority of the water that we drink and otherwise use to carry out our day-to-day activities. Both surface water and groundwater are a major source of water supply for agricultural, commercial, industrial, municipal and residential uses. Key to the success of groundwater management is conservation and protection of this resource at its source. Key to the success of surface water management is mitigation of the effects of existing and new development in such a way as to preserve natural processes, water flows and water quality to the extent possible.

Although groundwater across Ontario is generally abundant, it has been perceived as an unlimited resource; when our demand increases, more wells are drilled. Now, with increasing agricultural and industrial activities of many kinds, this historical perception of a secure, unlimited resource must be re-examined in light of such events as drinking water contamination in Walkerton and increasing concerns around excessive water-taking. Disruption of our streams and rivers often results in increased erosion and sedimentation, decreased water flows and increased water temperatures which in turn affect fish populations and water quality. Slope stability may also be compromised. Loss of vegetative cover along watercourses reduces water quality through an inability to filter particulate matter, and increased water temperatures resulting in decreased fish species diversity. The presence of vegetation and presence of wetlands also reduce the impact of flash flooding in storm events through their regulation of decreased run-off velocity and capture of particulate matter.

Concern: Sources of groundwater contamination can include leakage from buried sources such as underground storage tanks, and waste sites established through municipal, industrial or private ownership or from septic systems. As well, any discharges or spills of contaminants to surface waters or to land have the potential to impact upon the quality of our water resources. Agricultural practices today employ a broad range of chemicals in order to improve both the quantity and quality of our agricultural products. Runoff from or leaching through agricultural lands also has the potential to affect water quality (www.cciw.ca/wqrjc/30-3/30-3-443.htm). As both the quality and quantity of water resources decrease on a global basis, the demand for fresh and uncontaminated water will increase. The potential exists for our water sources to be extracted at ever increasing volumes that eventually affect both the amount of water available to us (quantity) as well as the quality of that resource. Climate change is also expected to impact flows within the water cycle with the potential to decrease both the quality and quantity of our water resources. In turn, negative effects will be observed in the ecosystems that support us and other species.

Best Management Practices:

• Wellhead Protection Strategy to prevent contaminated waters from entering wells (Ottawa, Waterloo);
• Watershed / Subwatershed Planning to assess the impacts of existing and future land uses on natural processes and recommend approaches to mitigate effects and restore ecosystem health (Ottawa, Toronto, Waterloo);
• Groundwater Management Strategy (Ottawa, Waterloo);
• Infrastructure Master Plan to plan water, sanitary and storm infrastructure needs of existing and future development (Ottawa);
• Comprehensive Environmental Plans - to provide direction for establishing more a sustainable community over 20 year period (Hamilton, Waterloo, Winnipeg, Ottawa) and citiesPlus 100 year plan (Greater Vancouver Regional District);
• Geographic Information System to compile and track land use and environmental data (Ottawa, Waterloo, Toronto);
• Natural Environment Systems Strategy - ecological inventory and approach to preserve important natural features (Ottawa);
• Environmental Land Acquisition Policy for measures to acquire and protect natural environment areas (Ottawa, Waterloo);
• Groundwater Resource Assessment through such initiatives as conduct of Aquifer Vulnerability Studies (Ottawa, Waterloo), Eastern Ontario Water Resource Management Study (Ottawa, Prescott-Russell, Stormont Dundas & Glengarry) and Renfrew County-Mississippi-Rideau Groundwater Study (Ottawa, Renfrew County) and
• Historical Land Use Inventory to identify potential sites of soil contamination, based upon past land uses (Ottawa, Toronto, Kingston, Calgary).

Examples of legislative tools, including municipal by-laws, to address water quality include:

• Sewer Use By-law to control industrial discharges to sanitary and storm sewers (Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa);
• Top Soil Preservation By-law;
• Wells by-laws to regulate communal and private wells;
• Site Alteration By-laws; and
• Municipal Zoning and Site Plan Control by-laws, Ontario Building Code to regulate facility, development and site plan details.

Programs for public education and community participation include:

• Well Inspection Pilot Program (Ottawa);
• Rural Clean Water Program - grant program to help residents implement best management practices to protect surface and groundwaters (Ottawa, Waterloo);
• Water Collection Program - assists rural landowners with regular collection and analysis of drinking water from private wells (Ottawa, Prescott-Russell, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry);
• Water conservation initiatives (Ottawa, Waterloo, Guelph);
• Workshops on well and septic system construction & maintenance and well water quality (Ottawa);
• Eastern Ontario Children's Water Festival (Ottawa, Prescott-Russell, Stormont Dundas and Glengarry);
• River clean up by community (Ottawa);
• Removal of underground fuel storage tanks/protection against spills and leaks (Ottawa, Waterloo);
• Septic system maintenance and inspection and proper well construction and maintenance programs (Ottawa, Waterloo);

Examples of municipal corporate programs include:

• Fraud/Waste Hotline (Toronto) - hotline to report suspected wrongdoing involving municipal resources, waste or contracts;
• Downspout disconnection (Toronto, Vancouver) - direct roof runoff away from storm sewers;
• Biosolids Management Plan (Kingston, Halton) - conventional and alternative treatment processes and end uses are considered with a view to promoting public health, environmental sustainability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness;.
• Green Roofs (Waterloo) - establish vegetation on building roofs;
• Environment First Policy (Waterloo) - consider the environmental impacts in all City services and programs before making decisions;
• Road Salt Reduction (Waterloo, Ottawa) - innovative technologies, strategic planning and monitoring program;
• Groundwater Monitoring (Waterloo, Ottawa, Ontario Ministry of Environment) -of water levels and quality;
• Community Environmental Grants (Vancouver, Waterloo, Ottawa) - fund community/individual projects that protect or enhance the natural environment; and
• Environmental Handbook for Residents (Guelph, Toronto) -assists individuals and groups to become stewards of our natural resources.

Health of Sensitive Populations

Issue: The field of environmental health focuses on the relationships between human health and well-being and the influence of the physical, social and societal environments. The physical environment encompasses both natural and built aspects. Some groups of society are more sensitive to pollutants, either natural or man-made, than others. A number of populations are more susceptible to endangering their health through exposure to pollutants. These more sensitive populations include the following:

• Infants and children;
• People who are immune-suppressed;
• People with allergies;
• People who have environmental sensitivities;
• Seniors;
• Pregnant women and their fetuses; and
• People suffering from cardio-vascular and breathing problems.

Key to the success of managing health sensitivities of the population are programs to protect and improve the quality of our air, water and land.

Concern: The health of sensitive populations can be adversely affected by contaminants that abound in the environment as a result of our consumer and industrial society. Biological contaminants consist of bacteria, viruses, moulds, fungi and allergens. Chemical pollutants include pesticides, volatile organic compounds, acids, PCB's, dioxins, and man-made formulants, while physical contaminants include electromagnetic frequencies, UV radiation, electromagnetic radiation, and particulate matter. In our mostly urban society, much of our time is spent indoors, in homes, buildings or cars. The occurrence of asthma, allergies, cancers and other ailments amongst more sensitive individuals is increasing.

Best Management Practices:

• Air Quality Management Plans/Transportation Demand Management - as described under Air Quality and Climate Change;
• Water Quality Management Strategies; and
• Management of Contaminated Lands.

Examples of legislative tools, including municipal by-laws, to address human health include:

• Pesticide Use By-Laws and/or Pesticide Reduction Strategies (Halifax, Toronto, Cobalt, Caledon, Quebec, Ottawa);
• Household Hazardous Waste and Special Waste Depots (Waterloo, Guelph, Ottawa).

Programs for public education and community participation include:

• Health Promotion Programs (nation wide);
• Pesticide Reduction Strategy (Ottawa, Halifax, Toronto, Guelph);
• TravelWise transportation demand management program (Ottawa);
• Commuter Challenge; and
• Waste Reduction Week.

Examples of municipal corporate programs include:

• Active Living programs (Ontario municipalities);
• Drinking Water Standards and Monitoring Programs (nation wide);
• Heat and Smog Alert Programs (Ontario municipalities);
• Health Promotion Programs - Mould in Indoor Air, Carbon Monoxide in Arenas, West Nile Virus Prevention Initiatives, Lead Paint Removal, Radon Gas, etc (nation wide);
• Occupational Health and Safety legislation (Ontario, Canada); and
• Recreational Water Quality Guidelines and Monitoring Programs (municipal, provincial and federal programs);

Natural Disasters

Issue: Across Canada, emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility. When an emergency occurs, municipal services are the first to respond. If those emergency officials cannot handle the situation, municipal authorities will ask for assistance from their province or territory. The federal government intervenes when provincial or territorial officials ask for help or when the disaster affects an area under federal jurisdiction, such as an airport. Natural disasters are catastrophic consequences of a natural phenomenon or combination of phenomena resulting in injury, loss of life and property on a relatively large scale, and severe disruption to human activities. Key to the success of managing natural disasters is the formulation of an emergency plan governing the provision of necessary services during an emergency.

Concern: Increasing irregular weather patterns are causing a higher incidence of floods, droughts and extreme snow/ice events. Some economical costs are transferred to homeowners, businesses and to the health system. There is a concern that government programs sometimes undermine each other by indirectly sponsoring development and redevelopment in areas of recurrent hazard.

Best Management Practices:

Agencies have the following strategic programs in place:

• State of Emergency - can be declared by any level of government;
• Federal Emergencies Act - all emergency plans and procedures in all jurisdictions are based on principles in this Act.
• Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness - maintains operational links at all levels, maintains inventories of resources and experts in various fields, administers funding programs (Joint Emergency Preparedness Program, Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements); and
• Provincial Disaster Recovery programs.

Programs for public education and community participation include:

• Web sites on emergency preparedness (Vancouver, Victoria); and
• Disaster-resistant homes (London).

Examples of corporate programs include:

• Using new technology at fire emergency scenes and inspections to improve risk assessment, response and emergency preparedness (Calgary);
• Increasing urban search & rescue training provided to respond to natural disasters (Calgary); and
• Deliver disaster social services as part of The City's disaster response plan (Calgary)

Persistent Organic Pollutants

Issue: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are chemical substances that remain in the environment, accumulating over time throughout the food web. Persistent organic pollutants by their nature cannot be managed, because they do not degrade and are considered highly toxic. These pollutants are a risk to human health and the environment (http://www.chem.unep.ch/pops/). They are toxic substances composed of organic (carbon-based) compounds and mixtures, including such industrial chemicals as PCBs and pesticides like DDT. They are primarily products and by-products of agriculture, industrial processes and chemical manufacturing (http://www.worldwildlife.org/toxics/progareas/pop/). The elimination of DDT in Canada took almost 30 years, starting in the mid 1970's with all uses of DDT banished by December 31, 1990. The phased reduction helped avoid the creation of a large-scale disposal problem. Key to the success of managing persistent organic pollutants is linking them to human and environmental health and instituting strict regulations with punitive fines.

Concern: POPs are volatile compounds that can travel long distances. They establish within the food chain, and bioaccumulate in organisms such as fish, mammals and birds. Colder climates enhance bioaccumulation. POPs in rural areas usually result from agricultural activities, previous land uses or the long-range transport of contaminants from industrial processes. Urban related POP's are the result of cosmetic or aesthetic activities by homeowners, industries and commercial businesses.

Best Management Practices:

Have the following strategic programs in place:

• Pesticide reduction strategy for cosmetic use of pesticides (several municipalities across Canada);
• Household hazardous waste and special waste depots in municipalities.

Existing Federal and Provincial guidelines and regulations include:

• Canadian Environmental Protection Act and Pollution Prevention - prohibits the release of 12 substances to the environment: Dioxins, Furans, Hexachlorobenzene, PCBs, Aldrin, Chlordane, Dieldrin, Endrin, DDT, Heptachlor, Mirex and Toxaphene. Mercury, cadmium, and other heavy metals are also addressed;
• Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for major water use in Canada and Ontario Provincial Water Quality Objectives;
• Ontario Ministry of the Environment Model Sewer Use By-Law;
• Canada-Ontario Agreement Tier I and Tier II Pollutants;
• United States Environmental Protection Agency Industrial Water Pollution Control Effluent Guidelines;
• Ontario Guidelines for the Utilization of Biosolids and other Wastes on Agricultural Land; and
• Ontario Drinking Water Standards.

Examples of legislative tools, including municipal by-laws, to address persistent organic contaminants include:

• Sewer Use By-law (Toronto) - requires pollution prevention plans to reduce mercury discharges into the sewage system and limits, and in some cases prohibits, the discharge of contaminants to sanitary and storm sewers;
• Pesticides By-laws (E.g. Quebec: Notre-Dame-de-L'Ile-de-Perrot, Longueuil, Chelsea, Hudson, Westmount; New Brunswick: Shediac; Nova Scotia: Halifax; Ontario: Thorold, Toronto, Cobalt, Perth) - ban the cosmetic use of pesticides on private property

Programs for public education and community participation include:

• Environmental Education campaigns (Ottawa, Vancouver, Toronto); and
• Public Events (Waterloo, Ottawa).

Examples of municipal corporate programs include:

• Responsible Pest Management (Marblehead) and Integrated Pest Management (NB, NS, PEI, NFLD); and
• WHMIS - Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System - product labelling on risk assessment and hazardous materials.

Resource Consumption

Issue: Air, water, trees and minerals are some examples of resources that are consumed daily by the world's population. While a certain level of resources is necessary to support human life, it is important that both finite and renewable resources are consumed in a sustainable manner. A community is unsustainable if it consumes resources faster than they can be renewed, produces more wastes than natural systems can process, or has to rely upon distant sources for its basic needs. The level of resources that we consume will eventually impact upon our quality of life - social, environment and economic - and cannot be sustained and provide an adequate quality of life for future generations. Key to the success of managing resource consumption is to limit consumption at the source.

Concern: Our current lifestyle is supported by consumption of various types of resources - land, trees, water, fossil fuels, minerals. Unless we change the cycle of use of many of these products, not wasting them after a single use, we will run out of resources to support a liveable quality of life.

Best Management Practices:

Have the following strategic programs in place:

• Waste Management Master Plan (Ottawa, Waterloo, Toronto);
• Infrastructure Master Plan (Ottawa, Banff);
• Environmental Strategy (Ottawa, Waterloo, Hamilton, Winnipeg); and
• Municipal Recycling Programs (Ottawa, Toronto, Kenora, etc.).

Examples of legislative tools, including municipal by-laws, to address waste management and resource consumption include:

• Solid Waste By-law (Toronto, Vaughan, Vancouver);
• Woodland Preservation By-law (Ottawa, Caledon); and
• Water By-law (Toronto, Waterloo).

Programs for public education and community participation include:

• Media analysis of and profile given to Kyoto Accord;
• EnviroCentre (Ottawa, Mississauga); and
• Manufacturers' EnerGuide program.

Examples of municipal corporate programs include:

• Aquatic Facility for Renewable Energy (Sylvan Lake, AB);
• Water for Tomorrow Student Education (York);
• Energy Management Program (Richmond, BC);
• Eco-Industrial Systems where the waste heat and by-products of one industrial process provide energy and raw materials to feed another process (New Brunswick, Denmark, Sweden);
• Municipal Composting of Organic Materials (Halifax, Guelph, pilot in Ottawa); and
• Take-It-Back program through which retailers take back used products for responsible disposal (Ottawa).

Examples of municipal community programs include:

• Ottawa Riverkeeper (Ottawa);
• Spring Cleaning the Capital (Ottawa);
• Bring Back the Don River task force (Toronto); and
• Project Wet (Richmond B.C.)- informs and educates school students on the importance of water quality and water supply.

Soil Decline and Erosion

Issue: Healthy productive soil is the foundation of a stable, productive economy and the many environmental amenities all Canadians enjoy - clean air and water, enhanced fish and wildlife habitat, and diverse plant and animal communities. Soil erosion is a naturally occurring process on all land, however, human activity tends to accelerate this process substantially. The agents of soil erosion are water and wind, each contributing a significant amount of soil loss in Ontario each year. In fact, sedimentation (the depositions of eroded soil into waterways) is often considered the number one pollutant of Canadian rivers and streams. Surface runoff and the materials carried with it can also clog our culverts, flood channels, destroy wildlife (e.g. fish breeding grounds) and compromise recreational areas. Accelerated erosion most often occurs during construction or land altering activities. Soil movement at these sites is usually greatest and most noticeable during short-duration, high-intensity thunderstorms. Soil erosion potential is also increased if the soil has very little to no vegetative cover and/or crop residues. Key to the success of reducing soils decline and erosion is maintaining soil cover in place through implementation of advances in soil erosion and sedimentation control, soil management and crop production technology.

Concern: Soil decline and erosion can cause agricultural land to become less productive because the soil loses its fertile topsoil and is less able to supply plants with necessary water and nutrients. These changes, in turn, result in higher agricultural production costs, including costs for the increased use of petrochemical-based fertilizers. In both urban and rural environments, eroded soil delivers sediment to waterways, which then threatens aquatic life and hinders water flow. The erosion of soil by water can also carry man-made chemicals into rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs.

Best Management Practices:

• Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (Ontario) - promotes soil conservation;
• Conservation Authorities (e.g. Rideau Valley Conservation Authority) - promote land stewardship and participate in shoreline characterization studies, review development applications;
• Sediment and erosion control techniques (Ottawa) - available to construction community e.g. silt fencing, erosion mats, maintain buffer strips;
• Techniques to reduce soil loss - used by farming community e.g. conservation cropping, grassed waterways, maintain natural vegetation adjacent to watercourses; and
• Drainage Master Plans (Ottawa, Edmonton, Toronto)- to establish community-level stormwater management.

Examples of legislative tools, including municipal by-laws, to address soil erosion and decline include:

• Erosion and sedimentation By-law (Mississauga);
• Fill, Construction and Alterations to Waterways Regulation - implemented by Conservation Authorities in Ontario;
• Fisheries Act (Federal) - sediment entering a waterway can be detrimental to fish and an offence under the act;
• Top Soil Preservation By-Laws (in some municipalities, to be consolidated in Ottawa);
• Fill By-Law (Caledon); and
• Site Plan Control By-Law.

• Rural Clean Water Program (Ottawa);
• Gaining Ground (Waterloo);
• Landowner Resource Centre (Manotick);
• Workshop-in-a-Box Program (national partnership initiative) promotes methods for managing shoreline erosion challenges and provides a Home Site Assessment; and
• Environmental Farm Plans - the Ontario Federation of Agriculture encourages farmers to prepare these comprehensive management plans.

Examples of corporate programs include:

• Riverbank Characterization Study (Winnipeg, Niagara); and
• Living by Water Project (national partnership initiative).

Urban Sprawl

Issue: Urban sprawl is the uncontrolled growth of urban centres. This condition poses a serious threat to the natural environment, our agricultural and energy resources, and to human health and quality of life. Urban Sprawl has become one of the most significant environmental issues over the last decade as people and communities begin to realize the cost of development patterns that consume increasing amounts of land at the edge of cities. Best practices to combat urban sprawl can be grouped into five categories: growth management strategies (e.g. urban boundaries and ensuring a balance of residential and employment lands in the same general areas), zoning and land use policy (e.g. mixed use and alternative development standards), provision of infrastructure (e.g. efficient transit), incentives (e.g. variable development charges) and community dialogue (e.g. education on infill). Key to the success in controlling urban sprawl is to establish a firm urban envelope and facilitate quality compact development of various types within that envelope.

Concern: Ontario's major urban centres are growing rapidly. Without careful planning and compact development, more land than is necessary will be lost. Natural areas will be lost as will biodiversity. Existing air and water quality problems will be exacerbated. There will be an inability to capitalize on unique cultural, historic and public space resources (such as waterfronts) in urban and village centres.

Best Management Practices:

• Maintain urban area boundaries - stops outward expansion and directs growth within urban area boundaries (Nanaimo has a permanent urban boundary, Ottawa - no expansion beyond urban boundary).
• Priority on efficient public transit - Encourage growth and redevelopment along selected corridors and centres that are well served by transit (Toronto);
• Increase development densities on Greenfields;
• Intensify uses within existing areas of development (Ottawa Official Plan).

Examples of municipal corporate programs include:

• Creative Zoning - four new residential zones that permit substantially reduced lot sizes and offer alternative engineering standards such as narrower right of ways (Surrey, B.C.);
• Development Charges - re-balance municipal development charges to more accurately reflect the true costs of greenfield development;
• Creative Design - Narrower streets, lanes for garage access, range of housing types (Cornell Community in Markham, ON). Bring houses closer to the street (Montgomery Village in Orangeville, ON).

Programs for public education and community participation include:

• Brownfield development support - use existing lands and adjacent infrastructure. Some programs fund up to 100% of restoration costs (Cambridge, Montreal) or municipal facilitation of redevelopment efforts (LeBreton Flats, Ottawa); and
• Incentives for economic development within existing development areas - Maryland, USA only subsidizes economic development in state-approved smart growth areas; waiving of development charges (downtown Ottawa).

Successful programs for effective public education and participation include:

• Community Visioning (Ottawa, Hamilton) - discuss future urban visions with community stakeholders;
• Good urban design practice for compact development and infill - City of Vancouver has been showcasing the Southeast False Creek redevelopment as a Sustainable Urban Neighbourhood.

Next: Annex 2: Summary of Environmental Issues - National and Local Context