Members Only Articles

The OWMA highlighted several concerns with the provincial government’s proposed Landfill Gas Offset Protocol in a recent submission, which was developed with the help of the association’s Climate Change Committee.

The OWMA has continued to advocate on behalf of our members to open up offset crediting options to more landfills under the Landfill Gas Offset Protocol. Our submission, which was sent to the provincial government on June 18, emphasized the potential for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by enhancing existing landfill-gas capture systems at large landfill sites.

Unfortunately, the protocol excludes landfills larger than 1.5 million cubic metres from generating offsets. The rationale given for this decision is that they are already required to capture and destroy landfill-gas under Regulation 232/98. As a result, landfill-gas capture projects at these sites would not achieve a voluntary reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in addition to what is already required under Ontario’s current regulations.

The OWMA pointed out in its submission that Regulation 232/98 does not mandate performance standards for landfill-gas capture systems. If the protocol allowed large landfills to generate offset credits for system enhancements, significant emissions reductions could be achieved, according to our research. Unfortunately, it appears as though the provincial government will not make any further changes to the Landfill Gas Offset Protocol.

The OWMA will continue to represent the priorities of the sector as the government rolls out new policies and programs under its Climate Change Action Plan while looking to potential opportunities to develop incentives for renewable natural gas through an anaerobic digestion offset protocol and a renewable fuel standard. (Read the OWMA’s submission on the government’s Discussion Paper: Developing a Modern Renewable Fuel Standard for Gasoline in Ontario.)

If you have any questions about the OWMA’s submissions or next steps on climate change, please contact the office at (905) 791-9500.

The provincial government is making some changes to Ontario’s used-tires regulation to help facilitate the wind-up of Ontario Tire Stewardship by the end of next year.

The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change added EBR Posting #: 013-0094 to the Environmental Registry on June 5, 2017, to inform stakeholders that it will be making three key changes to Ontario Regulation 390/16 that specifically deal with managing revenues generated from steward fees. (You can review OTS’s steward fees by clicking here.)

Removing Steward Fee Setting Provisions

• The government is removing the steward fee setting provisions from the regulation so that OTS can develop “appropriate fee rules” to apply during the wind-up period, which include an approach to deal with program surpluses and deficits before the organization ceases operations on Dec. 31, 2018.

Continuing Steward Fees at Current Amounts

• The government intends to keep OTS’s steward fees frozen at the rates that were set on May 1, 2017, until the Authority approves the organization’s wind-up plan, along with any new fee rules.

Removing Annual Reconciliation Provisions

• Currently, the used-tires regulation ensures that any differences between the amount each steward pays in fees for their tires and the actual program costs for managing these tires are reconciled each year. The government is removing these provisions from the regulation to ensure the wind-up of OTS and the program are properly financed. 

The OWMA has reviewed the proposed regulatory amendments and does not have any immediate concerns. The changes appear to be nothing more than housekeeping ahead of the submission of OTS’s wind-up plan to the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority, which is due by Oct. 31, 2017.

The OWMA has sent its recommendations for the new used-tires regulation to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change. To read our briefing note, click here.

If you have any questions, please contact us at our office by calling (905) 791-9500.