News Release

For immediate release
June 8, 2007

Ontario Sets Toughest Penalties in Canada for Industries that Pollute Water;
Part of McGuinty Government’s Initiatives For a Greener, Healthier Ontario

TORONTO – The McGuinty government has finalized regulations that set the toughest penalty regime in Canada for those companies that spill, a further measure taken to protect Ontario’s water sources.  The threat of penalties gives industry one more reason to go above and beyond to prevent industrial spills to land and water, Environment Minister Laurel Broten announced today. 

“Industry needs to take every precaution to prevent our environment and, more specifically, our drinking water from being polluted,” Broten said, adding that the aim of the penalties is to encourage companies to comply with environmental laws.  “Now it’s the law of the land that if you spill, you pay.”
 
The new regulations:

• outline the scope, assessment and implementation of environmental penalties
• outline how funds raised through penalties can be used for community environmental projects
• describe the requirements for spill prevention and spill contingency plans and
• formalize the requirements for notifying the ministry of a spill.

The regulations also outline how funds raised through penalties can be used.  A community environment fund was created by the Environmental Enforcement Statute Law Amendment Act passed in June 2005 to help communities affected by spills with environmental remediation and restoration projects.  Projects considered for funding would represent projects over and above those directly related to spill cleanup, as industry is already required by law to pay all such costs.

These penalties, similar to those in New Jersey and California, apply to the companies in nine industrial sectors operating 148 facilities in Ontario that have been responsible for a significant number of spills to land and water each year.  The ministry consulted extensively with industry representatives, environmental, community and health groups on the regulations that make the legislation effective.

“Industrials spills affect the quality of life in Ontario communities,” said Broten.  “We’re confident that environmental penalties will reduce the number and severity of spills and protect Ontarians’ health and the environment.”

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Backgrounder: Environmental Penalties Regulations Help To Protect Ontario’s Water Sources

For further information:
John Steele (416) 314-6666 Ministry of the Environment	Anne O’Hagan (416) 325-5809 Minister’s Office
Contact information for the general public: 416-325-4000 or 1-800-565-4923/ www.ene.gov.on.ca

 

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