Fact Sheet

June 3, 2008

Support For Industry And A Green Economy

Ontario’s Toxics Reduction Strategy is designed to help Ontario’s facilities take advantage of the opportunities offered by the green economy. 

Economic benefits of toxics reduction planning

The Toxics Reduction Act 2009, passed by the Ontario Legislature, requires facilities to undertake toxics reduction planning, an activity which could assist in the identification of cost savings, and may lead to improved competitiveness.

Toxics reduction planning enables facilities to identify potential operational efficiencies, cost savings associated with the lower costs of compliance with existing environmental regulations, reduced liability and insurance costs, and enhanced worker health and safety.  Reducing toxics is expected to improve competitive advantages through enhanced ability to meet increasing demand for green products, and to participate in global supply chains for international markets imposing strict controls on imported products. 

Support to industry

The Ontario government plans to invest $24 million to help support industries transform their processes, find green chemistry alternatives and reduce the use of toxics in their operations.  The following programs are planned:  

• Grants for small businesses to offset costs associated with their first round of toxics substances accounting and planning, and to further build capacity to reduce toxics.
• Grants to regulated facilities for early actions to reduce toxics.
• The provision of site-specific technical assistance from toxics reduction experts who can assist facilities in preparing and implementing their toxics reduction plans.
• Training and accreditation of Toxics Reduction Planners who can assist facilities in preparing their plans and obtaining certification of plans according to the requirements of the act.
• As a first step, under the ministry’s Best in Science program, $50,000 has been awarded to the Chemical Institute of Canada to support the delivery of the 2010 international IUPAC conference in green chemistry.

Innovation

To further support industry in transitioning to the green economy, the Ontario government is planning to support innovation in the field of green chemistry and engineering.

Green chemistry and engineering innovations are critical to developing new technologies that reduce the need for toxic substances and help industry find safer alternatives.   The government is planning to establish industry roundtables to identify industry research priorities, to set up academic chairs to assist in addressing barriers to commercialization, and to further develop professional capacity in the field.

Other green economy support

• To further support Ontario business and industry, the province will reduce the number of regulations faced by business and industry by 25 per cent in the next two years to help keep existing businesses profitable and attract new ones to the province.
• Through the Green Energy and Green Economy Act, Ontario will attract new manufacturing investment for clean and renewable sources of energy, speed up the approvals process for green energy projects and create a projected 50,000 jobs in the first three years.
• In its 2009 budget, Ontario announced projects to support the emerging green economy such as the investment of $250 million in an Emerging Technologies Fund and a $5 million Green Jobs Skills Strategy.

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Contacts:	Contact information for the general public:
John Karapita, Minister’s Office, 416-314-6736 Kate Jordan, Communications, 416-314-6666	ontario.ca/environment-news Disponible en français

 

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