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A part of doing business in Ontario

If a business’s activities impact the natural environment, that business needs an approval from the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) to operate legally in Ontario.

From small restaurants, to large manufacturing facilities, businesses in Ontario must have MOE-issued environmental approvals if they:

• release contaminants (pollutants) into the air, onto land, or into water
  or
• store, transport, or dispose of waste

A business’s environmental approval sets out legally enforceable rules of operation. These rules aim to protect the natural environment against emissions, discharges and wastes that are produced by a business’s daily operations.

Getting approval for your business

On October 31, 2011, a smarter, faster environmental approvals system came into effect in Ontario.

In the past, a business had to apply for multiple approvals (known as certificates of approval) for individual processes and pieces of equipment.

Today, a business either registers itself, or applies for a single approval, depending on the types of activities it conducts.

Environmental Activity and Sector Registry (EASR)

The EASR allows businesses to register certain activities with the ministry, rather than apply for an approval. The registry is available for common systems and processes, to which preset rules of operation can be applied.

The EASR is currently available for:

• heating systems
• standby power systems
• automotive refinishing

View sample registration and request forms.

Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA)

Businesses whose activities aren’t subject to the EASR may apply for an ECA, using the ministry’s smart application form, available online.

A single ECA addresses all of a business’s emissions, discharges and wastes. Separate approvals for air, noise and waste are no longer required.

Access both the EASR and the ECA application via
Service Ontario’s ONe-Source for Business portal.

Contact us

If you have questions about environmental approvals in Ontario, contact the ministry’s Environmental Approvals Access and Service Integration Branch.

12A - 2 St. Clair Avenue West
Toronto ON M4V 1L5
Telephone outside Toronto 1-800-461-6290 or in Toronto 416-314-8001
Fax: 416-314-8452
E-mail: eaabgen@ene.gov.on.ca

Find additional information about the EASR and ECAs on the
Environmental Approvals Resources page.