FIXING ONTARIO’S BROKEN WASTE SYSTEM 503-460 Richmond St. W T: 416.777.2327 : CleanProsperity.ca Toronto, Ontario F: 416.777.2524 : /cleanprosperity M5V 1Y1 E: [email protected] : @cleanprosperity Wednesday, June 1, 2015 The Honourable Glen Murray Minister of the Environment and Climate Change 11th Floor, Ferguson Block 77 Wellesley Street West Toronto ON M7A 2T5 Re: Planned revisions to the Waste Diversion Act Dear Minister Murray, Thank you to you and your staff for your efforts to fix Ontario’s broken waste management system and to replace the Waste Diversion Act with a system that will increase our diversion rates. Ontario’s economic and ecological realities mean that we need a solution that works for both our economy and environment, simultaneously stimulating growth while curbing waste. The strongest, most powerful forces available to us in that regard are competition and market forces. Just as the Ministry plans to price carbon pollution as a way of driving down waste and incentivizing innovation, so too will charging the full lifecycle costs for products and packaging incentivize better choices. It is our belief that Ontario should learn from the successful use of Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR) in other jurisdictions, to bring forward a system that: makes producers responsible for end-of-life costs and diversion targets; incentivizes competition; and has strong oversight and enforcement. Having worked with leading mayors and councillors on this issue, we recognize the need to ensure municipalities are treated fairly in transition to this new system. Our experience has been that the majority of elected municipal officials we spoke with supported full producer responsibility for both costs and operations, and that few are eager to hold on to the current broken system. In fact, the 5 municipal resolutions passed in support of IPR were passed unanimously by those councils. Please find enclosed a briefing document outlining: our concerns with the current broken system, the principles that we believe must be reflected in a new system, and some of the support we have received from Ontario municipalities thus far. Thank you for your time, commitment and consideration. Sincerely, Tom Chervinsky, Executive Director Greg Kiessling, Chair Canadians for Clean Prosperity Canadians for Clean Prosperity ABOUT CANADIANS FOR CLEAN PROSPERITY VISION: A growing, prosperous and competitive economy where economic opportunities and innovation are accelerated by a fair, transparent system where polluters pay the cost of their pollution. Canadians for Clean Prosperity is an economic non-profit that is building public and political support for polluter responsibility across Canada. We educate Canadians about the hidden costs of pollution that they’re already paying, and the economic benefits of making polluters pay for the cost of their pollution. We empower individuals to use their personal and political voices for change. We engage passionate grassroots activists and thought leaders with strategic efforts to build support for changing laws and building a cleaner, more prosperous Canada. TURNING GARBAGE TO GOLD WITH INDIVIDUAL PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY Garbage to Gold is Canadians for Clean Prosperity’s campaign to build the political will for Individual Producer Responsibility in Ontario through strategic political action and grassroots political engagement with Ontario voters. Currently, municipalities bear the cost and operation burden for garbage and recycling. Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR) shifts this responsibility to the people who produce and sell to consumers. IPR is not just about making producers responsible for recycling costs – it encourages producers to develop products that are designed, manufactured and distributed in ways that reduce garbage. When each individual producer is responsible for recycling their products and packaging, they create products and packaging that are easier to recycle. This ensures a competitive producer recycling market, since producers are always looking for ways to reduce the price of their products, and will compete to recycle more cheaply than their competitor. This is a system which has worked in jurisdictions in Europe and was introduced in British Columbia last year. Ontario can learn from the experience of these regions to implement IPR in a way that works for Ontario families, the economy, and the environment. To do this, Ontario’s system should be rooted in the following principles: 1. Producers should be responsible for the full cost of meeting diversion targets for their products. 2. Producers should have flexibility as to how they meet diversion targets to allow competition and innovation. 3. In order to ensure positive outcomes and incentivize innovation, the programs created must be subject to competition provisions and targets must be backed-up by strong standards and enforcement. Learning from the successful implementation of IPR in other jurisdictions, there is no reason why Ontario cannot reach its 60% diversion target. In addition to the positive environmental outcomes of less landfill and less greenhouse gas pollution, Ontario’s success will be a vital boon to its economy. According to the Conference Board of Canada, increasing Ontario’s rate of waste diversion to 60% would create about 13,000 jobs and increase GDP by $1.5 billion. SUPPORT FOR IPR Canadians for Clean Prosperity has been working with municipalities and councils across Ontario to build support for true IPR as a way of increasing diversion, reducing costs for cash strapped municipalities, and generating economic growth. In addition to the 74 councillors and 10 mayors (listed in Appendix A) who have pledged their support, the following municipal councils have unanimously passed resolutions in support of IPR: August 25, 2014 – City of Barrie December 15, 2014 – Municipality of Clarington January 26, 2015 – Town of Ajax March 4, 2015 – Regional Municipality of Durham May 13, 2015 – City of Mississauga Councillors understand that “taxpayers”, “consumers”, “users”, “residents”, and “voters” are in actuality diverse titles for the same Ontarians. As such they recognize the importance of designing a successful system based in proven economic and ecological principles that ultimately serves the economic and environmental needs of Ontarians rather than pitting different sectors against each other. We look forward to your decision regarding the changes to our waste system. If we can be of any help or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to let us know. For more information: TOM CHERVINSKY Acting Executive Director & VP, Campaigns T: 416.777.2327 | F: 416.777.2524 | E: [email protected] CANADIANS FOR CLEAN PROSPERITY Building a Stronger Economy cleanprosperity.ca | fb.com/cleanprosperity | @cleanprosperity APPENDIX A: MUNICIPAL COUNCILLORS WHO’VE PLEDGED SUPPORT FOR PRODUCER RESPONSIBILIY Councillor Jeff Bowman City of Brampton Councillor Cheryl Antoski City of Brantford Councillor David Neumann City of Brantford Councillor Brian Van TIlborg City of Brantford Councillor Leigh Bursey City of Brockville Councillor Jack Dennison City of Burlington Councillor Marianne Meed Ward City of Burlington Councillor Jan Liggett City of Cambridge Councillor Peter Stroud City of Kingston Councillor Jesse Helmer City of London Councillor Anna Hopkins City of London Councillor George Carlson City of Mississauga Councillor Matt Mahoney City of Mississauga Councillor Carolyn Parrish City of Mississauga Councillor Pat Saito City of Mississauga Councillor Rick Kerr City of Oshawa Councillor Doug Sanders City of Oshawa Councillor David Chernushenko City of Ottawa Councillor Mathieu Fleury City of Ottawa Councillor Marianne Wilkinson City of Ottawa Deputy Mayor Arlene Wright City of Owen Sound Councillor Lesley Parnell City of Peterborough Councillor Keith Riel City of Peterborough Councillor Diane Therrien City of Peterborough Councillor Rick Johnson City of Pickering Councillor Duncan Armstrong City of Quinte West Councillor Frank Fata City of Sault Ste. Marie Councillor Carlos Garcia City of St. Catharines Alderman Mark Tinlin City of St. Thomas Councillor Janet Davis City of Toronto Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon City of Toronto Councillor Gord Perks City of Toronto Councillor Pierre Brianceau County of Wellington Mayor Adrian Foster Municipality of Clarington Councillor Ron Hooper Municipality of Clarington Councillor Dan Carter Regional Municipality of Durham Councillor Bob Chapman Regional Municipality of Durham Councillor Amy England Regional Municipality of Durham Councillor Colleen Jordan Regional Municipality of Durham Councillor David Pickles Regional Municipality of Durham Councillor Elizabeth Roy Regional Municipality of Durham Councillor Tom Adams Regional Municipality of Halton Councillor Jane Fogal Regional Municipality of Halton Councillor John Taylor Regional Municipality of Halton Councillor Annette Groves Regional Municipality of Peel Councillor Elaine Moore Regional Municipality of Peel Councillor Marilyn Crawford Town of Ajax Councillor Joanne Dies Town of Ajax Mayor Geoffrey Dawe Town of Aurora Councillor Harold Kim Town of Aurora Councillor Barb McMurray Town of Bracebridge Mayor Rob Keffer Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury Councillor Gary Baynes Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury Councillor Ron Orr Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury Councillor Pam Wolf Town of Cambridge Mayor Sandra Cooper Town of Collingwood Councillor Deb Doherty Town of Collingwood Councillor