Environmental Commissioner of Ontario 2004/2005 ANNUAL REPORT SUPPLEMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS...................................................................................................................................vii PREFACE: INTRODUCTION TO THE SUPPLEMENT....................................................................ix SECTION 1: ECO REVIEW OF UNPOSTED DECISIONS................................................................. 1 Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) – Policies .................................................................................... 1 The Attawapiskat River: “Proposed Candidate Waterway Provincial Park” vs. Mining Claims ....... 1 Furbearer Management Guidelines ............................................................................................. 2 Provincial Wildlife Population Monitoring Program .................................................................... 3 Endangering the Protection of Species at Risk in Ontario Parks .................................................... 4 Opening Ontario’s Parks to Hunting of Eastern Wolf ................................................................... 5 Wind Power Development on Crown Land ................................................................................. 6 Free Use Policy for Public Lands................................................................................................ 7 Update: Statements of Conservation Interest for Conservation Reserves........................................ 8 Ministry of the Environment (MOE) – Policies ....................................................................................... 9 Ontario’s Environmental Leaders Program.................................................................................. 9 Deloro Mine Site Cleanup........................................................................................................ 10 Ministry of Energy (ENG) – Policies..................................................................................................... 11 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Policies............................................................................. 11 Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) – Policy ............................................................................. 12 Ethanol Targets for Ontario’s Gasoline ..................................................................................... 12 Management Board Secretariat (MBS) – Policy .................................................................................... 13 Energy Conservation in Government Operations ....................................................................... 13 SECTION 2: ECO REVIEWS OF INFORMATION NOTICES ........................................................ 15 Management Board Secretariat (MBS) – Policy .................................................................................... 15 MBS/ORC Class Environmental Assessment Invitations to Participate ....................................... 15 Electricity Conservation in Ontario Government Operations....................................................... 16 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MAH) – Policy................................................................ 17 Government Signs Exchange Agreement for a Park on the Oak Ridges Moraine.......................... 17 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MAH) – Regulations....................................................... 17 Minister’s Zoning Orders ......................................................................................................... 17 Regulation(s) to Authorize Exemptions under the Greenbelt Protection Act, 2004 ....................... 17 Ministry of Municipal Affairs (MAH) – Instruments............................................................................. 18 Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan Conformity Amendments.............................................. 18 Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) – Policies ..................................................................................18 Rabies Research and Control Operations for 2004 ..................................................................... 19 Redesignation of a Portion of the Attawapiskat River................................................................. 19 Bear Wise Telephone Response Line and Agreement with Police Services.................................. 19 Development of a Biodiversity Strategy for Ontario................................................................... 20 Identification of Wild Turkey Capture and Release Locations in Ontario for Winter 2005 ............ 20 Provincial Wildlife Population Monitoring Program Plan........................................................... 21 2005 Prescribed Burns ............................................................................................................. 21 i Environmental Commissioner of Ontario 2004/2005 ANNUAL REPORT SUPPLEMENT Our Sustainable Future, MNR Strategic Directions .................................................................... 22 Boreal Mixedwood Notes......................................................................................................... 22 Wind Power Development on Crown Land ............................................................................... 23 Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) – Regulations............................................................................ 23 Changes to the Ontario Fishery Regulations under the federal Fisheries Act ................................ 23 Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) – Instruments ............................................................................ 24 Water Management Plans (WMP)............................................................................................. 24 Approvals of the Disposition of Land by Conservation Authorities ............................................. 25 Cage Culture Aquaculture Licences under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act....................... 25 Class A Licence to Remove More Than 20,000 Tonnes of Aggregate Annually from a Quarry..... 26 Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM) – Instruments ............................................... 26 Amendments to Certified Closure Plans .................................................................................... 26 Restart of the Northern Empire Mill.......................................................................................... 27 Ministry of the Environment (MOE) – Act ............................................................................................ 27 Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal’s Bill 136 – Places to Grow Act, 2004 ........................ 27 Ministry of the Environment (MOE) – Policies ..................................................................................... 28 Amendment to a Guideline for O. Reg. 127/01 under the Environmental Protection Act............... 28 Recent Activities Related to Air Standards ................................................................................ 28 Ontario’s Clean Air Action Plan ............................................................................................... 29 Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal’s Places to Grow Initiative......................................... 29 Framework for a Land Disposal Restriction Regulation for Ontario ............................................ 30 Final Discussion Document of the Industrial Pollution Action Team........................................... 31 Review of the National Pollutant Release Inventory................................................................... 31 Improvements to Ontario’s Environmental Assessment Process.................................................. 31 Smaller Drinking Water Systems: Advisory Council Report....................................................... 32 Canada-wide Standard: Dioxin and Furan Emissions from Conical Municipal Waste Combustors 32 Source Water Protection: Reports of the Technical Experts and Implementation Committees ....... 33 Drive Clean Emissions Analysis Reports................................................................................... 33 Update on Ontario’s Environmental Leaders Program................................................................ 34 Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment: Minister's Request for Waste Diversion Program...... 34 Report of the Experts Panel on Sound-Sorb............................................................................... 35 Ministry of the Environment (MOE) – Regulations............................................................................... 35 Administrative Fees for Applications for Permits to Take Water................................................. 35 Ministry of the Environment (MOE) – Instruments............................................................................... 36 Certificate of Approval for the Proposed Construction of a Sewage Collection System................. 36 Deloro Mine Site Arsenic Remediation ..................................................................................... 37 Re-instatement of Provisional Certificate of Approval for a Waste Disposal Site ......................... 37 Ministry of Transportation (MTO) – Policy........................................................................................... 38 Environmental Management for the Ministry of Transportation – Overview...............................