5 TRANSPORTATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Levels of greenhouse gas emissions from freight transportation have increased; however, emissions grew more slowly than overall activity.

OVERVIEW

The relationship between transportation and the environment is multi-faceted. It concerns the direct and indirect environmental effects of transportation activity — the actual movement of goods and people — and the transportation system. That system includes the construction and operation of the infrastructure and the vehicles, ships or aircraft involved. The major current sources of air pollution from transportation are carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds: the causes of urban smog and climate change. The major sources of transportation-related water pollution are spills of oily wastes and releases of invasive species in ballast water. Significant degradation of land occurs because of spills and discharges from transportation facilities and mobile equipment.

This is a difficult problem in a country like Canada. The demand for transportation is a derived demand, as it is determined by the need for moving people and goods. As the size of the population, the economy and trade grow, so too does the demand for transportation. The demand for transportation fuels, and consequently the level of emissions, is a function of current transportation infrastructure, vehicles, geography (long distances and urban settlement patterns) and weather, as well as the cost of fuels themselves. The challenge is to find a way to de-link the growth in population, economic activity, and transportation demand on the one hand from fuel consumption and emissions growth on the other.

Reducing pollution from transportation presents a complex set of policy choices. Much effort has focussed on improving the technology that is embedded in vehicles and transportation systems, changing the content of fuels, or developing alternative fuels. A wide range of regulations are in place governing fuel quality, combustion, and operating practices. Increasing efforts are being made to change the design of transportation systems, to influence transportation behaviour, and to reduce transportation fuel demand.

Governance presents another challenge. The environment is not defined by the constitution, federal and provincial governments have a shared jurisdiction in this matter and municipal governments have an important role to play. Within the federal government, several departments have responsibility for transportation and the environment, particularly Transport Canada, Environment Canada, and Natural Resources Canada.

ENVIRONMENTAL TRENDS IN TRANSPORTATION

This section will show how the most recent trends in both greenhouse gas (GHG) and criteria air contaminants (CAC) emissions relate to transportation. It will also illustrate that despite continued growth in transportation services, important strides have been made to improve emission levels in some areas while several challenges remain in others.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Climate change is caused by increases in GHG emissions, which may significantly alter weather and climate patterns around the world, thus increasing the frequency of severe weather events and enhancing the risk of weather-related disasters. Transportation and other sectors of the Canadian economy are still faced with the enormous challenge of climate change. These changes are already having an impact on the Canadian transportation system, especially in the North.

The total GHG emissions in Canada in 2003 were 740 megatonnes (Mt), a 2.9 per cent increase from 2002, and 144 Mt higher than in 1990. Figure 5-1 shows that the transportation component of total emissions was 190 Mt in 2003, or 25.7 per cent of the total. This is up from the 2002 level of 180 Mt (25.0 per cent of total emissions). However, since 1990, transportation's share of total emissions has remained fairly stable at around 24 to 26 per cent of the total.

On-road emissions accounted for 74 per cent of total transportation emissions, domestic air-related emissions accounted for four per cent, and rail and domestic marine both accounted for three per cent. The remaining transportation-related emissions, off-road and pipelines, accounted for a combined 16 per cent of total GHG emissions in 2003.

FIGURE 5-1: TOTAL GHG EMISSIONS BY SECTOR, 1990 AND 2003

Source: Canada's Greenhouse Gas Inventory, 1990–2003, Environment Canada

Figure 5-2 shows the trends from 1990 to 2003 in on-road GHG emissions and activity levels from the passenger and freight sectors (1990 levels indexed to 100). Emissions from on-road passenger travel increased by roughly 14 per cent over this period, from 69 to 78 Mt. Passenger-kilometres (a common measure of activity) increased by 23 per cent throughout this period, indicating a small improvement in the GHG intensity of on-road passenger vehicles transportation.

Figure 5-2 also shows that GHG emission levels for on-road freight increased by 60 per cent, from 34 to 54 Mt, from 1990 to 2003. While this is more than double the increase in passenger GHG emissions, it should be viewed in the context of a rise of 120 per cent in freight activity levels measured in tonne-kilometres. This indicates that while freight is accounting for increasing levels of GHGs compared with passenger travel, it is also becoming more efficient by decoupling GHG emissions from activity. This has been achieved in a number of ways, including the adoption of better operating practices and the use of more efficient equipment.

FIGURE 5-2: TRENDS IN ROAD TRANSPORTATION GHG EMISSIONS AND ACTIVITY, 1990 – 2003

Source: Energy Use Handbook: June 2005; NRCan, OEE

Figure 5-3 shows the trends in GHG emissions from the rail, aviation, marine and off-road sectors for the 1990–2003 period. Aviation is the largest non-road contributor to transportation sector GHG emissions, with 16 Mt in 2003, a 17 per cent increase since 1990. This increase occurred while airlines were employing more fuel-efficient aircraft, as well as larger aircraft with increased load factors. At 8 Mt, the marine sector was the next largest contributor to GHG emissions; overall, marine emissions have been relatively constant over this period, with a four per cent decrease. The rail sector was responsible for 6 Mt in 2003, a 17 per cent reduction over 1990–2003, Environment Canada even though rail freight activity levels have increased by 30 per cent since 1990.

FIGURE 5-3: NON-ROAD TRANSPORTATION GHG EMISSIONS, 1990 – 2003

Source: Energy Use Handbook: June 2005; NRCan, OEE

Even though transportation GHG emissions are increasing at a slower rate than activity because of the more efficient travel of people and goods, all modes of transport are still greatly dependent on GHG-intensive hydrocarbons to provide them with energy. In fact, when looking at energy end use (including residential, commercial and institutional buildings, as well as industrial, agricultural and transportation activities), the sources of energy used in the transportation sector make it the most GHG intensive sector per unit of energy consumed in the Canadian economy, as is shown in Figure 5-4.

FIGURE 5-4: GHG INTENSITY OF ENERGY END USE SECTORS, 2003

Source: Energy Use Handbook: June 2005; NRCan, OEE

AIR POLLUTION EMISSIONS

Air pollution emissions represent a significant environmental and health issue for Canadians, roughly 80 per cent of whom live and work in urban areas. These emissions include pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx); volatile organic compounds (VOC) such as gasoline fumes and solvents; and particulate matter (PM₁₀ or PM_2.5). They are emitted from a wide range of sources, including the transportation system. Perhaps the most visible impact is urban smog, which has been linked to numerous health-related problems and to several thousand premature deaths in Canada each year. Smog is composed of two main ingredients: ground-level ozone and particulate matter. Ground-level ozone is created when NOx and VOC react together under specific conditions, such as calm, sunny days. NOx, along with SOx, are also the components of acid rain. Particulate matter is produced during the combustion of fossil fuels, including motor vehicles, industrial processes and power plants. Dust from paved and unpaved roads and road construction as well as forest fires are also major sources of particulate matter.

Fuels vary considerably in terms of the emissions to which they give rise. For example, in 2005, on-road and off-road diesel engines account for roughly 70 per cent of transportation-related PM_2.5 emissions (off-road diesel use alone accounts for 58 per cent) and 54 per cent of transportation-related NOx emissions. Gasoline engines, on the other hand, account for 87 per cent of transportation-related VOC emissions. Marine transportation, which uses a mix of diesel and heavy fuel oil, is responsible for 41 per cent of transportation-related SOx emissions. Figure 5-5 illustrates the trends in transportation-related PM_2.5, SOx, NOx and VOC emissions (1990 trends indexed to 100). Since 1990, the trend in all of these emissions has been downward, largely due to regulatory changes introduced by the federal government to reduce the health impacts of smog and the impacts of acid rain.

FIGURE 5-5: AIR POLLUTION EMISSIONS FROM THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR, 1990 – 2005

Source: Environment Canada: 2002 Criteria Air Contaminant Inventory, Preliminary Estimates

LAND AND WATER QUALITY

Commercial Shipping

The prevention of pollution from ships arises from regulations authorized under the Canada Shipping Act and Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act. In 2005, new proposed regulations were drafted. These proposed regulations are comprehensive, streamlined, and up to date and include new requirements particularly in the area of both sewage and air pollution prevention.

Canada is a signatory to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78). Provisions of Annex I, II, and III of the Convention are incorporated in our current regulations. The proposed new regulations would position Canada to further ratify Annex IV (sewage), Annex V (garbage) and Annex VI (air).

Transport Canada continues to strictly enforce pollution prevention regulations, inspecting ships for compliance with pollution prevention provisions and investigating of pollution incidents. Through the implementation of the National Aerial Surveillance Program (NASP), Transport Canada conducts routine pollution surveillance patrols over Canada's commercial shipping lanes to detect illegal discharges of oil from ships and to deter potential polluters. Three aircraft are strategically placed across the country to conduct pollution patrols in Transport Canada regions. During the 2005-06 fiscal year, Transport Canada is targeting 2000 pollution patrol hours.

Ballast Water

Ballast water is water carried in ship's tanks in order to allow the ship to sail safely when it is not fully loaded. When discharged, organisms and pathogens contained in the ballast water can be unintentionally transferred to a new location, which can be extremely harmful to both the ecosystem and the economy. Transport Canada published proposed Ballast Water Control and Management Regulations in the Canada Gazette Part I in June 2005. The proposed regulations address the exchange, treatment, disposal and retention of ballast water on board ships, and address ships with "no ballast on board". Transport Canada has reviewed comments made during the consultation period after publication in Part I and made several changes to the Part I version in order to clarify the intent of the requirements.

In 2005, Transport Canada received initial funding for two years under Phase 1 of the Oceans Action Plan to address ballast water issues, in particular research into shipboard ballast water treatment technologies.

Transport Canada is also promoting the introduction of a green ship program in Canada to provide incentives to environmentally friendly ships. Ballast water treatment technology is one of the factors being considered.

AIR QUALITY

Transport Canada has the legislative and regulatory authority over emissions from marine (Canada Shipping Act), rail (Railway Safety Act) and aviation (Aeronautics Act) sources. Authority for emissions from road vehicles was transferred to Environment Canada from Transport Canada in 2000.

Rail

Canada has had regulations controlling the permitted levels of pollutants in road vehicle exhaust for many years, but there are no corresponding regulations for railway locomotives. The federal government intends to control pollution from railways through a voluntary Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Transport Canada, Environment Canada and the Railway Association of Canada (RAC). The MOU calls for the RAC to prepare an annual report on the gross overall emissions from all the locomotives owned by its member companies, and sets targets for CAC and GHG emissions on a kilogram per 1,000 tonne-mile basis. This MOU is to be derived from a ten-year agreement between Environment Canada and the RAC which expired on December 31, 2005, and which was primarily concerned with limiting oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions.

In order to calculate emission levels under the terms of the MOU, it is necessary to multiply locomotive fuel consumption by "emission factors" defined in grams of emissions per litre of fuel consumed. Valid, repeatable testing to industry-recognized standards is expensive to perform, with only a few laboratories having the required equipment. Therefore it is desirable to expand the body of information by carrying out practical tests on representative modern locomotives. To this end, Transport Canada is running a program of locomotive emissions testing on in-service locomotives, financed by the Borders Air Quality fund, with additional money from the Program for Energy Research and Development (PERD). In 2005, only one locomotive was part of the program, but this should increase to three in 2006.

Marine

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) requirements for air emissions are contained in Annex VI of MARPOL, Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships. These regulations cover topics such as ozone depleting substances, nitrogen oxide emissions from new diesel engines, and sulphur content of fuel oil. These international regulations came into force in May 2005. Transport Canada is proposing to include the Annex VI provisions as part of the 2006 regulatory reform of the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 for domestic implementation.

Aviation

The limits for aircraft emissions, as well as operational measures to reduce emissions, are based on standards and recommended practices that are first developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP). These standards and practices are adopted as regulations under the authority of the Aeronautics Act.

Transport Canada has taken a lead role with the environmental committee of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The key issues currently being addressed by the committee are aircraft noise, engine emissions and meeting the Kyoto Protocol. The comprehensive plan to address noise and emissions is based on a balanced approach of technical improvements, revised operational measures and local restrictions. The department will continue to improve standards for aircraft noise and engine emissions whenever it is justified, technically achievable and economically reasonable. The Kyoto Protocol requested that states pursue limitations or reductions in international aviation emissions through ICAO. The department is currently seeking international consensus on a plan, which includes technological improvements, more efficient operational procedures, voluntary measures and emissions trading mechanisms.

Transport Canada monitors emissions generated by airports and aviation activities. It has initiated research activities for the reduction of aviation emission activities within the sector and is a partner in the Centre of Excellence with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Aeronautics Space Administration.

Use of Glycol

In 2005, Transport Canada reviewed the use of glycol, a fluid used to de-ice aircraft surfaces for safety purposes prior to flight departures during periods of inclement winter weather. Although glycol sometimes pollutes the air and groundwater, of greater significance is the hazard to aquatic life posed as a result of stormwater flowing into surface waters. To ensure that airport effluent does not negatively impact the environment, Transport Canada has implemented a program to sample and analyze stormwater at its airports. Water quality programs have also been established by local and Canadian airport authorities. Both Transport Canada airports and local airport authorities have implemented, in conjunction with air carriers, detailed glycol mitigation plans and procedures.

CLIMATE CHANGE INITIATIVES

Transport Canada develops and administers programs and special initiatives to support a more sustainable transportation system in Canada, including through the reduction of GHG emissions from transportation.

RECENT FEDERAL DEVELOPMENTS IN CLIMATE CHANGE

The Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change has been ratified by Canada and officially entered into force on February 16, 2005. The Protocol requires Canada to reduce its GHG emissions by six per cent below 1990 levels by the commitment period of 2008–2012. Considering transportation is the single largest emitter of GHGs in Canada, Transport Canada, along with its stakeholders, will continue to play an important role in developing strategies and programs that assist to mitigate and adapt to impacts of climate change on the transportation sector.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP11) was held in Montreal from November 28 to December 9, 2005. This was also the First Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (MOP 1).

MOTOR VEHICLE INITIATIVE

The Advanced Technology Vehicles Program (ATVP) is a component of the Motor Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Initiative. The goal of the ATVP is to support Transport Canada's efforts to reduce GHG emissions in the transportation system. As of December 2005, the ATVP assessed 126 vehicles for their fuel efficiency, emissions and safety performance, including the Mercedes-Benz Smart Car. In addition, 7.1 million Canadians have been reached through 145 special events undertaken to showcase and raise public awareness of advanced technology vehicles.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY ON REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY 2010

On April 5, 2005, the Government of Canada and the Canadian automobile industry signed an agreement to act on climate change. Under the agreement, carmakers will voluntarily work to reduce annual GHG emissions from light-duty vehicles by 5.3 Mt in 2010. The agreement exceeds the reduction needed to improve fuel efficiency by 25 per cent and targets all GHGs, going beyond the reductions in carbon dioxide emissions associated with fuel efficiency. To assess progress toward meeting this target, a joint industry-government monitoring committee has been established.

ECONOMIC INSTRUMENTS ANALYSIS

In 2005, Transport Canada officials developed a framework to analyze the possible use of incentives and disincentives to promote environmentally friendly vehicles. To conduct this analysis, Transport Canada developed a feebate analysis tool that was based on a state-of-the-art, peer-reviewed model created for the U.S. market. The Canadian version of this tool was developed with the collaboration of Dr. David L. Greene, U.S. Oak Ridge National Center for Transportation Analysis.

The model developed by Transport Canada was used by the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy to conduct their analysis of feebate options, which was released to the public in November 2005.

FREIGHT INITIATIVES

Freight Efficiency and Technology Initiative

Led by Transport Canada, in collaboration with Natural Resources Canada, the Freight Efficiency and Technology Initiative (FETI) is designed to reduce the growth of GHG emissions from freight transportation. It has three components: the Freight Sustainability Demonstration Program (FSDP); voluntary performance agreements between the federal government and modal associations to improve fuel efficiency and reduce GHG emissions; and information-sharing initiatives with the freight industry. In 2005, the FSDP allocated approximately $1.85 million for 14 new demonstration projects, bringing the total to $4.7 million for 35 projects. Six new projects began after contribution agreements were signed during the summer and fall months. Sixteen projects are now underway and three are completed.

An agreement was signed in June 2005 with the Air Transport Association of Canada (ATAC) to voluntarily reduce GHG emissions in the aviation sector. Through this voluntary agreement, ATAC will help its members improve their energy efficiency by an average of 1.1 per cent a year. This will result in a collective GHG emission reduction of 24 per cent by 2012, when compared with 1990 levels.

In 2005, FETI organized a marine conference to promote understanding and actions in support of sustainable freight transportation.

Freight Efficiency Program

Launched as part of the Climate Change Plan for Canada, the Freight Efficiency Program (FEP) is led by Transport Canada and is designed to reduce the growth of GHG emissions from freight transportation. This program is complementary to FETI and also has three components: the Freight Incentives Program (FIP); Marine Shore Power Pilots Project and a Shipper Awareness Program.

The Freight Incentives Program (FIP) provides financial incentives to purchase and install efficiency-enhancing technologies and equipment in the air, rail and marine modes. In 2005, the FIP had its second annual submission deadline, and approximately $2.2 million was allocated toward ten projects, bringing total program funding to approximately $3.2 million allocated to 13 projects.

Marine Shore Power has been identified as a promising ship-idling reduction technology with the potential to reduce the growth of GHGs and other pollutants in the marine sector. The Marine Shore Power Pilots Project has been established to provide funding for the installation of marine shore power at suitable locations across Canada. In fall 2005, Transport Canada received the final report of the Marine Shore Power Feasibility Study, which will serve as the foundation of the Marine Shore Power Pilots Program. The report includes a short-list of 15 promising port facilities across Canada.

The aim of the Shipper Awareness Program is to enhance the understanding of shippers, freight forwarders, transportation brokers and logistics service providers about the environmental impacts of their business decisions, and improve uptake of transportation alternatives available to them to reduce GHG emissions. Since the launch of the program in 2005, Transport Canada officials have consulted with industry to inform the development of the program, and partnered with the Canadian Industrial Transportation Association (CITA) and Supply Chain and Logistics Canada (SCL) to conduct baseline studies and shipper awareness focus groups. The CITA completed their benchmarking survey in winter 2005.

URBAN INITIATIVES

Transport Canada administers two programs that encourage more sustainable transportation in Canada's cities and communities. These programs help municipal and non-profit partners test and implement cost-effective transportation strategies. The co-benefits of these programs support other important policy objectives for the transportation system in Canada, such as smog reduction, congestion relief and improved health. The programs are:

Moving on Sustainable Transportation (MOST) program funds innovative, community-based sustainable transportation projects.
Urban Transportation Showcase Program (UTSP) funds, in partnership with provinces and municipalities, integrated urban transportation "showcase" projects that demonstrate, evaluate, and promote cost-effective strategies for reducing GHG emissions. A Web-based national information network that shares innovative approaches to planning, implementing, and measuring the results of sustainable urban transportation initiatives, is also a component of this program.

In 2005, five municipalities continued to implement their UTSP demonstration projects: Halifax, Waterloo, Toronto/Hamilton, Whitehorse and Vancouver. For more information, visit http://www.tc.gc.ca/programs/environment/ utsp/menu.htm.

Nineteen new MOST projects totalling $757,000 were approved for funding over the past year, for a total of 27 ongoing projects during the course of the year. These projects represent a wide variety of initiatives, ranging from supporting innovative car sharing approaches to quantifying the positive impacts of teleworking. An annual review rolled up the 18 completed projects, including Science West's Getting Around: A Driving Force For Change that won the Innovation Award from the Canadian Urban Transit Association and received the Award of Excellence from the conference of the Association for Media and Technology in Education in Canada.

Transport Canada completed a study examining the national impact of planned urban transit investments on urban transportation GHG emissions.

COST OF URBAN CONGESTION IN CANADA STUDY

In 2005, Transport Canada completed the first systematic study to examine the costs of urban congestion for Canada's nine largest urban areas: Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa-Gatineau, Toronto, Hamilton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. As a wide range of congestion measurements exists, the study assessed and compared the various approaches and suggested a framework that could be used to benchmark recurrent urban congestion in Canada — that is, congestion that occurs from the regular, daily build-up of traffic. The study defines congestion as occurring when vehicles travel at or below an acceptable threshold of free-flow speed along a roadway. It examined traffic flows of between 50, 60 and 70 per cent of free-flow speed to account for what people from different cities consider to be the threshold. The study found that urban recurrent congestion costs Canadians between $2.3 billion and $3.7 billion in 2002 $ values. More than 90 per cent of this cost is the time lost in traffic to drivers and passengers; 7 per cent is attributable to increased fuel consumption; and 3 per cent is from increased greenhouse gas emissions.

This estimate of congestion costs in conservative, since it does not include the costs of non-recurrent congestion (i.e. congestion caused by random events, such as bad weather, accidents, stalled vehicles and other incidents). It also does not include the costs to the freight transportation sector. More data is required to better understand their costs. It is difficult to draw accurate comparisons between each city, since the data and how they are collected in each city are different, and each city has different perceptions on what congested road conditions are.

The aim of the study was to enhance our understanding of congestion and its impact to improve cost-benefit analysis of climate change initiatives that reduce congestion. Transport Canada released the results of the study on March 22, 2006. More information can be found at http://www.tc.gc.ca/mediaroom.releases/nat/2006/06-h006e.htm.

FEDERAL HOUSE IN ORDER INITIATIVE

The Federal House in Order (FHIO) initiative is the Government of Canada's plan for reducing GHG emissions arising from its operations, in line with Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change. Transport Canada, along with 10 other federal government departments, is required to report fuel consumption and GHG emissions including emissions from four categories of transportation (air, marine, on-road vehicles and field equipment) and building emissions. In 2001, the Government of Canada announced its intention to reduce emissions from its own operations by 31 per cent from 1990 levels by 2008–2012. As one of the principal operational departments, Transport Canada's share of the target is equivalent to a four per cent reduction from its 1998/99 baseline year. For more information about the program or to obtain a copy of the Federal House in Order 2004–2005 report, contact env@tc.gc.ca.

TRANSIT PASS PROGRAM

Under the FHIO initiative, Transport Canada has developed the Transit Pass program, an initiative developed with the transit companies in the National Capital Region (NCR) to encourage federal employees to use public transit by offering an annual pass with a discount. The program began originally as a payroll deduction pilot project among four departments including Transport Canada. Upon successful conclusion of the pilot, Transport Canada negotiated an agreement with OC Transpo to allow all federal departments and agencies in the NCR to have access to discounted transit passes through payroll deduction. As of December 2005, seven per cent of the 90 eligible departments and agencies have joined the Transit Pass Program representing over 8,000 public servants using payroll-deducted transit passes.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Transport Canada is responsible for managing its lands and facilities in an environmentally responsible manner. The department promotes compliance with environmental laws and federal government policies in its day-to-day operations, with a strong focus on bringing and maintaining its activities in line with federal policies and best practices. Transport Canada is responsible for a wide range of operations and approximately 886 properties, including fleets of aircraft and vehicles, as well as stores, warehouses, and offices in central and remote sites across the country. Although the department no longer directly operates many components of the transportation system, it retains the role of landlord and manager for major components of the system, including the National Airports System. In this role, Transport Canada is responsible for ensuring appropriate stewardship of its lands and facilities.

Contaminated Sites

The federal government's 2004 Budget committed $3.5 billion over 10 years to accelerate the clean up of contaminated sites for which the Government of Canada is responsible. Transport Canada received funding through the Federal Contaminated Sites Accelerated Action Plan (FCSAAP) for two remediation and 10 assessment projects in 2004/05 for a total of $7.6 million. In 2004/05, Transport Canada spent a total of $26.2 million on the assessment and remediation/risk management of contaminated sites, including funding from the FCSAAP.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

In order to set a positive example and to reduce its own environmental impacts, Transport Canada has increasingly been integrating environmental considerations into daily planning and decision-making. To achieve this objective, the department has adopted an Environmental Management System (EMS), an approach that has been used by governments and private companies around the world to ensure environmentally sound practices and to minimize liability. Fundamental to successfully integrating environmental considerations into daily decision-making, the EMS helps the department meet its objectives for sustainable development. The goal of the EMS is to produce a framework for continuous monitoring of departmental operations, which provides direction to its environmental activities.

In 2004/05, the department reviewed its current EMS audit protocol (adopted from Environment Canada) and determined that a Transport Canada specific audit protocol would better serve the department's needs. A new protocol was developed and is scheduled to be on Transport Canada's Intranet site by 2006.

ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION AND MITIGATION

As operator, landowner and landlord, Transport Canada continues to manage properties that have been contaminated by commercial and industrial activity. The department is committed to managing these contaminated sites in a responsible manner — its work on this front includes an ongoing contaminated site management program and a management policy that requires all contaminated sites on Transport Canada lands to be identified, classified, managed and recorded.

Environmental Assessments

Transport Canada conducts environmental assessments (EAs) for proposed projects in accordance with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA). Under the CEAA, Transport Canada must ensure that an EA is conducted whenever one of the following "triggers" is present — that is, when the department is: the proponent of a project; proposing to fund a project; the owner of the lands; proposing to sell or lease lands for the project; or, proposing to issue an approval or authorization listed in the Law List Regulations under CEAA. This process allows Transport Canada to request project proposals to be modified in order to prevent, minimize, or manage predicted adverse environmental effects, or may lead Transport Canada to refuse the project approval needed for the project to proceed.

In 2004/05, Transport Canada participated in a total of 883 EAs, of which 367 were completed and 516 were still underway. Most (853) of the EAs were screenings, while 21 were comprehensive studies and nine were panel reviews.

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a systematic process for evaluating the environmental effects of policy, plan and program proposals to ensure that they are addressed early in the decision-making process and on an equal footing with economic and social considerations. Since the issuance of the first Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals in 1990, the department has implemented a number of measures to promote, undertake and monitor the environmental assessment of policy, plan and program proposals submitted to Cabinet or to the Minister of Transport for consideration. Transport Canada completed a total of 43 preliminary scans for policy, plan and program proposals during fiscal year 2004/05. One detailed analysis was completed and one was ongoing during this period.