Land
Ontario's Approach to Protecting and Conserving the Province's Land Resources
Ontario's Ministry of the Environment (MOE) has been protecting and conserving the province's land resources for over 30 years. Using stringent regulations, comprehensive environmental approvals and standards, targeted monitoring and enforcement, effective recycling, reuse and reduction programs, safe tracking and disposal of hazardous waste and a variety of innovative programs to clean up and reclaim land long thought lost, the ministry continues to reach new heights in the protection of our precious lands.
Brownfields are lands on which industrial or commercial activity took place in the past and that may
need to be cleaned up before they can be redeveloped.
Read more about Brownfields Redevelopment.
Facts about waste disposal and diversion in Ontario
On August 31, 2006, an agreement was reached with U.S. Senators Stabenow and Levin to halt the export of municipal waste from Ontario to Michigan by 2010. Documents found here provide facts on how waste is managed in Ontario and details of the initiative to phase out municipal waste shipments.
Waste Diversion Act
This Act, passed on June 27, 2002 - created Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO), a permanent, non-government corporation, which is run by a board of directors comprised of industry, municipal and non-governmental representatives. The Act gave WDO the mandate to develop, implement and operate waste diversion programs-to reduce, reuse or recycle waste. The Ministry of the Environment is responsible for overseeing the Act, including WDO activities.
The Ministry of the Environment has an in-depth program in place to ensure comprehensive tracking of hazardous waste in the province and to ensure its safe disposal.
Click here to read more about Hazardous Waste.
Septage, the informal term for hauled sewage, classifies all matter (liquids and
solids) that is pumped out of septic tanks and holding tanks. Such tanks are found on residential,
commercial and industrial properties.
Click here for helpful information and links related to septage hauling, treatment and land application.
Plant nutrients found in both manure and chemical fertilizers are essential to a farm operation. When applied in proper quantities and at appropriate times, the nutrients will aid in achieving optimum crop yields. However, improper use of nutrients can lead to soil-nutrient and feed-ration imbalances and can cause water quality problems both locally and downstream. The objective of nutrient management is to use nutrients (mainly nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) wisely for optimum economic benefit, while minimizing impact on the environment.
The Ontario government introduced the Nutrient Management Act in 2002. Under this act, farms must develop nutrient management plans to deal with animal waste and other substances that are kept on farm properties or spread on fields. Nutrient management plans help ensure that farms are managed in an environmentally responsible way to prevent contamination of lakes, streams and groundwater.
Although the Ministry of the Environment continues to emphasize the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle), landfilling remains a necessary component of waste management -- whether to manage 3Rs residuals or to dispose of wastes which are not amenable to reuse or recycling.
Pesticides are regulated by both the federal and provincial governments. The
Ontario Ministry of the Environment for its part regulates the sale, use, transportation,
storage and disposal of federally registered pesticides in Ontario under the Pesticides
Act and Ontario Regulation 914.
Pesticide Licensing and Certification
Click here to read more about Pesticide
Licensing and Certification.
West Nile Virus
Click here to learn more about the
Ontario government’s action plan to combat West Nile virus.
The MOE conducts inspections to ensure that businesses are complying with regulations and the conditions of their Certificates of Approval. This section outlines the ministry's compliance activities and cleanup efforts.
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Sector Compliance Branch
This is a highly mobile team that conducts province-wide inspection sweeps of entire sectors. This team is dedicated to getting tough on polluters and increasing the number of companies and individuals who comply with standards and regulations.
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| Environmental
Compliance Reports
This site provides information about non-compliant discharges - discharges of contaminants to air and water that exceed legal allowable limits - from industrial and municipal facilities that are regulated by the Ministry of the Environment.
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Major Monitoring and Clean Up Initiatives
Since 1998, Ontario has been participating with other jurisdictions across Canada in developing national standards titled "Canada-wide Standards" (CWS). These standards are the outcome of a consensus-based process with multi-stakeholder consultation.
Certificates of Approval
The Ministry of the Environment approvals program has been designed to ensure
that all undertakings requiring approval are carried out in accordance with legislation
including the Ontario Water Resources Act, the Environmental Protection Act, the
Pesticides Act, the Environmental Assessment Act, the Environmental Bill of Rights,
the Safe Drinking Water Act and associated regulations. Certificates of Approval
are required for facilities that release emissions to the atmosphere, discharge
contaminants to ground and surface water, provide potable water supplies, or store,
transport, process or dispose of waste. Proponents of these types of activities
are required to obtain Certificates of Approval to ensure that the environment
will not be adversely affected.
Certificates of Approval web page
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