Proposal
Proposed Strategy for a Waste-Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy
Regulation Number(s):
Instrument Type:
Proposal
Bill or Act:
Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016
Summary of Decision:
Section 3 of the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 (RRCEA) requires the province to develop and publish the "Strategy for a Waste-Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy" within 90 days of that provision coming into force.
On December 16, 2016 the ministry sought input on a proposed strategy through a policy proposal posting (EBR Registry # 012-9356) for 45 days until January 30, 2017. Based on input received from stakeholders and the public on this proposal a decision was made to proceed and finalize Ontario's Strategy for a Waste-Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy.
The strategy outlines a road map for resource recovery and waste reduction for Ontario and:
• sets a vision and goals;
• articulates key government actions to support implementation of the vision and goals; and
• identifies performance measures to measure progress towards achieving the vision and goals.
The strategy embraces a vision for Ontario where waste is seen as a resource that can be recovered, reused and reintegrated into the economy to achieve a circular economy.
Ontario's vision will be fulfilled with the strategy's two goals: a zero waste Ontario and zero greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector. The interim goals for waste diversion are 30 per cent by 2020, 50 per cent by 2030 and 80 per cent by 2050. To achieve these goals, Ontario will work towards systematically avoiding and eliminating the volume of waste, while conserving and recovering resources from the waste stream. This will also include initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, helping to simultaneously achieve Ontario's greenhouse gas reduction goals set out in the Climate Change Action Plan.
On December 16, 2016 the ministry sought input on a proposed strategy through a policy proposal posting (EBR Registry # 012-9356) for 45 days until January 30, 2017. Based on input received from stakeholders and the public on this proposal a decision was made to proceed and finalize Ontario's Strategy for a Waste-Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy.
The strategy outlines a road map for resource recovery and waste reduction for Ontario and:
• sets a vision and goals;
• articulates key government actions to support implementation of the vision and goals; and
• identifies performance measures to measure progress towards achieving the vision and goals.
The strategy embraces a vision for Ontario where waste is seen as a resource that can be recovered, reused and reintegrated into the economy to achieve a circular economy.
Ontario's vision will be fulfilled with the strategy's two goals: a zero waste Ontario and zero greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector. The interim goals for waste diversion are 30 per cent by 2020, 50 per cent by 2030 and 80 per cent by 2050. To achieve these goals, Ontario will work towards systematically avoiding and eliminating the volume of waste, while conserving and recovering resources from the waste stream. This will also include initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, helping to simultaneously achieve Ontario's greenhouse gas reduction goals set out in the Climate Change Action Plan.
Further Information:
Link to Environmental Registry
Proposal Number:
16-MOE024
Posting Date:
December 19, 2016
Summary of Proposal:
Waste diversion in Ontario has stalled around 25 percent over the last decade. While most of the success is coming from the residential sector, where 47 percent of household waste is diverted from landfill, the diversion rate for the rest of the economy is much lower.
There is broad consensus among stakeholders that fundamental changes are needed to the policy framework to increase diversion.
Failure to take action has economic and environmental consequences, including the loss of valuable resources, the lost opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the dwindling capacity of Ontario's landfills and the increasing pressure on municipal taxpayers and industries to fund diversion efforts and rising costs.
To guide our transition to a circular economy, the province is seeking feedback on its proposed Strategy for a Waste-Free-Ontario: Building the Circular Economy. The proposed strategy outlines a road map for resource recovery and waste reduction for Ontario and:
- sets a vision and goals;
- articulates key government actions to support implementation of the vision and goals; and
- identifies performance measures to measure progress towards achieving the vision and goals.
Ontario's proposed strategy recognizes that the current "produce-use-dispose" model is not sustainable. The strategy, when implemented, would move Ontario toward a circular economy - a system where nothing is wasted and valuable materials destined for landfill are put back into the economy without negative effects on the environment. Several jurisdictions have started to move toward a circular economy, implementing producer responsibility approaches and other targeted measures to manage waste. This approach will reduce greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change, save scarce resources, create jobs and capitalize on financial opportunities.
The proposed strategy embraces a vision for Ontario "where waste is seen as a resource that can be recovered, reused and reintegrated into the economy to achieve a circular economy."
Ontario's vision would be fulfilled with the proposed strategy's two goals: a zero waste Ontario and zero greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector. To achieve these goals, Ontario would work towards systematically avoiding and eliminating the volume of waste, while conserving and recovering resources from the waste stream. This would also help the province meet its climate change commitments and help Ontario build a low-carbon economy.
There is broad consensus among stakeholders that fundamental changes are needed to the policy framework to increase diversion.
Failure to take action has economic and environmental consequences, including the loss of valuable resources, the lost opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the dwindling capacity of Ontario's landfills and the increasing pressure on municipal taxpayers and industries to fund diversion efforts and rising costs.
To guide our transition to a circular economy, the province is seeking feedback on its proposed Strategy for a Waste-Free-Ontario: Building the Circular Economy. The proposed strategy outlines a road map for resource recovery and waste reduction for Ontario and:
- sets a vision and goals;
- articulates key government actions to support implementation of the vision and goals; and
- identifies performance measures to measure progress towards achieving the vision and goals.
Ontario's proposed strategy recognizes that the current "produce-use-dispose" model is not sustainable. The strategy, when implemented, would move Ontario toward a circular economy - a system where nothing is wasted and valuable materials destined for landfill are put back into the economy without negative effects on the environment. Several jurisdictions have started to move toward a circular economy, implementing producer responsibility approaches and other targeted measures to manage waste. This approach will reduce greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change, save scarce resources, create jobs and capitalize on financial opportunities.
The proposed strategy embraces a vision for Ontario "where waste is seen as a resource that can be recovered, reused and reintegrated into the economy to achieve a circular economy."
Ontario's vision would be fulfilled with the proposed strategy's two goals: a zero waste Ontario and zero greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector. To achieve these goals, Ontario would work towards systematically avoiding and eliminating the volume of waste, while conserving and recovering resources from the waste stream. This would also help the province meet its climate change commitments and help Ontario build a low-carbon economy.
Contact Address:
Marc Peverini
Senior Policy Analyst
Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change
Climate Change and Environmental Policy Division
Resource Recovery Policy Branch
40 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 8
Toronto Ontario
M4V1M2
Phone: (416) 314-4135
Senior Policy Analyst
Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change
Climate Change and Environmental Policy Division
Resource Recovery Policy Branch
40 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 8
Toronto Ontario
M4V1M2
Phone: (416) 314-4135
Effective Date:
February 28, 2017
Decision:
Approved