1. Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights & The Role of the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario Office of the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario D ecember 2010
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10. Office of the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario REVIEW & REPORT APPLICATIONS PUBLIC EDUCATION & ASSISTANCE ASSIST MINISTRIES WHEN REQUESTED On EBR Implementation On Ministry Compliance Oversee application process Presentations Workshops Resource Centre Education materials Education programs SEVs ANNUAL REPORT, GHG REPORT, ENERGY REPORT & SPECIAL REPORTS TO LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
The first EBR in the world was the Michigan legislation enacted in 1970 -- the Michigan Env. Protection Act or MEPA.
E nvironmental lawyers at CELA, Pollution Probe and elsewhere began to advocate for an EBR in the early 1970s.
In creating the EBR, A task force containing members from Business, industry government, and environmental groups was created and worked for about a year before releasing a report; In conjunction, the MOE coordinated an internal government committee of ADM and other senior officials to provide feedback to the task force There was opportunity for public consultation on the proposed Bill.
Basic intent is to protect and conserve. The only law in the world that recognizes that the Environment can be protected for its own sake To ensure we have a healthy environment; the EBR recognizes that Ontarians have the right to a healthful environment. EBR sets out a common goal for ontario gov. and ontarians to protect and conserve & restore their environment Key foundations is to promote transparency and accountability in gov’t and to Open up decision making to the public to get the best possible policies in Ontario
The Purpose of the EBR legilsation is to protect, conserve and restore the integrity of the environment Alto to prevent, reduce or eliminate the use of, generation of, and release of pollutants The EBR recognizes different scales of the environment from landscape level to genetic level and how the gov should recognize the Environment.
Groundbreaking rights as there is the right to notice. Offers different comment periods so that the public can submit their comments, insights and concerns about a particular issue when a ministry is developing a piece of legislation. In some instances such as with instruments certificates of approval or permits, the EBR creates the right to appeal. Court action for harm to a public resource Whistleblower protections for employees who report their employer for harming the environment Review & Investigation
Independent officer of the Legislature similar in function to ombudsman or attorney general. The law firmly establishes that we are an impartial entity
The EBR was amended in 2009 by the GEGEA and gave the ECO the further mandate to report annually on progress made toward GHG emission reductions and energy conservation.
Meant to be a response to how MOE is reporting on the subject. We will now be releasing the report in May of each year
Again this is a fairly new function of the ECO Reporting on progress of activities in Ontario to make better use of fuels such as natural gas, propane, oil and transportation fuels. We are enabled by our legislation to report on all levels of government. We can look at the municipal level and at the federal level to report on different barriers to conservation.
The last kind of report that the ECO has mandate to release is a special report. Any time the Commissioner feels that an issue is significant enough that it should not be left until the Annual Report. We release an average of about one per year.
This is a selection of some of our Special Reports over the years.
Commissioner is very busy doing keynotes most weeks We get up to 1,600 public inquiries per year through our phone and email lines We offer presentations to groups to outline what the role and mandate of the ECO is. We also operate a resource centre at our office with a fine selection of relevant books and documents that can be reviewed on site.
Each year when we release our report in the Fall, we give out an Award which is meant to recognize Ministry programs and staff that have made a significant difference on protecting or conserving the Environment. Any prescribed ministry can submit their recommendation for the ECO Recognition award. Around this time of year the ECO sends out a letter requesting that the Ministries send in their submissions for the award. An outside panel makes the choice each year.
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