2010 Progress Report - International Joint Commission

Regulation 194/05 (Industry Emissions—Nitrogen
Oxides and Sulphur Dioxide) can be found at
www.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/AIR/regulations/industry.htm.
The federal government has worked in collaboration
with provinces, territories and stakeholders to create
a comprehensive air management system that will
effectively reduce ozone-causing emissions. As part
of this approach the federal government is considering
new national emissions standards for key industrial
sectors. In addition further actions on all sources of
NO x
and VOCs could be taken by provinces in areas
where air quality is under pressure. Further details
can be found in the New Actions on Acid Rain, Ozone
and Particulate Matter section of the report.
VOC emissions from manufacturing and using
consumer and commercial products, such as
cleaning products, personal care products and
paints, contribute signifi cantly to the formation of
smog. The federal government is therefore taking
action to reduce VOC emissions from consumer and
commercial products.
Two regulations controlling VOCs in products were
fi nalized in 2009. The Volatile Organic Compound
(VOC) Concentration Limits for Automotive
Refi nishing Products Regulations and the Volatile
Organic Compound (VOC) Concentration Limits for
Architectural Coatings Regulations were fi nalized
and published in Canada Gazette, Part II on July 8
and September 30, 2009, respectively. A third
regulation controlling VOCs in certain consumer
products is expected to be fi nalized in 2010. The
VOC concentration limits align with a number of
current and upcoming regulations in California and
other U.S. jurisdictions. The Canadian regulations are
predicted to result in an average annual reduction in
VOC emissions by 28–40% in the covered sectors.
Environment Canada is currently examining other
product categories to identify additional opportunities
for the reduction of VOC emissions.
Actions by the Province
of Quebec
Quebec has made progress in meeting its Ozone
Annex commitments by way of several regulatory
actions. The Draft Air Quality Regulation, which is an
overhaul of Quebec’s current Regulation Respecting
the Quality of the Atmosphere, contains stricter
standards aimed at reducing NO x
emissions from
new and modifi ed industrial and commercial boilers,
in accordance with Canadian Council of Ministers
of the Environment (CCME) guidelines. In addition,
when burners on existing units must be replaced, the
replacements must be low-NO x
burners. The version
of the Draft Air Quality Regulation that was published
in November 2005 for consultations with interested
stakeholders is being revised.
With respect to VOC emissions, proposed standards
included in the Draft Air Quality Regulation aim
to reduce emissions from the manufacture and
application of surface coatings, commercial and
industrial printing, dry cleaning, above-ground storage
tanks, petroleum refi neries, and petrochemical plants.
Quebec’s Regulation Respecting Mandatory Reporting
of Certain Emissions of Contaminants into the
Atmosphere, which came into force in 2007, requires
Quebec enterprises to report atmospheric releases
of certain contaminants. It determines the reporting
thresholds, the information that these enterprises will
have to provide, and the parameters applicable to the
calculation of the quantities of these contaminants.
The Regulation allows for improved information on
emission sources of air contaminants across the
province, including emissions of VOCs and NO x
.
Quebec enterprises whose annual VOC emissions
exceed 10 tonnes and annual NO x
emissions exceed
20 tonnes are required to report their emissions.
Pursuant to its Regulation Respecting Petroleum
Products and Equipment, Quebec is currently
applying provisions aimed at reducing gasoline
volatility during the summer months in the city of
Montréal and the Gatineau to Montréal section of
the Windsor–Quebec City corridor. Quebec is also
evaluating the possibility of introducing amendments
to the above regulation to address vapour recovery
initiatives, including gasoline storage, transfer depots,
and service stations, regardless of whether they are
new or existing facilities, in the Quebec portion of the
Windsor–Quebec City corridor. The city of Montréal is
currently enforcing regulatory provisions concerning
gasoline vapour recovery in its territory.
Commitments
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