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When planning water infrastructure, such as storm sewers, municipal engineers need to know how likely it is that heavy rainfall events will occur. They use Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curves, however many of these are out of date due to the changing climate. Western University has developed a new online IDF tool that incorporates updated rainfall projections. A YouTube video with background information was also posted. In our 2009/10 Annual Report, we wrote about how the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change should assist with better stormwater management planning. -
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recently released another series of Weather Reports from the Future – hypothetical weather reports from around the world, given by real TV weather presenters. Based on the most up-to-date climate science, the reports show the type of weather we could expect in 2050 if climate change continues to accelerate. The videos are a novel way of getting people to think about how climate change may affect their everyday lives. The ECO has reported on climate change in Ontario since 2008.
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New tool to help update IDF curves for climate change
When planning water infrastructure, such as storm sewers, municipal engineers need to know how likely it is that heavy rainfall events will occur. They use Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curves, however many of these are out of date due to the changing climate. Western University has developed a new online IDF tool that incorporates updated rainfall projections. A YouTube video with background information was also posted. In our 2009/10 Annual Report, we wrote about how the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change should assist with better stormwater management planning.
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An Interview with Dianne Saxe
What does it mean to you to be the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario?
I am enormously honoured to have the privilege of serving as the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. In a way, it is the job I have been working towards my entire life. I want to make a difference on major environmental, energy and climate issues, and to leave a better world for my children and grandchildren.
What do you hope will have changed in Ontario when your five-year term as Commissioner is completed?
I hope to have made the Commissioner's office, and the Environmental Bill of Rights, matter much more to Ontario citizens than ever before. I hope to have advanced better outcomes on a range of important environmental, energy and climate issues, and to have inspired and empowered Ontarians to continue to do more themselves.
You ran a successful environmental law practice and received many awards and tributes, so why did you apply to be Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner?
I loved my 40 years in the practice of law, but private practice is a retail business. I worked on the problems of individual clients, and could only make a limited contribution on the larger issues that are of importance to us all. Now I can focus on those larger issues
What are your biggest frustrations with the current environment and energy circumstance in Ontario?
The climate crisis is much more urgent and important than most people realize. Not enough regulatory and private sector energy and money is spent on the issues that matter the most.
What are the most pressing environmental challenges currently faced by Ontario?
To permit a good quality of life without continuing to degrade and destroy the physical and biological systems on which our lives depend. We need much more rigorous and effective land-use and transportation planning. Finding our way to a low-carbon economy and biological diversity are both key issues. Adapting to the enormous climate changes that are already on their way will be challenging.
What motivated you to become an environmental lawyer?
A mad passion for the natural world, and the intersection of law, policy and science.
Which of your accomplishments in your environmental law career makes you the most proud?
Winning $115 million a year from Stewardship Ontario to fund Ontario municipal blue box programs, after 15 years of underfunding
What has been the single largest positive change in Ontario’s environment regulatory system since your career began?
The Environmental Bill of Rights, and the general shift to more open government and greater transparency. Also, greater awareness of the close integration between environmental and economic issues.
Who has been most influential in shaping your leadership style?
My father, my late husband and a dear friend who specializes in change management. Also, being a working mother of three very active children.
What actions have been most influential in shaping your career and worldview?
The opportunities I have had to work for all sectors of the economy: public, private and nonprofit.
What advice would you give business leaders trying to reduce the environmental footprint of their company or corporation?
You cannot manage what you do not measure. Also, take your impact as seriously as if a person you love were the one most affected.
What career advice do you have for recent graduates?
Be flexible and patient. It took me nearly 10 years to get my first environmental job.
Polish your skills on whatever comes to hand, but keep your eyes open for what you really want.
Look for opportunities to contribute.
Be kind and be grateful for the help and opportunities that come your way.
Support and encourage others.
What inspires you?
The beauty of nature.
The sweet joy and hope of children.
The successes of others against great odds.
If you had the “day off” what would you be doing?
I would be paddling, skiing or cycling in some beautiful natural place with my dog and someone dear.
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Meet Dr. Dianne Saxe, the new Environmental Commissioner of Ontario
Dianne Saxe is the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO), a tough but fair watchdog over Ontario’s environmental, energy and climate performance, and guardian of the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR). The ECO is a bridge between the public and the government on environmental issues.
Prior to her appointment, Dianne was one of Canada’s most respected environmental lawyers. She has 40 years’ unparalleled experience writing, interpreting, and litigating Ontario's energy and environmental laws. Dianne’s career began with the Ontario Public Service and two major Bay Street law firms. She then established one of Canada's top environmental law boutiques.
A Certified Environmental Law Specialist, Dianne is recognized in every Canadian and international legal rating service, including acknowledgement as one of the world’s top 25 environmental lawyers by Best of the Best, 2008 and as Best Lawyers’ first Environmental Lawyer of the Year for Toronto. Some of her numerous tributes and honours include the Award for Distinguished Service, the highest honour granted by the Ontario Bar Association; and the Gold Key Award for exceptional lifetime professional achievement, granted by Osgoode Hall Law School Alumni.
Dianne has travelled extensively in Ontario and Canada, both in her professional practice and as a keen canoeist, kayaker and cross-country skier.
Her five-year appointment will be focused on serving the Ontario Legislature, improving the effectiveness of the Environmental Bill of Rights and catalyzing better environmental, energy and climate outcomes, for and with the people of Ontario.
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CTV News broke the story last week - the Ministry of Energy is currently developing a proposal to require home energy rating and disclosure at the time of listing. A rating and disclosure system means:
- homebuyers have the information they need to choose more efficient properties
- homeowners can use audits to identify energy efficiency improvements
- realtors can learn about a home’s energy performance and market efficiency features
- the province has another tool available to help meet its greenhouse gas and electricity conservation targets.
The Ministry has been consulting with stakeholders over the summer/ fall 2015 to obtain feedback and expects to hold further consultations in 2016. The ECO will keep you updated on opportunities for you to have your say once the Ministry of Energy posts its proposal on the Environmental Registry.
Stay tuned!For more information about the potential benefits of a home energy rating system, check out this ECO blog post on achieving home energy literacy in Ontario.
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Founded in 1968, the Experimental Lakes Area is a research facility located on a collection of 58 small lakes and drainage basins, approximately 50 kilometres southeast of Kenora, Ontario. The ELA has been at the centre of research into eutrophication, lake acidification (which results from acid rain), and the effects of birth control hormones on fish, among many other significant environmental issues.
In 2014, the Government of Ontario took over operation of the ELA from the federal government. Find out more about the history of the ELA, and the importance of Ontario’s decision to take over its operation, in Ontario Ensures Experimental Lakes Research Will Continue from our most recent Annual Report.
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It looks like there may be some changes coming to Ontario’s energy sector. In late October, the Ontario government tabled Bill 135, The Energy Statute Law Amendment Act, 2015. If enacted, this Bill will do things like amend three laws that structure the province’s electricity system, and place the government in charge of developing all future long-term energy plans. (You can read more external analysis here and here.)
What is immediately important for our office is the fact that the proposed Bill 135 could have a significant effect on the environment. This means the Bill should be posted on the Environmental Registry for public comment, according the Environmental Bill of Rights – something the Ministry of Energy has yet to do. Our office wrote a letter to the Ministry of Energy and requested that they post a notice without delay. We hope to see this on the Registry soon, so that all Ontarians are given the opportunity to voice their opinions on this Bill.
To find out more about your rights to comment on proposals like this, check out our website. -
Light that reflects off glass buildings causing bird collisions and deaths is considered a “contaminant” under the Environmental Protection Act. As the Environmental Commissioner discussed in our 2014/2015 Annual Report, it is therefore illegal to operate a building that reflects light and causes bird deaths without an approval from the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change. However, the ministry recently proposed exempting reflective buildings from having to obtain an approval. You have until December 4, 2015 to give feedback on this proposal.
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Ontario will soon finalize a cap-and-trade system to assign a price to carbon emissions in the province, as noted in our most recent Greenhouse Gas Progress Report. To find out which other governments in the world are pricing carbon, check out the annual report on the state of the carbon markets, published by the World Bank. The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change has put out a YouTube video that explains how cap-and-trade works.
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Find out how you can help protect the parks you love in today's blog post:
It’s Your Environmental Right: Commenting on Provincial Park Management Plans.
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An Electrifying Plan
Now that the electricity sector is relatively low carbon – thanks to the phase out of coal as a fuel source – Ontario has a prime opportunity to use this clean energy to electrify transportation. Ontarians have a few incentives to buy electric vehicles, but there is still a long way to go. Look at what other jurisdictions are doing. Just last month, Quebec released Propelling Quebec Forward With Electricity; a five-year plan that lays out how the province intends to shift its entire transportation system, not just private vehicles, to electricity, along with a cool interactive website.
In 2014, the ECO called upon the provincial government to increase the electrification of transportation. A look to the east may provide some guidance.
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Decline in monarch butterfly populations over-wintering in Mexico over the past 20 years: 91%
Decline in milkweed plant populations in American Midwest between 1999 and 2010: 58%
Find out more -
In 2014 the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry piloted a two-year spring bear hunt in several northern Ontario communities – purportedly to improve public safety and reduce the number of conflicts people have with bears. But, as the Environmental Commissioner noted in our 2014/2015
Annual Report, ministry research suggests that increased hunting doesn’t actually reduce human-bear conflicts. The ministry is now proposing to expand the spring bear hunt for another five years across most of Ontario.
What do you think of this proposal? You have until November 30th to give feedback. -
Policy Guidance under the Endangered Species Act, 2007Under the Endangered Species Act, 2007, it is an offence to harm or harass an endangered or threatened species – unless you have a permit to do so.
In August 2014, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry released policy guidance to help people determine if an activity they plan to undertake is likely to harm or harass a species at risk. They can then decide whether to avoid the harm or harassment by considering alternatives to the activity, or obtain a permit so that they may proceed with the activity without risk of prosecution.
Find out more in Policy Guidance on “Harm and Harass” under the Endangered Species Act, 2007
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The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry's annual budget for programs to acquire conservation lands in 2010: $5.1 million
The ministry's annual budget for these programs in 2015: $1,000
Average amount the State of California spends on acquiring lands and conservation easements each year: $177 million (US)
Find out more -
Would you believe that there will be energy stored in giant balloons under the surface of Lake Ontario? While this sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, Toronto Hydro is working with Hydrostor to install the world’s first underwater compressed air energy storage system in Lake Ontario. Hydrostor has the technology to convert electric energy into compressed air, store this air in large bags at the bottom of Lake Ontario, and then convert energy from the air back into electricity when consumers need it. Here’s a useful video showing how this technology can work.
Why do we need to store electricity? One example was discussed in our Smart Grid report: electricity storage can capture excess power generated from wind turbines in the early morning when power demand is low, and then supply this electricity back to the grid during high demand times. Our recent energy report also discussed the Ontario government’s first procurement target for energy storage. Read our reports to find out more.
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Reported number of bears killed in the spring 2014 black bear hunt: 193
Percentage of hunters that returned the mandatory spring 2014 black bear hunt questionnaires on time: 45%
Find out more -
Ontario Could Do Better at Collecting Financial Assurance from Potential Polluters
Requiring potential polluters to provide cash, letters of credit, securities or other financial assurance that they will pay to clean up any future environmental damage helps ensure that money will be available if needed. But, as of early 2015, 91 companies owed the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change a total of more than $15 million in outstanding financial assurance.
Read how problems with Ontario’s financial assurance framework put the environmental and financial burden of polluted land and water on the government – and taxpayers – of Ontario, in our recent report: Making the Polluter Pay: Collecting Adequate Financial Assurance for Environmental Rehabilitation.
Hagersville Tire Fire. Photo
credit: Ted Brellisford, The Hamilton Spectator -
Number of dams in Ontario: over 2,500
Percentage of dams in Ontario with a fishway to allow fish passage: 2%
Find out more -
Time vs Money
There is nothing more infuriating than being stuck in traffic congestion, unable to move. Even worse, thousands of vehicles sitting idling contribute to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Recognizing that there is a cost associated with congestion, the Ecofiscal Commission has re-ignited the discussion around using a price signal as a tool to shift behaviour. Similar to what the ECO has previously recommended, the commission called upon all levels of government to test out congestion pricing through pilot projects.
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Number of lakes in the Experimental Lakes Area: 58
Amount of peer-reviewed articles, research papers and other publications from research conducted at the Experimental Lakes Area: over 1,000
Amount of funding the provincial government will provide each year for the Experimental Lakes Area: $2 million
Find out more -
Over 500 trillion litres of water can be used each year by industries and commercial businesses granted permits to take water by the Ontario government — and they pay very little for the privilege. Read more in our Annual Report. -
Percentage of water-taking proposals posted on the Environmental Registry for public comment: 25%
Percentage of water-taking proposals posted on the Environmental Registry that do not state the name of the stream, lake, aquifer or watershed from which the water would be taken: 86%
Find out more -
Amount the government of Ontario spends on water quantity programs each year: $16.2 million
Amount the government recovers through the Water-Taking Charge each year: $200,000
Find out more -
What can we learn from Alberta about climate change?
Since the change in government after the provincial election in early May 2015, Alberta has a new vision and approach for climate change policy. The provincial government appointed a climate change advisory panel, released a discussion paper (.pdf), and solicited public comment online and through a series of open houses – similar to the approach taken by the Ontario government. The panel will provide the government with advice, which will culminate in a new climate change strategy, likely to be released prior to the United Nations Conference of the Parties in Paris this December.
The ECO covers major climate policy developments in other jurisdictions and what they mean for Ontario in our annual greenhouse gas reports.
Environment Minister Shannon Phillips -
Size of plastic particles that are called microplastics: less than 5 millimetres or less in diameter
Amount of plastic particles floating near the surface water in some areas of Lake Ontario: 6,700,000 particles/square kilometers
Find out more -
Number of people in Ontario the Great Lakes directly provide drinking water for: over 10 million
Amount the Ontario government budgeted to implement the 8th Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health each year: $9.3 million
By comparison, the amount the Ontario government spends on the construction and maintenance of forest access roads each year: $60 million
Find out more -
Check out our latest report about Small Things that Matter - then tweet to us what #smallthingsmatter to you and be entered to win a book!- deadline tonight!
2014/15 Annual Report | Environmental Commissioner of Ontario
The ECO Annual Report for 2014-2015, released on Tuesday, Nov 3, 2015. -
Birds killed from colliding with buildings in Canada each year: 25 million
Number of at-risk bird species injured or killed by building collisions in Toronto: 15
Find out more -
Check out our latest report about Small Things that Matter - then tweet to us what #smallthingsmatter to you and be entered to win a book!
2014/15 Annual Report | Environmental Commissioner of Ontario
The ECO Annual Report for 2014-2015, released on Tuesday, Nov 3, 2015. -
Check out our latest report about Small Things that Matter - then tweet to us what #smallthingsmatter to you and be entered to win a book!
2014/15 Annual Report | Environmental Commissioner of Ontario
The ECO Annual Report for 2014-2015, released on Tuesday, Nov 3, 2015. -
Size of the largest harmful algal bloom in Lake Erie in history: 5,000 square kilometers
Percentage of sampled greenhouse operations around Leamington, Ontario that discharged wastewater into watercourses with nutrient concentrations higher than provincial water quality objectives: 65%
Find out more -
Today we released this year's Annual Report - download it, watch the press conference, find out more at
2014/15 Annual Report | Environmental Commissioner of Ontario
The ECO Annual Report for 2014-2015, released on Tuesday, Nov 3, 2015. -
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In honour of our 2015 Annual Report, Small Things Matter, released on November 3, we’re asking you to tell us what “small thing” matters most to you. Tweet us using #smallthingsmatter and you’ll be entered to win a copy of The Sixth Extinction - An Unnatural History, by Elizabeth Kolbert.
Contest closes November 6th at 5pm.
Find out more about the report at eco.on.ca -
We're releasing this year's Annual Report next week, Tuesday Nov 3rd. Find out more ...
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The election is over - what's next?
Starting in August and ending just last week, Canadians have come through the longest federal campaign since 1872. Over the 11 weeks, much has been said about the economy, social issues, and Canada’s role on the international stage.
At the end of November, all eyes will turn to that stage in Paris, where negotiators meet to discuss climate change. Their goal is to reach an agreement to limit the global temperature increase to 2°C above pre-industrial levels. The focus will properly be on the key role that national actors must play. However, one should not lose sight of the fact that many tools to address climate change lie in the hands of provincial governments.
As we pointed out in our 2015 Greenhouse Gas Progress Report, Ontario and other sub-national governments across North America have recently stepped up to the plate to set their own targets. And so, once the negotiators have closed their books and the lights have gone down in the City of Lights, the heavy lifting will continue closer to home.
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Live in Toronto and want some HELP making your home more energy efficient?
Then you may want to check out the City’s website to learn about its pilot project – the Home Energy Loan Program (HELP). HELP funds energy improvements such as insulation, air sealing, and high efficiency heating and cooling equipment by providing loans for 5 to 15 year terms at set rates. The loan is tied to the property, so it transfers across owners if there is a sale before the loan is repaid.
Don’t live in Toronto, but you still want some help improving your home’s energy efficiency? Contact your local municipality and let them know you want to see a program like this in your area! All municipalities across Ontario can offer this type of program, but it’s up to each municipality to implement its own program. For example, Guelph is exploring how it can use this type of program to significantly improve residential building energy efficiency.
Read our earlier blog and report to find out how and why Ontario municipalities are able to offer programs like this!
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What might the Volkswagen scandal mean for Ontario?
Will the recent Volkswagen diesel scandal provide a boost for clean vehicle purchases in Ontario? As the emissions scandal unfolds it will be interesting to see how environmentally conscious car buyers will respond.
Over the past several years, sales of diesel vehicles in North America have grown slowly but steadily. One of the reasons for this increase is because, from the perspective of fuel economy, they handily beat out gasoline engines. Performing 20-30 per cent more efficiently, diesel vehicles were promoted as a way to meet progressively more stringent fuel efficiency requirements. On the down side, however, they also produce more air pollutants that cause smog – such as nitrogen oxides.
Not only might this scandal drive down diesel sales on this side of the ocean, car buyers who are concerned about their vehicle’s emissions may also now give other types of green vehicles a second look. Particularly within Ontario, this would be a positive development. Since the province no longer uses coal to generate electricity, air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions have dropped dramatically from the electricity sector. As the ECO wrote in our 2012 Greenhouse Gas Progress Report, shifting transportation away from fossil fuel use and towards electrification provides a great opportunity to reduce emissions from that sector. New car buyers who are concerned about their impact on the environment would do well to keep this in mind!
Plugging in an electric vehicle -
What's a short-lived climate pollutant?
The California Air Resources Board recently released a Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy. These pollutants – methane, fluorinated gases and black carbon – remain in the atmosphere for a shorter time period than carbon dioxide, but are more potent, hence are a key concern for climate change policymakers.
California is proposing to reduce emissions of the three key Short-Lived Climate Pollutants by 40-50 per cent below 2013 levels by 2030. The ECO wrote about the need for Ontario to reduce emissions of black carbon in its 2011 Climate Change Report. Black carbon has a global warming potential (a relative measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere) of 1,600 greater than carbon dioxide over 20 years.
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Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England (former Governor of the Bank of Canada) recently gave a major speech on climate change, aimed at the investment community. He spoke about how climate change has the potential to destabilize financial markets. He called for increased disclosure by companies’ about their carbon footprints and climate change risk management, so that investors can assess the true risks associated with their investments.
The ECO wrote about the financial risks associated with climate change in our 2014 climate change report.
Mark Carney -
Toronto Hydro's energy conservation results
Toronto Hydro released a preview of its energy conservation results from 2011 to 2014. Over those four years, the utility says it cut energy demand by 1,583 gigawatt-hours (exceeding its 1,304 gigawatt-hours target) and reduced summer peak demand by 206 megawatts (falling short of its 286 megawatt target).
All electricity utilities in Ontario deliver energy conservation programs to their customers, so why are these results interesting? Official results against individual utility targets have yet to be released by the Ontario Energy Board. Therefore, Toronto Hydro’s news release provides a first official preview of how a utility has performed against its 2014 target. Also, this is a large utility and its performance could be an indicator of Ontario’s overall ability to achieve its conservation targets.
Based on Toronto Hydro’s numbers, it looks like the trend that we saw last year might hold true – Ontario might come close to achieving its energy demand target (6,000 gigawatt-hours) but fall short of achieving its peak demand reduction target (1,330 megawatts).
To find out if Toronto Hydro’s results are a reflection of overall provincial performance and other utility performance, you’ll have to stay tuned and check out our next Annual Energy Conservation Progress Report when it’s released sometime in the coming months! In the meantime, results for 2011, 2012, and 2013 energy savings for the province and each individual utility can be found in our useful reference table or from the Ontario Energy Board (.pdf).
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The Fight to Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species Continues
Yet another invasive species story hit the news recently, with reports that border agents at Pearson International Airport found Khapra beetles in a passenger’s bag of dried beans. The Khapra beetle is a dangerous invasive species that feeds on a variety of grains. Originally from south Asia, in the 1950s and 1960s the U.S. government spent $15 million eradicating an infestation [source]. Today, there are no known infestations in Canada or the U.S.
As news media points out, Ontario is already dealing with three other invasive beetle infestations, including the Asian long-horned beetle and emerald ash borer, which both destroy trees. To read the ECO’s extensive reporting on invasive species, including the Asian long-horned beetle and the emerald ash borer, click here.
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The ECO team warmly welcomes our newly appointed Environmental Commissioner, Dr. Dianne Saxe, chosen with unanimous agreement of Ontario’s Legislative Assembly earlier this week. Her appointment takes effect December 1st, 2015.
More information ...
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Why do we need to know about future climate patterns?
If we want to ensure our communities and economy are resilient, we need to make sure Ontarians have access to quality, reliable climate data. To learn more, read our recently released Climate Data Roundtable report.
Let this short and simple animation show you why Ontarians need access to reliable future climate projections.
Help spread the word and share this video on Facebook and Twitter. Together we can kick-start the conversation on a critical and often overlooked topic.
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Do you Know a Community Group interested in Helping the Great Lakes?
The ECO has written extensively about threats to the Great Lakes, and efforts to protect and restore this vital watershed.
One way the Ontario government supports the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes is through the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund. This year, Ontario is awarding up to $1.5 million to community groups doing work to environmentally benefit the Great Lakes.
Selected groups, such as not-for-profit organizations, schools, and First Nation and Métis communities, can each get up to $25,000 to support their work. Past projects include restoring wetland habitat, controlling invasive species and naturalizing stream banks and shorelines.
For more information and to apply, you can visit the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change’s website. Applications will be accepted until October 23, 2015. -
10 year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast of the United States on August 29, 2005.
It was one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history, and has some important lessons for climate change policy makers in areas such as emergency management and resilience.
The ECO has written about the need to adapt infrastructure in Ontario for extreme weather, and will continue to track policy developments in this area.
