Projects that are subject to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks' environmental screening process for waste management projects, or projects that are undergoing the addendum process, must commence with a screening. As part of the screening every proponent must apply screening criteria, found in the checklist below, to the project in order to identify if the project has any potential environmental effects. The screening criteria are presented in the form of a checklist with the option of a yes or no response. Mitigation measures are not to be considered in concluding whether there is no potential environmental effect. That is, the proponent is required to answer yes even if the proponent believes that a potential environmental effect could likely be mitigated. The reason for requiring a yes is to ensure that mitigation plans are open to discussion and review. Another reason for this approach is that further discussion and review of a potential effect may reveal that there is no actual effect, in which case no mitigation is required.

Each criterion is based on a question which is prefaced with the phrase: Might the project…

Surface and ground water

  1. Cause negative effects on surface water quality, quantities or flow?
  2. Cause negative effects on ground water quality, quantity or movement?
  3. Cause significant sedimentation or soil erosion or shoreline or riverbank erosion on or off site?
  4. Cause negative effects on surface or ground water from accidental spills or releases (for example, leachate) to the environment?

Land

  1. Cause negative effects on residential, commercial, institutional or other sensitive land uses within 500 metres from the site boundary?
  2. Not be consistent with the provincial policy statement, provincial land use or resource management plans?
  3. Be inconsistent with municipal land use policies, plans and zoning bylaws (including municipal setbacks)?
  4. Use lands not zoned as industrial, heavy industrial or waste disposal?
  5. Use hazard lands or unstable lands subject to erosion?
  6. Cause negative effects related to the remediation of contaminated land?

Air and Noise

  1. Cause negative effects on air quality due to emissions (for parameters such as temperature, thermal treatment exhaust flue gas volume, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, residual oxygen, opacity, hydrogen chloride, suspended particulates, or other contaminants)?
  2. Cause negative effects from the emission of greenhouse gases (for example, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane)?
  3. Cause negative effects from the emission of dust or odour?
  4. Cause negative effects from the emission of noise?
  5. Cause light pollution from trucks or other operational activities at the site?

Natural Environment

  1. Cause negative effects on rare (vulnerable), threatened or endangered species of flora or fauna or their habitat?
  2. Cause negative effects on protected natural areas such as, ansis, esas or other significant natural areas?
  3. Cause negative effects on designated wetlands?
  4. Cause negative effects on wildlife habitat, populations, corridors or movement?
  5. Cause negative effects on fish or their habitat, spawning, movement or environmental conditions (for example, water temperature, turbidity, etc.)?
  6. Cause negative effects on locally important or valued ecosystems or vegetation?
  7. Increase bird hazards within the area that could impact surrounding land uses (for example, airports)?

Resources

  1. Result in practices inconsistent with waste studies and waste diversion targets (for example, result in final disposal of materials subject to diversion programs)?
  2. Result in generation of energy that cannot be captured and utilized?
  3. Result in the generation of a fuel that cannot be utilized?
  4. Result in recovered materials that have no demonstrated market demand?
  5. Be located a distance from required infrastructure (such as availability to customers, markets and other factors)?
  6. Cause negative effects on the use of Canada Land Inventory class 1–3, specialty crop or locally significant agricultural lands?
  7. Cause negative effects on existing agricultural production?

Socio-economic

  1. Cause negative effects on neighbourhood or community character?
  2. Result in aesthetics impacts (for example, visual and litter impacts)?
  3. Cause negative effects on local businesses, institutions or public facilities?
  4. Cause negative effects on recreation, cottaging or tourism?
  5. Cause negative effects related to increases in the demands on community services and infrastructure?
  6. Cause negative effects on the economic base of a municipality or community?
  7. Cause negative effects on local employment and labour supply?
  8. Cause negative effects related to traffic?
  9. Be located within 8 km of an aerodrome/airport reference point?
  10. Interfere with flight paths due to the construction of facilities with height (such as stacks)?
  11. Cause negative effects on public health and safety?

Heritage and culture

  1. Cause negative effects on heritage buildings, structures or sites, archaeological sites or areas of archaeological importance, or cultural heritage landscapes?
  2. Cause negative effects on scenic or aesthetically pleasing landscapes or views?

Indigenous

  1. Cause negative effects on Indigenous communities?

Other

  1. Result in the creation of non-hazardous waste materials requiring disposal?
  2. Result in the creation of hazardous waste materials requiring disposal?
  3. Cause any other negative environmental effects not covered by the criteria outlined above?

If a response to a question indicates yes, there is potential for negative environmental effects, the proponent must provide additional information and analysis in the environmental screening report to describe those effects, identify impact management measures (including mitigation measures) to prevent or reduce the effects, and assess the significance of any net effects.

The proponent has the opportunity to revisit the checklist and to make adjustments based on the results of studies. This may mean the addition of yes responses to the checklist.