Version 2.0

Guidance for Registering to the Technical Standards Registry under

Ontario Regulation 419/05 Air Pollution - Local Air Quality made under the Environmental Protection Act

PIBS# 7804e02

Contents of this document are subject to change without notice.

Foreword

The “Guide to Applying for Registration to the Technical Standards Registry - Air Pollution, September 2016, version 2.0” (the Guide) provides guidance on the process of registering to the Technical Standards Registry under Ontario Regulation 419/05: Air Pollution - Local Air Quality.

This guide will provide information and guidance to help applicants correctly complete the application forms and submit proper information. To the extent that this guide sets out that something is “required” or “shall” be done, it does so only to identify minimum expected requirements, the application of which remain subject to the discretion of the Director. During the review of a request for to register for a technical standard, the Director considers the requirements set out in relevant regulations as well as all applicable Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (the ministry) guidelines and policies. Proponents should review this guideline with care while preparing reports and supporting information for consideration by the Director.

The contents of this document may also be up-dated from time to time. All web site addresses referred to in this document were current at the time of release. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this Guide, it should not be construed as legal advice. In the event of conflict with requirements identified in O. Reg. 419/05, then the regulation shall determine the appropriate approach.

For any addenda or revisions to this guide please visit Rules on air quality and pollution or contact:

Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change
Standards Development Branch
40 St. Clair Avenue West, 7th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M4V 1M2

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background

Technical Standards

Ontario Regulation 419/05: Air Pollution - Local Air Quality (the Regulation) made under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) is the regulation that works within the province’s air management framework by regulating air contaminants released into communities by various sources, including local industrial and commercial facilities. The Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (the ministry) regulates contaminants in air to protect communities who live close these sources. The Regulation aims to limit substances released into air that can affect human health and the environment while requiring industry to operate responsibly under a set of rules that are publicly transparent. Under certain conditions, the Regulation allows a person or facility to register to the Technical Standards Registry - Air Pollution (Technical Standards Registry) in respect of a facility for certain contaminants. Registration on the Technical Standards Registry is an option, it is not mandatory.

The Regulation includes three compliance approaches for industry to demonstrate environmental performance, and make improvements when required. Under the Regulation industry can:

  1. Meet the air standard;
  2. Request a site-specific standard; or
  3. Register and meet the requirements under a technical standard, if available.

Under section 38 of the Regulation the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change may publish Technical Standards. These Technical Standards can be an Industry Standard relating to all sources of a contaminant(s) for a particular industry sector or an Equipment Standard relating to a specified source of contaminant(s) that may be used in various industry sectors.

Subsection 38 (1) paragraph 2 of the Regulation specifies what an Industry Standard must include:

  1. The classes of facilities the Industry Standard applies to and those are identified with reference to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes;
  2. The contaminants the Industry Standard applies to;
  3. The steps taken to comply with the Industry Standard; and,
  4. The time periods within which the steps shall be taken.

If all the sources of contaminant(s) at the facility are addressed in one or more Industry Standards and that facility is registered to all the applicable Industry Standards, then that facility is exempt from the air standards in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Regulation. In this situation it would not be necessary for a registered facility to assess any other sources of contaminant(s) significant or insignificant, for which the facility is registered when preparing the Emission Summary and Dispersion Modelling (ESDM) report.

There are situations where a registered facility would continue to have to assess other sources of contaminant(s). For example, a registered facility would continue to assess other sources of contaminant(s) if it has operations that are related to more than one NAICS code and include emissions and modelling in its ESDM report for operations not addressed by the NAICS code(s) in the Technical Standard it is registered to.

If multiple Technical Standards exist that are applicable to a facility, it can apply to be registered to more than one Technical Standard.

Subsection 38 (1) paragraph 4 of the Regulation specifies what an Equipment Standard must include:

  1. The classes of facilities the Equipment Standard applies to and those are identified with reference to NAICS codes;
  2. The contaminants the Equipment Standard applies to;
  3. The sources of contaminant the Equipment Standard applies to;
  4. The steps taken to comply with the Equipment Standard; and,
  5. The time periods within which the steps shall be taken.

Technical Standards publication - O. Reg. 419/05, s. 38.

38 (1) The Minister shall ensure that, with respect to the Technical Standards publication, all of the following criteria are met:

  1. Every technical standard set out in the Technical Standards publication is specifically identified in the publication as an industry standard or an equipment standard.
  2. For each industry standard that is set out in the Technical Standards publication,
    1. the Technical Standards publication specifies which classes of facilities the industry standard applies to, and those classes are identified with reference to NAICS codes,
    2. the Technical Standards publication specifies which contaminants the industry standard applies to,
    3. the Technical Standards publication sets out the steps that shall be taken to comply with the industry standard, and
    4. the Technical Standards publication sets out the time periods, if any, within which the steps specified under subparagraph iii shall be taken.
  3. The Technical Standards publication indicates that, with respect to each class specified under subparagraph 2 i to which an industry standard applies, and with respect to at least one contaminant to which that standard applies, the Minister is of the opinion that,
    1. with respect to at least two facilities in the class that are located in Ontario,
      1. it is not technically feasible to comply with section 19 or 20, whichever is applicable, or
      2. it is not economically feasible to comply with section 19 or 20, whichever is applicable,
    2. compliance, in accordance with subsection 42 (5), with the industry standard that applies to the class and the contaminant,
      1. is technically and economically feasible with respect to at least one facility in the class that is located in Ontario, and
      2. will permit efforts that would otherwise be made to comply with section 19 or 20 to be put to better use to protect the natural environment, having regard to subparagraph I,
    3. including the industry standard that applies to the class and the contaminant in the Technical Standards publication is more efficient than having the Director consider separate requests under section 32 for approval of alterations to the standard for the contaminant that would otherwise apply to facilities in the class.
  4. For each equipment standard that is set out in the Technical Standards publication,
    1. the Technical Standards publication specifies which classes of facilities the equipment standard applies to, and those classes are identified with reference to NAICS codes,
    2. the Technical Standards publication specifies which contaminants the equipment standard applies to,
    3. the Technical Standards publication specifies which sources of contaminant the equipment standard applies to,
    4. the Technical Standards publication sets out the steps that shall be taken to comply with the equipment standard, and
    5. the Technical Standards publication sets out the time periods, if any, within which the steps specified under subparagraph iv shall be taken.
  5. The Technical Standards publication indicates that, with respect to each class specified under subparagraph 4 i to which a equipment standard applies and with respect to at least one contaminant and source of contaminant to which that standard applies, the Minister is of the opinion that,
    1. at least two facilities in the class that are located in Ontario have the source of contaminant, and
    2. compliance, in accordance with subsection 43 (4), with the equipment standard that applies to the class, the contaminant and the source of contaminant is technically and economically feasible with respect to at least one facility in the class that is located in Ontario.

(2) Before a technical standard is set out in the Technical Standards publication, the Minister shall consider whether provisions dealing with the following matters should be included in the technical standard:

  1. Notification of and consultation with affected persons before making an application for registration in respect of the technical standard.
  2. The making and retention of records.
  3. Circumstances in which notice is required to be given to the Ministry.
  4. Progress reports relating to implementation of the technical standard.

(3) Before an industry standard that applies to a class of facilities is set out in the Technical Standards publication, the Minister shall consider whether compliance, in accordance with subsection 42 (5), with the industry standard may reduce the regulatory burden applicable to facilities in that class for which compliance with section 19 or 20 would otherwise be required.

(4) Before an equipment standard that applies to a class of facilities and a source of contaminant is set out in the Technical Standards publication, the Minister shall consider whether compliance, in accordance with subsection 43 (4), with the equipment standard may reduce the regulatory burden applicable to facilities in that class for which consideration of the source of contaminant would otherwise be necessary when using an approved dispersion model for the purposes of this Part.

The Minister of the Environment and Climate Change first published the “Technical Standards to Manage Air Pollution Version 1.0” document in December 2009. This publication is periodically updated. At the time of publication “Technical Standards to Manage Air Pollution Version 4.0”, published March 2016 was available at ministry website.

1.2 Registration

Applying for registration to the Technical Standards Registry is a compliance approach under the Regulation. The ministry reviews all submitted applications for registration to Technical Standards. Applicants are to submit applications to Standards Development Branch (SDB), Environmental Approvals Access and Service Integration Branch (EAASIB) and their local ministry District Office.

If the application does not fulfill the requirements for registration, including the requirements to apply, a facility will not be registered. Submission of an application is not a guarantee that a facility will be registered. Incomplete applications may be returned to the applicant without registration.

Some facilities may not be suited for registration to a Technical Standard and may not be registered. During the ministry’s review of the application, further clarification or submission of additional information may be required.

Each application will be posted on the Environmental Bill of Rights Environmental Registry (EBR) for a minimum of 45 days. All comments received will be considered in the review of the application.

The application will be reviewed to determine if the facility is eligible and the submitted information will be used to make a decision to register the facility.

Please note that even if a facility is registered, as indicated in subsections 42(2), 43(2) and 44(2) of the Regulation the ministry has the authority to request an ESDM report for the registered contaminants if there is sufficient concern regarding the contaminant.

Once a decision is made regarding registration, an EBR decision notice will be posted. The ministry’s Technical Standard Registry will contain at a minimum, the registered facility and location, NAICS code(s), contaminant(s), Technical Standard, and source(s) if associated with an Equipment Standard. The ministry will maintain a Technical Standards Registry on an internet website which the public will have access to.

Generally once registered, the requirements in the Technical Standard become the compliance requirements for the registered facility under the Regulation and the facility is legally required to follow the requirements. A section entitled “Application” in each Technical Standard in the Technical Standards publication will include the dates by which requirements must be met. The dates are generally a specified date such as February 1, 2011 (e.g. compliance date).

A facility has the option of selecting which contaminants in the Technical Standard to apply for, when there are multiple contaminants. If a Technical Standard only applies to one contaminant, the facility may only apply for that contaminant. However, if a Technical Standard lists more than one applicable contaminant, the facility can choose which of the contaminants that it will apply for.

A facility registered to a Technical Standard for a specific contaminant must follow all requirements related to that contaminant. The registration would include all sources related to the NAICS code and that contaminant.

If a registered facility moves locations, wants to register for more contaminants or another Technical Standard, a new application must be submitted for registration to the Technical Standards Registry.

1.3 How to Use this Guide

In order to assist facilities with the process of registering to a Technical Standard the ministry has developed the “General Application Form to Register to the Technical Standards Registry - Air Pollution” and this document called the “Guide to Applying for Registration to the Technical Standards Registry - Air Pollution”. In addition, each Technical Standard, if appropriate, may have its own Supplemental Form that is to be submitted with the “General Application Form to Register to the Technical Standards Registry - Air Pollution”. It is recommended that applicants read the “Technical Standards to Manage Air Pollution” document, PIBS 7306e prior to submitting an application.

This guide will provide information and guidance to help applicants correctly complete the application forms and submit proper information.

2.0 Application process

Prior to making a decision to apply for registration to the Technical Standard Registry an applicant should review the eligibility requirements in Section 4 of the “General Application Form to Register to the Technical Standards Registry - Air Pollution”. It is also recommended that the applicant reviews the Technical Standard in detail to determine if the facility will be able to meet the requirements by the specified timeframes.

2.1 Who is Eligible to Register to the Technical Standards Registry?

Subsection 39 (3) of the Regulation generally allows the Director to approve a person for registration in respect of an industry standard to the ministry’s Technical Standards Registry if certain criteria are met.

(3) The Director shall not approve an application for registration in respect of an industry standard, facility and contaminant unless all of the following criteria are met:

  1. The applicant has submitted a completed application for registration to the Director in a form approved by the Director.
  2. The Director is of the opinion that the information set out in the application for registration is accurate.
  3. The industry standard applies to the facility and the contaminant.
  4. The industry standard contains requirements that relate to at least one source of contaminant in the facility.
  5. The applicant has complied with,
    1. any provisions included in the industry standard that deal with notification of and consultation with affected persons before making an application for registration, and
    2. any requirements imposed under subsection (5).
  6. The Director is of the opinion that,
    1. discharges of the contaminant from the facility into the air will not cause an adverse effect if subsection 42 (5) or 44 (3) applies to the facility and the contaminant, or
    2. any adverse effect that may be caused by discharges of the contaminant from the facility into the air will be better prevented, eliminated or ameliorated if subsection 42 (5) or 44 (3) applies to the facility and the contaminant.
  7. There is no other industry standard that applies to the facility and the contaminant that, in the opinion of the Director, would be more appropriate.
  8. The Director is of the opinion that there is no public interest reason sufficient to refuse approval of the application. O. Reg. 507/09, s. 32 (1).

2.1.1 Special Case: An Existing Facility is applying after compliance dates in the Technical Standard have passed

Facilities may register at any time to the Technical Standards Registry. Please be aware that the given time periods for compliance (e.g. generally a specified date [compliance date]) remain in place regardless of the date of registration.

If the compliance date for a requirement in a Technical Standard has already passed when a facility applies for registration, it must meet that requirement prior to submitting an application.

For example, Facility A registered six months before a compliance date of August 1, 2015 and Facility B, also an existing facility, registered six months after the compliance date of August 1, 2015. Facility B must have already met the requirement prior to submitting the application to register to the Technical Standard.

2.1.2 Special Case: A New Facility is applying for registration to a Technical Standard

New facilities may register at any time to the Technical Standards Registry. Please note that new facilities must meet the requirements of a Technical Standard prior to applying for registration to the Technical Standards Registry. In addition, the requirements for new facilities may be different than those for an existing facility. It is expected that a new facility has an opportunity to appropriately design and operate the facility. Please refer to the applicable Technical Standard(s) for requirements associated with new facilities. For example, a new Facility C is proposed to be built February 1, 2020. It must meet all the requirements for new facilities as specified in the Technical Standard prior to applying for registration.

Another example, a new Facility D was built February 1, 2011 after a Technical Standard was first published. Facility D is able to meet the air standards at the time of first operation but predicts it will not be able to meet an air standard once the use of advanced models is required under the Regulation. Facility D meets the definition of a new facility and must meet the Technical Standard prior to submitting an application for registration to a Technical Standard.

2.1.3 Special Case: Adjacent Properties registering to Technical Standards

Section 4 of the Regulation describes adjacent properties for the purpose of the Regulation.

Adjacent properties. O. Reg. 419/05 section 4.

4. (1) Two properties are adjacent for the purposes of this Regulation if the boundary of one property touches or, were it not for an intervening highway, road allowance, railway line, railway allowance or utility corridor, would touch the boundary of the other property. O. Reg. 419/05, s. 4 (1).

(2) For the purposes of this Regulation, except section 46, two or more properties on which different sources of contaminant are located shall be deemed to be a single property if each of the properties is adjacent to one or more of the other properties and,

  1. the persons responsible for the sources of contaminant have jointly notified the Director in writing that they wish the properties to be deemed to be a single property with respect to all contaminants;
  2. the Director has reasonable grounds to believe that a contravention of section 19 or 20 may occur as a result of discharges of a contaminant from the different sources of contaminant if the properties are deemed to be a single property, and the Director has given written notice of that belief to the persons responsible for the sources of contaminant;
    • (b.1) the persons responsible for the sources of contaminant are required to prepare a report to which subsection 22 (1.1) applies, the Director has reasonable grounds to believe that a contravention of section 19 may occur as a result of discharges of a contaminant from the different sources of contaminant if section 19 applies and the properties are deemed to be a single property, and the Director has given written notice of that belief to the persons responsible for the sources of contaminant; or
  3. the persons responsible for the sources of contaminant are required to prepare a report to which subsection 22 (1.2), 23 (3), 24 (2), 30 (5) or 33 (6) applies, the Director has reasonable grounds to believe that a contravention of section 20 may occur as a result of discharges of a contaminant from the different sources of contaminant if section 20 applies and the properties are deemed to be a single property, and the Director has given written notice of that belief to the persons responsible for the sources of contaminant. O. Reg. 419/05, s. 4 (2); O. Reg. 605/05, s. 1 (1, 2); O. Reg. 507/09, s. 2; O. Reg. 282/11, s. 3.

(2.1) Subject to subsection (2.2), clause (2) (a) does not begin to apply until 60 days after the Director receives the notice referred to in that clause. O. Reg. 605/05, s. 1 (3).

(2.2) Clause (2) (a) does not apply if the Director has reasonable grounds to believe thatan adverse effect may occurif one or more of the properties are excluded from the single property and gives written notice of that belief to the persons responsible for the sources of contaminant. O. Reg. 605/05, s. 1 (3).

(2.3) The Director shall not give a person a notice under subsection (2.2) unless the Director first gives the person a draft of the noticeand an opportunity to make written submissions to the Director during the period that ends 30 days after the draft is given. O. Reg. 605/05, s. 1 (3).

(3) Before the Director gives a person a notice under clause (2) (b), (b.1) or (c), the Director shall give the person a draft of the noticeand an opportunity to make written submissions to the Director during the period that ends 30 days after the draft is given. O. Reg. 419/05, s. 4 (3); O. Reg. 516/07, s. 2.

(4) Subsection (2) applies only if every property on which a source of contaminant is located,

  1. uses raw materials, products or services from one or more of the other properties on which the sources of contaminant are located; or
  2. provides raw materials, products or services to one or more of the other properties on which the sources of contaminant are located. O. Reg. 419/05, s. 4 (4).

(5) Clause (2) (c) only applies for the purpose of preparing the report referred to in that clause. O. Reg. 419/05, s. 4 (5).

Below are examples of scenarios of how facilities that operate under section 4 of the regulation may consider applying to a technical standard.

Scenario: A, B, C and D have in the past requested to have their facilities treated as a joint property. As such they have each been submitting ESDMs that model emissions of all contaminants discharged by the four facilities. A Technical Standard becomes available for the industry sector to which A, B C and D belongs. Each of the four facilities is eligible to register under the Technical Standard.

A and B register to the Technical Standard, and C and D do not register.

A and B are now governed by the Technical Standard for the contaminants covered in the Technical Standard. They are also governed by Part II of O.Reg. 419/05 and therefore must continue to prepare an ESDM for each of their facilities for the contaminants not addressed in the Technical standard.

C and D continue to be governed by Part II of O.Reg. 419/05 and must continue to prepare ESDMs for each of their facilities.

Fact situation 1: Joint Property Status Discontinues

Assume the 4 facilities notify the Director that they wish to be treated as separate properties rather than joint properties and the Director agrees (see also 4(2.2)). This would give rise to the following compliance requirements for each of the facilities:

  1. must comply with the Technical Standard for the contaminants included in it and must prepare an ESDM for all other contaminants discharged from facility A.
  2. must comply with the Technical Standard for the contaminants included in it and must prepare an ESDM for all other contaminants discharged from facility B.
  3. must prepare an ESDM for all contaminants discharged from facility C.
  4. must prepare an ESDM for all contaminants discharged from facility D.

Fact Situation 2: Joint Property Status Continues

Facilities C and D decide that they would like to maintain the adjacent property status with A and B. A and B agree.

A and B register under the Technical Standard and C and D do not.

C and D must prepare an ESDM that includes all contaminants discharged from A, B, C and D. This would mean that in order for C and D to be able to prepare their ESDMs in accordance with the requirements under O.Reg. 419/05, A and B would have to provide to C and D all the necessary information (emissions rates, stack parameters, etc.) for all of the contaminants discharged from their facilities (i.e. even those covered by the Technical Standard for A and B). This would give rise to the following compliance requirements for each of the facilities:

  1. must comply with the Technical Standard for the contaminants they are registered for and must prepare an ESDM for all other contaminants discharged from facility A, B, C and D.
  2. must comply with the Technical Standard for the contaminants they are registered for and must prepare an ESDM for all other contaminants discharged from facility A, B, C and D
  3. must prepare an ESDM for all contaminants discharged from facility A, B, C and D.
  4. must prepare an ESDM for all contaminants discharged from facility A, B, C and D

2.2 Submission Requirements when Applying to Register to the Technical Standards Registry

Eligible facilities are to submit the following information to support their application for registration to a Technical Standard:

  • The completed General Application Form to Register to the Technical Standards Registry and any documents or information that the form specifies; and,
  • If applicable, the completed Technical Standard Supplemental Application Form and any documents or information that the form specifies.

2.2.1 General Application Form to Register to the Technical Standard Registry

The intent of the General Application Form to Register to the Technical Standard Registry (General Application Form) is to standardize the collection and format of basic information including:

  • Determining if the facility meets the eligibility criteria;
  • Who is applying (e.g. the facility name, parent company, location, contact information, number of employees);
  • What is being applied for (e.g. which Technical Standard, for what contaminants, and if applicable, which sources);
  • Where the facility is located (e.g. address, maps, zoning, nearby sensitive receptors); and
  • When the facility is operated (e.g. operating hours and days).

The General Form can be used for applications to the Technical Standards Registry as well as 30 day notifications associated with the Technical Standards. The application forms indicate with an asterisk which sections must be updated within 30 days of any changes to the information. For example, if the Technical Standard form indicates a 30 day notification is required for Section 5, Applicant Information, then once registered the applicant must submit the revised information within 30 days of the change occurring. The updated information and form must be submitted to the EAASIB, SDB and the local District Office.

This guidance follows the sections of the form. An applicant can follow the guidance to complete the sections of the application form.

General Application Form Section 4 - Eligibility Screening

There are specified criteria to determine if a facility is eligible to register to the Technical Standards Registry. All criteria must be met to be eligible to register to the Technical Standards Registry.

  1. There must be a Technical Standard for at least one of the facility’s North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. At least some of the operations of the facility must be classified as one of the NAICS codes specified in the Technical Standard that is being applied for. For example, a facility may have more than one NAICS code; therefore at least one of the facility’s NAICS codes and associated sources must be listed in the selected Technical Standard to be registered.

    The Preamble of the Technical Standards specifies which NAICS codes apply to the Technical Standard. Descriptions of the NAICS codes can be found from the Government of Canada website, including example activities and exclusions.

  2. A facility must emit at least one contaminant of the specified contaminants in a Technical Standard. A minimum of one contaminant must be requested in the application. The Technical Standards specify the applicable contaminants including the chemical name and generally includes the unique Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) number.
  3. Sometimes a facility will have operations or activities that related to more than one NAICS code. A facility must have operations related to a NAICS code listed in the Technical Standard to be eligible to register.
  4. For Equipment Standards, the applying facility must have at least one source that emits the contaminant it wishes to register for.

Note: A Technical Standard may refer to a “major modification”, or “significant modification”. Indicate on the form if the facility has had a major or signicant modification as per the definition in the Technical Standard, if applicable. Please describe the modification, including the applicable source, indicate if it was a replacement or an addition and provide the date when the change began operation for the first time. A facility with a modifications or new equipment must meet the requirements of the Technical Standard related to the modification or new equipment at the time it begins operation. Please see the Technical Standards for more information. Also indicate if those requirements were met at the time it began operation.

Section 5 - Applicant Information

The applicant is generally the owner of the facility or equipment that is the subject of the registration. However, an operator may submit an application for an owner if a letter from the owner giving authority for the operator to do so is also submitted. A copy of the legal name of the applicant must be provided. For example, a corporation provides a copy of the Articles of Incorporation showing the legal name but a sole proprietor provides a copy of a birth certificate or driver’s license, other types of organization could provide a copy of the Master Business License.

Information on the Master Business License can be obtained by contacting Service Ontario (e-channel help line) at 1-800-565-1921 or 416 314-9151.

Business Identification Number - Provide the business identification number assigned to a registered business by the Ontario Ministry of Government Services.

Applicant Type - The applicant indicates the type of legal entity that the applicant represents. Unless the applicant is a municipal, provincial or federal government, a proof of legal name of the applicant must be submitted with all hard copy applications.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code - The applicant must list all the applicable NAICS codes (6 digits where possible) which describe the business activities of the facility. At least one of the NAICS codes of the facility must be listed in the Technical Standard to be registered. It is particularly important to list all applicable NAICS codes to facilitate the review process. This is important because if multiple NAICS codes apply the exclusion under subsection 42(4) may not apply. If a supplemental form has been used to record the NAICS codes, indicate this on the general application form.

United States (US) and Canadian NAICS codes may be slightly different. Please use the NAICS codes as posted by Statistics Canada. Please note that at the time of publication, the current version was 2012.

Please note that if a facility has more than one NAICS code, it may not be able to exclude all sources of registered contaminants from the ESDM report. For example, if a facility has sources of a registered contaminant that are under a different NAICS code, those sources would require dispersion modeling in the ESDM report.

Business Activity Description - A brief description of the business endeavour, this should include products sold, services provided or machinery/equipment used.

Section 6 - Applicant Physical Address

Please provide the physical address of the applicant’s business office (this may be different from the facility). For example, a corporate head office may be the physical address of the applicant which may be in a different city that the facility to be registered.

Section 7 - Facility Location

Applications are considered on a site-specific basis. The address of the physical operations that are related to the application is very important and could be used in the decision to register a facility.

Provide the physical address(es) of the facility applying for registration (this may be different from the applicant). If there is a change to the physical location of a registered facility, a new application must be submitted for registration to the Technical Standards Registry because registrations are approved on a site-specific basis. For convenience, if a company has two facilities at different addresses but are dependent on each other then they may be treated as a single application for registration to the Technical Standards Registry if adjacent (e.g. property lines touching or across a road). For example, Building A at 2 Main Street houses the melting and pouring operations of a foundry and Building B located across the street takes the raw castings from Building A and performs the finishing operations on the castings, this could be considered in a single application. If operations are located at different but adjacent addresses (e.g. property lines touching or across a road etc.) include all applicable addresses in the application.

If a company has two facilities at different addresses and they operate independently of each other, submit separate applications for each facility. For example if, a company has a sawmill in Dryden and a sawmill in Thunder Bay, separate applications must be made.

Multi-Tenant Building - Some facilities may be located in a multi-tenant building. For example, there are industrial malls which may contain several different independent companies which occupy different units in the building. For example, a coffee shop, an industrial sales office, an automotive garage and a cabinet maker may all reside in the same building but in different units. If a facility is located in a multi-tenant building then the ministry may request additional information.

Proposed Address - If the facility is new or proposed (yet to be built) provide the proposed site location and projected start and finish dates of construction.

Geo Reference - This is another way of specifying the location of the facility. This is the geographic location of the site identified as a point or polygon coordinates in reference to the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) grid adopted for this purpose. The Map datum and zone that should be used is North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83) and the geo-referencing point that should be used is the southwest corner of the facility property.

A variety of methods could be used to determine the UTM coordinates and the related information. For example, some internet sites have programs available which will provide UTM coordinates based on an address. One may be able to use either hand held or vehicle GPS devices to determine UTM coordinates.

Map Datum - This is the UTM datum of the map or Global Positioning System (GPS) used to specify position of the point or points of reference. Currently there are two map datums in use in North America: North American Datum 1927 (NAD27) and NAD83. NAD83 is preferred, however NAD27 is acceptable. Ontario base maps are constructed using this datum.

Zone - This is the UTM zone that the facility is located; there are four UTM zones in Ontario: 15, 16, 17 and 18.

Accuracy Estimate - This is the accuracy (+/− meters) of the provided UTM northing and easting coordinates for the points of reference; the accuracy of the data depends on the method the data is generated. For example, a direct geodetic survey may have accuracy of less than 1 meter, a GPS (depending on the quality) may be 1 to 10 meters or 10 to 30 meters, and a topographic map may be 10 to 100 meters.

Georeferencing Method - This is the method used to generate the data for the provided UTM Northing and Easting coordinates for the point(s) of reference; these could be determined by geodetic survey, estimation from a map, a GPS or any other specified method.

UTM Easting - This is the distance in meters from the western delimiter of the points of reference UTM zone to the point of reference.

UTM Northing - This is the distance in meters from the equator to the point of reference.

Note: The site geo-reference points identified in this section must be shown on the scaled drawing(s) with the property lines which must be submitted with all applications.

Section 8 - Facility Technical Contact

The facility technical contact should be someone that is familiar with the operations of the facility and able to respond to questions regarding the facility and its processes. For example, the facility technical contact could be an employee that is located at the facility, or an employee that is located at another site or a third party such as a consultant, but in all three cases the person must be familiar with the operations of the facility and able to respond to questions regarding the facility and its processes.

Section 9 - Highest Ranking Employee at the Facility

The highest ranking employee at the facility could be an Owner or Plant Manager that has management responsibilities over the operations associated the Technical Standard.

Section 10 - Registration Information

Registration information is very important as it may impact the compliance requirements of a facility.

Type of Application - Please indicate if this is the facility’s first application for a Technical Standard or if this is an application to amend an existing registration such as adding additional contaminants or if it is an application for registration to an additional Technical Standard.

Current Technical Standard Reference Number(s) and Current Registration Date(s) - Please provide information regarding any existing registrations to Technical Standards. For example, provide a copy of the registration letter or information regarding which Technical Standard(s), the contaminant(s) - and date(s) of registration.

Reason for Application for Registration to the Technical Standards Registry - Please provide a brief reason for the application. For example, it is anticipated that the facility will not be able to meet the suspended particulate matter standard set out in Schedule 3 of the Regulation therefore I am applying to register the facility for all the applicable suspended particulate matter contaminants listed in the Foundries - Industry Standard.

Similarly, provide information on the requested amendments to the registration. For example, additional contaminants that the applicant would like added to the registration with a rationale. Another example may be the request for revoking the registration or removal of certain contaminants from the registration due to process changes. Again a rationale for the requested amendments is helpful to facilitate the review process.

Requested Contaminant Name(s) and Chemical Abstract System (CAS) Number(s) that is (are) listed in the Technical Standard - Please list all the contaminants that the facility would like to register for and include both the contaminant or chemical name as well as the CAS number wherever possible. If there is a long list of contaminants, please attach or refer to a separate list. For example, the supplemental form for the Foundries - Industry Standard has a list of the contaminants with the CAS numbers; therefore indicate that the list is provided in the supplemental form.

List of all other approvals, permits, orders, notices, Technical Standard registrations etc. related to air emissions - This information is helpful to facilitate the review process. For example, include Environmental Compliance Approval  number(s), order number(s), notice number(s), technical standard registration(s) and the date(s) of issue.

Section 11 - Public Notification

As part of the registration process, the ministry may request additional public notification based on the site-specific circumstances. An applicant may be asked to notify the public in addition to the posting on the Environmental Bill of Rights Environmental Registry by the ministry. The request may specify the type of notification. For example, it may be through a notice in a local paper, mailing letters to neighbours or holding a public meeting. A facility may contact the ministry prior to applying if there are any concerns regarding the possibility of public notification.

Does the facility have a public liaison committee or similar community outreach program? - Please indicate if the facility already has a community outreach program related to the operations of facility such as a public liaison committee or if the facility meets periodically with the public in open houses etc.

Specify any public notification activities (such as public meetings, public liaison committee, notification of Aboriginal communities, etc.) related to this application for registration to a Technical Standard that have been completed or are in the process of being completed. If the facility had any communication or notified its neighbours, the public, public liaison committees regarding the application provide a brief description of the communication and any feedback received.

Section 12 - Other Facility Information

The facility location could be an important factor in the decision to register a facility. Scaled drawings provide more information regarding the facility and its surroundings.

Building Dimensions with property lines (including building heights and with labels for different buildings and structures). For example, one could provide a property survey with the additional information clearly written on the document. Often ESDM reports contain this type of drawing.

Site with location of existing pollution control equipment and stacks of sources and general exhaust ventilation that have requirements in the Technical Standard on the site with special identification for all stacks and exhausts that are side vents and for rain caps. For example, a simple aerial view drawing could be provided with labels for the location of baghouses or scrubbers, and stacks that emit contaminants from the significant sources listed in the Technical Standard. For example, a foundry applying for suspended particulate matter (SPM) would identify the sources in the Technical Standard that are related to SPM and label any stacks, pollution control equipment (e.g. baghouses, scrubbers) and general exhaust ventilation that emit SPM from sources such as furnaces or pouring stations. Again, ESDM reports may also contain this type of drawing but may require some additional information such as general exhaust ventilation which may not have been included.

Map showing the facility location and the Municipal Zoning of the facility and the surrounding area to a 500 meter radius of the facility. The facility must be clearly marked on the zoning map. Municipal zoning maps may be available on-line at a city’s website or may be available for copy from the planning department of the local municipal government. Environmental Compliance  Approval applications may include a map with zoning.

Descriptions of allowable activities or types of facilities permitted in the municipal zoning surrounding the facility up to 500 meter radius from the facility. (e.g. sometimes light industrial zoning could include daycares). This information could be listed in a by-law or in a document separate from the zoning maps or could be on the map.

Map showing facility location and locations of sensitive receptors including residences, child care facilities, educational facilities, health care facilities, and senior citizen’s residences or long-term care facility within a 500 meter radius of the facility. However, it is recommended that any map of sensitive receptors be verified to ensure none have re-located or new ones appeared. This may require a drive of the surrounding area, sometimes apartments can appear above the stores in strip malls or a new daycare or senior citizen residence may have started up recently.

The distance to the nearest sensitive receptor in meters should be marked on the map.

A table of the heights of stacks and exhausts of the sources listed in the Technical Standard. This is often included in the Source Summary Table of an ESDM report.

Operational Information - Provide the reasonable maximum operating hours per day, days per week and weeks per year. For example, if a facility occasionally has overtime shifts on Saturdays, please indicate 6 days per week. Additional information regarding typical operating hours can also be included if it is significantly different from the occasional maximum operations.

Also, provide the equivalent number of full time employees working at the facility, at the time of application.

Section 13 - Required Information and List of Attachments

This section gives a checklist of the supporting information required for this application form intended to help the applicant ensure a complete application.

The information submitted is subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR). If the applicant does not claim confidentiality at the time of submission the ministry may make the information available to the public without further notice to the applicant.

Section 14 - Statement of Applicant

This section requires the applicant to identify a signing authority responsible for the facility and accountable for the application and validity of the submitted application and information. The application should include their title and that they are authorized to apply.

The following are examples of persons who can be considered signing authorities:

  • Corporation:
    • Authorized official with the authority to bind the corporation;
  • Individual/Sole Proprietor:
    • The person whose birth certificate, passport or other documentation verifying the legal name of the individual is attached to the application.

2.2.2 Technical Standard Supplemental Application Form

The intent of the Technical Standard Supplemental Application Form is to determine information specific to the requested Technical Standard and may include:.

  • types and numbers of existing sources used by the facility (e.g. 2 rotary dryers or 1 crucible furnace)
  • types of local exhaust ventilation or pollution control equipment (e.g. side draft leading to a pulse-jet baghouse)

Sector-specific Supplemental Application Forms will be available on the ministry website (follow the links to Rules on Air Quality and Pollution.

2.3 Environmental Bill of Rights - Environmental Registry

All applications to register to a Technical Standard will be posted on the Environmental Bill of Rights, - Environmental Registry (EBR) for public comment for a minimum of 45 days. Any comments received will be considered in the decision to register a facility.

3.0 Environmental compliance approvals

An Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) is required even if a facility is registered to a Technical Standard. An applicant submitting an application for a ECA must indicate in the cover letter and project description box of the application form that the facility is registered to a Technical Standard and provide a copy of the registration documentation to advise EAASIB of the specifications of the registration.

Also, an applicant may submit an application for a ECA or amendment to an ECA in conjunction with an application for registration to a Technical Standard. Under subsection 39(2), the applicant may request that the ECA be consistent with a Technical Standard.

Implementation of some of the requirements of Technical Standards may require a new ECA or an amendment to an ECA. It is recommended that ECA applications be submitted in a timely manner to avoid delays in implementing Technical Standard requirements.

4.0 Penalty for False Information

It is an offence under Section 184 of the Environmental Protection Act to knowingly give false information to the ministry in respect to matters under the Act or Regulations. Penalties for this and other violations could result in fines of up to $4,000,000 for the first conviction and up to $6,000,000 for each subsequent conviction where the offence is committed by an individual and $6,000,000 and $10,000,000 respectively where the offence is committed by a corporation.