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anF i n a l R e p o r t

E n v i r o n m e n t a lT a s k F o r c e

F e b r u a r y 2 0 0 0

Dear Mayor Mel Lastman and Members of Toronto City Council

We are pleased to submit to you the City’s first-ever EnvironmentalPlan, Clean, Green and Healthy, A Plan for an EnvironmentallySustainable Toronto. This is also the final report of the City ofToronto’s Environmental Task Force.

The Environmental Plan calls for action that will lead the city toa sustainable future in which we consider economic,environmental and societal implications together. It recommendsfocusing our efforts on the kind of world we want to leave for thosewho follow after us.

The Environmental Plan sets the direction in many key areas andbuilds on the environmental protection and enhancement effortsbeing carried out by the City, other agencies and hundreds ofindividuals and organizations from all sectors in Toronto. TheTask Force chose four key areas to work in to help move the Citytowards sustainability. These areas are:• Sustainable Transportation;• Sustainable Energy;• Green Economic Development; and • Education and Awareness.

This report is a shared vision for how to get to a cleaner, greener andhealthier Toronto. We hope you can embrace its vision and join inmaking Toronto a sustainable city.

Sincerely,

All Environmental Task Force Members

Environmental Plan Final Report

tEnvironmentalTaskForce

Councillor John Adams

Councillor Irene Jones

Councillor Jack Layton, Chair

Councillor Joan King

Councillor Jane Pitfield

Councillor Bill Saundercook


Councillor David Shiner

Ms. Suzanne Barrett,Waterfront Regeneration Trust -Lake Ontario

Dr. David V. J. Bell,York Centre for AppliedSustainability, York University

Dr. Rosalie Bertell,International Institute of Concernsfor Public Health

Mr. Jim Chisholm,CUPE Local 79

Ms. Caroline Chuang,Toronto Catholic District SchoolBoard

Trustee Mary Cicogna,Toronto Catholic District SchoolBoard

Ms. Lois Corbett,Toronto Environmental Alliance

Mr. Brian Denney,Toronto & Region ConservationAuthority

Ms. Elizabeth Dowdeswell

Trustee Christine Ferriera,Toronto District School Board

Commissioner Barry Gutteridge,Works and Emergency Services

Mr. John Mills,Environment Canada

Mr. Jonathan Gee,Environment Canada, Alternate

Dr. Wayne Roberts,Coalition for a Green Recovery

Dr. Beth Savan,Innis College University of Toronto

Mr. Bob Shaw,Ministry of the Environment

Mr. Fraser Thompson,Toronto District School Board

Mr. Fraser Wilson

Ms. Krista Lopes,Toronto Catholic District SchoolBoard

Ms. Rebecca Osolen,Toronto District School Board


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface vi Acknowledgements ix

1.0 Introduction 11.1 Background 1

1.2 Purpose of the Environmental Plan 21.3 Structure of the Plan 3

2.0 Stresses on the Environment 42.1 Key Stresses 42.2 Key Institutional Issues 13

3.0 A Vision for the Future 154.0 Current State of the Environment 21

4.1 Land 214.2 Water 264.3 Air 28

5.0 Getting to Clean, Green and Healthy 325.1 Strategies for Healthy Land 335.2 Strategies for Healthy Water 405.3 Strategies for Healthy Air 45

6.0 Moving Towards Sustainability 496.1 About Sustainability 496.2 Sustainable Transportation 516.3 Sustainable Energy Use 576.4 Green Economic Development 64

7.0 Education and Awareness 728.0 Planning, Management and Governance 83

8.1 The Current Framework 838.2 A Framework for Sustainability 85

9.0 Measuring and Reporting Progress 9010.0 Implementation 95Appendix A Consolidated Recommendations 98Appendix B List of “Quick Starts” developed by the Task Force 122Appendix C Involving Youth in Sustainability Issues 132Appendix D Glossary 133Appendix E Background Reports 135


PREFACETHE MANDATE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL TASK FORCE

The City of Toronto Environmental Task Force (the ETF) was createdby City Council in March 1998 in the belief that governments, inpartnership with citizens and stakeholders, should set the agenda forprotecting and enhancing the natural environment. The ETF wasmade up of City Councillors, City staff, representatives fromenvironmental agencies and citizens representing business, labourand environmental groups, school boards, universities and schoolsacross Toronto. The fundamental objective of the ETF was to preparea comprehensive Environmental Plan for the City.

Clean, Green and Healthy: A Plan for an Environmentally SustainableToronto (the Environmental Plan) is the result of 22 months of workby the ETF and many other people. It contains a Vision for anenvironmentally sustainable future, a Sustainability Goal, a set ofEnvironmental Principles to guide decision-making, and a series ofrecommendations aimed at improving the health of the naturalenvironment. It also contains a list of interim indicators formonitoring environmental performance, and recommendations on governance structures and processes that will help buildenvironmental considerations into decision-making processes.

HOW THE ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN WAS DEVELOPED

The development of the Environmental Plan began with a series ofworkshops that were hosted by the ETF in September 1998. Theseworkshops, attended by 100 participants, identified priority issues forthe ETF to address, and over 200 potential “Quick Start” actions toimprove the health of the environment. Thirty-four of these QuickStart actions were later forwarded by the ETF to City Council andappropriate City departments, and many were subsequently approvedby City Council (see Appendix B).

Also in September 1998, the ETF hosted a Vision and Priority SettingWorkshop. The outcome of this workshop was a Sustainability Goal,a Vision for a sustainable future, and a set of EnvironmentalPrinciples to guide decision-making (see section 3.0).

Preface


In developing the Environmental Plan, the ETF chose four areas to workin that it believed would help move the City towards sustainability.These areas were:• transportation;• energy use;• economic development; and• education and awareness.

These areas were selected because they echoed many of the keythemes that were raised in the early workshops and include issuesthat City Council had asked the ETF to work on. They alsorepresented issues in which work is not currently being carried out ina comprehensive way and in which the ETF felt it could play animportant role in bringing players together.

To address the above issues, the ETF created the SustainableTransportation, Sustainable Energy, Green Economy and Educationand Awareness Work Groups. The Work Groups were charged withidentifying gaps in the coverage of sustainability issues, developingobjectives and targets, and identifying policies, strategies and actionsto move towards environmental sustainability. The Work GroupReports are published under separate cover (see Appendix E), andtheir findings are included in the Environmental Plan in sections 6.0(Moving Towards Sustainability) and 7.0 (Education and Awareness).The Work Groups also prepared Directories that list local businessesand organizations working or providing goods and services in theseareas. The Directories are posted on the ETF website.

Part of the ETF’s mandate was to recommend a governance structurethat would incorporate advanced environmental decision-makinginto the political and administrative structure of the City. After tenmonths of discussion, the ETF released a consultation document,“Towards Advanced Decision-Making in the City of Toronto”, whichoutlined the Task Force’s ideas on sustainability and governance. Thedocument was widely distributed and feedback was solicited on it.Over 200 people commented on the document in writing or atworkshops, and the ETF subsequently developed a recommendedgovernance model, which was adopted by City Council in December1999. The recommendations are included in section 8.0 (Planning,Management and Governance).

Preface


The ETF also set up an Indicator Work Group to look at environmentaland sustainability monitoring, evaluation and reporting. Its findingsare included in section 9.0 of this Plan (Measuring and ReportingProgress).

Involvement of the broad community was a fundamental part of thedevelopment of the Environmental Plan. To inform people about theETF’s work, a newsletter was developed and four issues of it wereprepared and widely distributed. The newsletter was a major tool toinform people about ETF activities and progress. All sectors of thecommunity - citizens, business, agencies and environmental organizations- were encouraged to take part in workshops, governance meetings,monthly ETF meetings, or in the Work Groups. In total, about 1,300people participated in Environmental Task Force activities.

WHAT THE REPORT CONTAINS

Clean, Green and Healthy is a shared vision for how to get to acleaner, greener, healthier and more sustainable future. It is a strategicdocument that contains recommendations about goals, targets,policies, strategies, structures and processes that will lead us in thedirection of environmental sustainability. It sets direction in many(but not all) key areas and builds on the environmental protectionand enhancement efforts being carried out by the City, other agencies,and hundreds of individuals and organizations in all sectors ofsociety.

Preface


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Environmental Task Force members would like to express theirappreciation to the following key people whose hard work has beenvital in the development of this Environmental Plan.

We wish to thank Joanna Kidd for transforming over 30 pages ofrecommendations and 1,000 pages of documents into the report youhold in your hand.

We also wish to thank Enbridge Consumers Gas, Human ResourcesDevelopment Canada, the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, the TorontoDistrict Heating Corporation and Toronto Hydro for fundingresearch activities that have contributed to the development of theEnvironmental Plan.

Finally, we wish to thank the many, many people who have given ustheir valuable time, insights, experience and ideas since March 1998.We are sincerely grateful to each and every one of them. These arejust a few who participated in community consultation meetings,work groups and activities of the ETF:

Brad Aggarwal • Ron Alda • Gena Ali • Greg Allen • Val Aloe-Gunnell • NatashaAmott • Jason Anderson • Sarah Armstrong • Mary Anne Atell • Claire Aplevich• Nick Arrizza • Ken Ashdown • Bob Bach • Angelos Bacopoulos • SherryBagnato • Debra Bain • Lauren Baker • Frank Baldassini • Rita Banach • JohnBanka • Kara Barnard • Sevng-Wen Barg • Ana Bassios • Arthur Beauregard •Melissa Bedford • Jerry Belan • Kyle Benham • Michael Berger • DebbieBernardi • Joe Berta • Yvonne Bialowas • Alana Blackall • Pamela Blais • Jean Blundell • George Bober • Colette Boiler • Gail Bolubash • Suzanne Borup• Teresa Bosco • Tammara Boughen • Daniela Bozic • Richard Brault • JakeBrooks • Chris Broughton • Leah Brown • William Brown • Paul Bubelis •Danielle Buklis • Michael Burger • Dave Burnett • John Burns • Stan Burrows • Denis Calnar • Darca Cameron • Monica Campbell • Gary Carmichael • PatrickCarson • Maureen Carter-Whitney • Alice Casselman • Daniel Casselman • Margaret Casey • Arnold Chan • Frank Chapel • Nita Chaudhuri • Nancy

Frank BaldassiniMichael D’AndreaAdele FreemanShelley GriceFranz HartmannFred HendriksEric Krause

Eleanor McAteerJoy McCallumCarol MeeKaren PuhlmannLisa SalsbergMeg ShieldsDrew Shintani

Laura von ZittwitzJohn WarrenJane WelshJane WeningerSue Zielinski

Acknowledgements


Chavner • Daniel Cheesebourn • Mario Chiarelli • Carman Chisamore •Raymond Chiu • Pat Chiufo • Kim Choo-Ying • Jeff Chow • Richard Christie •Frances Chung • Mary-Anne Ciampini • Bill Clemens • Connie Clement • SarahClimenhaga • Darlene Clover • Frank Condlin • Lynn Cooper • Sean Cosgrove •Skid Crease • Geana Cruz • Angus Cunnigh • Kevin Currie • Michael D’Andrea• Paul Da Silva • Jed Dadson • Kate Davies • Bob Davis • Nick DeCarlo • TomDenes • Kevin Devitt • Jack Diamond • Miriam Diamond • David Dilks • R. Dodds • Zoe Dodd • Joan Doiron • Deborah Doncaster • Per Drewes • PeterDuckworth-Pilkington • Eleanor Dudar • Nicole Dufort • Dan Egan • TraceyEhl-Harrison • Kathryn Elmer • Linda Ervine • Jose Etcheverry • Linda Fair •Anne Farquharson • Heinrich Feistner • Luigi Fereira • Debbie Field • TrevorFleck • Siu Fong • Allan Foster • Bill Foster • Mieke Foster • Marion Fraser •Adele Freeman • Frances Frisken • Christine Ferguson • Naoya Furuta • PeterGabor • Elizabeth Gall • Michael Garrett • Pam Georgopoulos • Michael Gerger• Anthony Giambrone • Jessica Ginsburg • Richard Gilbert • Bob Gillespie •Sylvia Giovanella • Marci Goldman • Victor Gottwold • David Gourlay • CaroleGoyett • Dino Grande • Sonia Graci • James Gray-Donald • Michelle Grinstein.• Wayne Green • Ellen Greenwood • Micheal Greger • Shelley Grice • Lois Griffin• David Gunn • Stephen Hall • Cora Hallsworth • Angela Han • David Hanna •Moyra Haney • David Hanna • Vivian Harrower • Ron Hart • Franz Hartmann• Ruth Harrington • Roslyn Harris • Dave Harrison • Danny Harvey • DuncanHarvie • Lorne Havenuk • Bridget Haworth • Jane Hayes • Mike Heerings • KarlHemmerich • Fred Hendriks • Dale Henry • Martin Herzog • Bertila Ho • SharonHo • Ken Hogg • John Hopkins • Charles Hopkins • Norm Huebel • EliseHoughton • John Hutchison • Nikki Hutchison • Todd Irvine • Neil Irwin • Wendy Jackson • Joan Jamieson • Maja Saletto Jankovic • Andrea Jarmai •Renee Jarrett • Phil Jessup • Ruth Johnson • Bennett Jones • Laura Jones •Chaitanya Kalevar • Anda Kalvins • Jim Kamstra • Michael Keating • JackieKennedy • Frank Kershaw • Joanna Kidd • Stephen Kishewitsch • Irene Klcban• Roza Kohen • Tracey Koroveski • Eric Krause • Gord Laird • Steven Lam •Sylvia Langer • Jason Lassaline • Mae Lee • Kyle Leethan • David Leinster •Barbara Leonhart • Edward Levy • Shellen Liao • Brenda Librecz • Angela Li-Muller • K. Lindgreen • Catherine Lisiak • Diane Abbey Livingston • KevinLoughborough • Bruce Lourie • Hon Lu • Peg Lush • Robert Lyng • AndrewMacbeth • Rob Macdonalry • R.MacDonald • Alison MacGregor • DinaMacPhail • Dania Majid • Deborah Martin-Downs • Boris Mather • CraigMather • Dave Maunder • Burkhard Mausberg • Janet May • Grace Mazzone •Eleanor McAteer • Joy McCallum • Andrew McCammon • Sharon McCorquodale• Jamie McEwan • Mary McGrath • Mary McIntosh • Jen McKay • Denis McKee• Steve McKenna • James McKenzie • Virginia McLaren • Joyce McLean • FrankMcLean • Rob McMonagle • Rod McPhail • Rod McRae • Carol McSkimming •Carol Mee • Sonya Meek • David Melville • Michael Mendelson • RamMendiratta • Leigh Meraw • Michelle Meyer • Brian Milani • Joan Miles • Glen Miller • Winston Miller • Kai Millyard • Sandy Mimmo • Peter Moore •

Acknowledgements


Christopher Morgan • Councillor Howard Moscoe • Richard Morris • JenniferMorrow • Lynn Morrow • Miriam Mozes • Tom Mulligan • Laura Murphy • LisaMychajluk • Sabrina Nagpal • Jim Neff • Mike Nelson • Ron Neville • Ron Nielsen• Larry Onisto • Daniel Oster • Tom Ostler • Marcia Ouslis • Janice Palmer • LouParson • Murray Paterson • Steven Peck • Gord Perks • Anna Porretta • KimPerrotta • Nafiseh Pourhassani • Charles Purdy • Karen Puhlmann • AnjalaPuvanathan • Maogosha Pyjor • Jenn Raffin • Heather Ramsey • Judith Ramsay• Carol Ray • Bill Rees • Wayne Reeves • Liz Reynolds • Jim Robb • Dave Roberts• Ron Rock • Sandra Rodriguez • Thomas Rohricht • Daniel Romoruk • TonyaRose • Michael Rosenberg • Kathi Ross • Steven Rowe • Marilyn Roy • ElaineRubinoff • Fred Ruff • Paul Run • Brian Rutherford • Loretta Ryan • LarrySaldanigh • Maja Saletto Jankovic • Jim Salmon • Lisa Salsberg • John Schafter• Pam Schwartzberg • Ellen Schwartzel • Wayne Scott • Rosanna Scotti • SylviaSearles • Kevin Semande • Al Seskus • Ed Seto • Eric Shapero • Chandra Sharma• Kirk Shearer • Drew Shintani • Joe Sheridan • Melanie Sherwood • Meg Shields• Dalton Shipway • Judy Simon • Angela Simone • Morag Simpson • VivienneSkoberne • Nancy Smith Lea • Jennifer Smysnuik • Ross Snetsinger • BillSnodgrass • Richard Soberman • Adam Socha • Marta Soucek • ElizabethStanley • Tracey Steele • Keith Stewart • David Stonehouse • Wendy Stickland •Vide Stripinis • Ian Stuart • Karen Sun • Tammy Sutherland • Andrea Sutton •Lariss Svirplys • R. Swarbrick • Peter Swinton • Alan Swinton • Catherine Tafler• Tom Tamblyn • Monica Tang • Lana Taves • Scott Tavis • John Taylor •Stephanie Tencer • John Tersigni • Jeremiah Tesolin • Penny Thompson•Shannon Thompson • Stephanie Thorson • Sergey Tkachev • Graham Todd •Diane Tom • Susan Tomihiro • Stephanie Toner • Allan Tonks • Vera Top • JohnTranciopoulos • Victor Tryl • Karen Urban • Franca Ursitti • Andrew Vagianus• Seema Varma • Ruben Vincente • Elena Visk • Laura von Zittwitz • NikkiVecchoila • Mathis Wackernagel • Barbara Walewski • John Warren • J.P.Warren• Mary Ellen Warren • Anita Watkins • M. Weetin • Renay Weismann • JohnWellner • Jane Welsh • Sevng-Wen Barg • Jane Weninger • Sandra Weston • IanWheal • George Wheeler • Rodney White • Michael Wiggin • Jill Wigle • MackWilliams • Gary Wilkins • Chuck Wilson • John Wilson • Susan Witherly • HashWitman • Mike Wolczyk • Michael Wong • Marguerite Wong • Leslie Woo •Saurabh Yadav • Philip Yeung • Brian Young • Yvonne Yuen • Yvonne Su ManYuen • Philip Yeung • Karen Yukich • Mark Zarkowski • Sue Zielinski • AnnZimmerman • Marlene Ziobrowski • Derek Zoldy • Marlene Zuber •

Thanks also to those Agencies and Organizations who participatedin the development of the plan:Association for Canadian Educational Resources • Canadian Wildlife Service • CFLAG • Compendium Educational Services • CYLD • Don WatershedRegeneration Council • Friends of Highland Creek • Green Brick Road • HighPark Citizens Advisory Committee • Human Resources Development Canada • Humber Arboretum • International Council for Local Environmental

Acknowledgements


Initiatives • Learning for a Sustainable Future • Lever Ponds • Ontario PublicAdvisory Committee • Recycling Council of Ontario • Sustainability Network • The Green Group • The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority • TorontoAtmospheric Fund • Toronto Catholic District School Board • Toronto DistrictHeating Corporation • Toronto District School Board • Toronto District SchoolBoard Parents’ Environmental Network • Toronto Library Board • TorontoPublic Health • Toronto Regional Conservation Authority • Trillium Foundation• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization • Universityof Toronto • Warner Lambert • Waterfront Regeneration Trust • York Centre forApplied Sustainability • York University

Acknowledgements


1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BackgroundFor many years, Toronto has enjoyed a reputation as a vibrant andeminently liveable city. With the amalgamation of seven formermunicipalities into the City of Toronto on January 1, 1998, thefledgling City began the process of re-inventing itself. Borrowing thebest from the past, the newly amalgamated City began to develop thevital strategies that would lead it into the 21st century. Thesestrategies will be expressed as the City’s Official Plan, its StrategicPlan, and its Environmental Plan.

The City’s Strategic Plan develops a corporate vision with overallstrategies and targets to meet the vision. It provides broad corporatedirection for social development, economic vitality, environmentalsustainability, good governance and city building. The City’s OfficialPlan will be a road map for the new City as it enters the nextmillenium. It will guide the physical, economic and socialdevelopment of Toronto and will identify priorities for reinvesting inthe environment, economy and communities to improve quality oflife in the city. The Environmental Plan will enable the City tomaintain and enhance the natural environment while workingtowards the goal of making Toronto sustainable. Once developed, thestrategies contained in the Environmental Plan will inform theOfficial Plan, the Strategic Plan, and operational plans for Citydepartments.

To develop the Environmental Plan, City Council created theEnvironmental Task Force (ETF) in March 1998. This was done inthe belief that governments, in partnership with citizens andstakeholders, should set the agenda for protecting and enhancing thenatural environment. The ETF was made up of City Councillors, Citystaff, representatives from environmental agencies and citizensrepresenting business, labour and environmental groups, schoolboards, universities and schools across Toronto. The fundamentalobjective of the ETF was to prepare a comprehensive EnvironmentalPlan for the City. Clean, Green and Healthy: A Plan for anEnvironmentally Sustainable Toronto is the ETF’s EnvironmentalPlan.

Introduction


The approach taken by the ETF was to go beyond environmentalprotection and enhancement to address the larger issue ofenvironmental sustainability. This issue is an important one for theCity of Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), nationally andinternationally. As noted in 1991 by David Crombie in Regeneration,the Final Report of the Royal Commission on the Future of theToronto Environment:

“Half the world’s people will live in urban areas by the end of thisdecade. Whether we achieve a greater degree of environmentalsustainability over that time will therefore be determined largelyby our cities. Surely, sustainability is not possible in the long termunless we can soon find ways to regenerate our urban ecosystems,keep them in good health, and adopt more sustainable lifestyles”.

This was the challenge taken up by the Environmental Task Force.

1.2 Purpose of the Environmental PlanClean, Green and Healthy represents 22 months of intense effort onthe part of hundreds of people. It is a shared vision that articulates theEnvironmental Task Force’s best thinking on how to get to a cleaner,greener, healthier and more sustainable future, a future that will alsoprovide for the needs of our children and grandchildren. TheEnvironmental Plan is a strategic document that containsrecommendations about goals, targets, policies, strategies, structuresand processes that will help the City become a world leader inenvironmental sustainability. The Plan is not intended to be a stand-alone document. Rather, it is intended to set direction in many (butnot necessarily all) key areas. The Plan builds on the environmentalprotection and enhancement efforts already being carried out by theCity, other agencies, and hundreds of individuals and organizationsin all sectors of society. It builds on the many successes that the Cityhas already enjoyed, and that have helped make it a wonderful placeto live, work and play.

The Proposed Environmental Plan was widely distributed for reviewby City staff, agencies, community organizations and individuals.Their input was incorporated into this final version that the ETF willforward to Toronto City Council for consideration.

Introduction


1.3 Structure of the PlanSection 2.0 of the Plan provides a brief overview of key environmentalstresses and institutional issues that affect the environment andsustainability. The ETF’s vision for the future is articulated in section3.0, including its Sustainability Goal and a Set of EnvironmentalPrinciples. Section 4.0 contains an overview of current environmentalconditions, and is organized into Land, Water and Air. Section 5.0(Getting to Clean, Green and Healthy) presents some key strategies toimprove environmental conditions in our land, water and air. Section6.0 (Moving Towards Sustainability) contains the results of work thatthe ETF’s Work Groups carried out on Sustainable Transportation,Sustainable Energy Use and Green Economic Development. Anothermajor piece of work conducted by the ETF is found in section 7.0(Education and Awareness). The ETF’s recommendations ongovernance are presented in section 8.0 (Planning, Management andGovernance). Section 9.0 contains recommendations on Measuringand Reporting Progress, and section 10.0 addresses Next Steps andImplementation. An overview of how the Environmental Task Forcecarried out its work is provided in the Preface (page vi).

Introduction


2.0 STRESSES ON THE ENVIRONMENTThrough our activities - how we live, how we move about, theresources we use and the wastes we create — we cause many stresseson the natural environment. This section provides an overview ofsome of the key stresses, many of them interrelated, that affect thequality of our land, water and air. Information in this section islargely taken from the 1995 Metro Toronto State of the EnvironmentReport, the 1998 State of the Environment Report Update, andbackground reports on air, land, water and health prepared by Citystaff in 1999.

2.1 Key StressesDENSITY, LAND USE AND URBAN FORM

The number of people living in a place has an indirect effect onenvironmental conditions. All of the basic services and amenities thatpeople need - food, water, shelter, clothing, mobility, wastemanagement, recreation and community - come at some cost to theenvironment. The type and scale of impact depends on how thoseservices are provided. Food grown locally, for example, causes fewerimpacts than food grown in distant areas and transported here.Living in energy efficient houses uses less energy than living in poorlyinsulated houses. Commuting by public transit causes less pollutionper capita than commuting by car.

Stresses


GTA Boundary

416 Area Code

York592,445

up 17.3%

MetropolitanToronto

2,385,421up 4.8%

Peel852,526

up 16.3%

Halton339,875up 8.5%

Durham458,616

up 12.1%

Figure 1Population Density

905 Area Code

About 2.4 million people live in Toronto. Between 1986 and 1996, thecity’s population grew at a moderate rate (by 4.8%) much less thanoccurred in the surrounding 905 regions (Figure 1). In 1971, thepopulation of what was then Metro Toronto accounted for 72% ofthe total population in the GTA. By 1996, Toronto’s share of the GTApopulation had dropped to 51.5%. It is expected that the GTA willcontinue to experience a high rate of population growth, with itspopulation expected to increase from 4.6 million in 1996 to 6.1million by 2011 (Figure 2). Most of this population growth will takeplace in the surrounding 905 regions, with Toronto’s share of the GTApopulation continuing to decline.

The density of development has a strong impact on the environment.Low density ie. sprawl has many adverse effects. Compact form(ie. high density development) makes infrastructure efficient andcost-effective, and supports public transit use, walking and cycling.Toronto’s density has been increasing and in 1996 reached about3,786 people per square kilometre, with the highest densities found inthe former municipalities of Toronto, York and East York. Bycomparison, the average population density in the 905 region is about1,571 people per square kilometre. The lower density growth takingplace in the 905 region continues to lead to losses of agricultural landand adverse impacts on environmental resources such as forests andthe Oak Ridges Moraine.

Stresses


Population in millions

Figure 2

Toronto projected growth

01971 1981 1991 2001 2011 2021

1

2

3

4

5

905 Area projected growth

Note: Population after 1996 from OGTA projections (1993)Source: OGTA Projections (1993)

Most of the GTA's growth will be in the 905 area.

How we use land and the form in which we build on it has a directimpact on the natural environment. Urban form - as defined by thelocation, density and mix of land uses - has significant implicationsfor transportation, energy use, air quality and the protection ofnatural areas. For example, low-density, single use development isunable to support efficient transit use or service, resulting in greaterreliance on the car and higher emissions of air pollutants.

In 1991, 40% of Toronto was characterized as residential, 22% wascommercial and industrial, 12% was used for transportation,institutional and special purposes, 12% was open space, and 14% wasvacant. The significant amount of land used for employment (forexample in suburban industrial parks) is often overlooked as acontributor to urban sprawl. It is important to address these lands inany strategy to create a more compact urban form. The use of vacantlands can similarly be an important element in such a strategy.

Stresses


TRANSPORTATION

Transportation is a major stress on the environment because of the airpollutants emitted by internal combustion engines and the amount ofland that is devoted to vehicles. Water quality is also affected bytransportation because stormwater on roads and parking lots picksup heavy metals, oils and other pollutants. Toronto has a large andcomplex transportation system that moves people and goods aboutby foot, bicycle, transit, motor vehicle, rail and air. On average, everyday in Toronto 311,100 trips are made on foot, 52,300 are made onbike, 1,108,000 are made on public transit, 248,100 are made by truck,and 3,294,300 are made by automobile.

In Toronto, as across the GTA, the number of vehicles continues torise, as are the number of trips made by car. The number of vehicletrips crossing the boundary (both ways) between Toronto and thesurrounding 905 regions increased by 5.4% between 1993 and 1995.Between 1995 and 1998, the percentage of total transportation tripsmade using public transit declined, and there was an increase in thepercentage of trips made on foot or bicycle. During this period,automobile occupancy (the number of people per car) increasedslightly.

Stresses


ENERGY PRODUCTION, TRANSMISSION AND USE

Every part of the energy cycle - production, transmission and use - isa stress on the environment. Environmental impacts come from themining of coal and uranium, exploring for oil and natural gas, theconstruction of hydroelectric dams, the processing of natural gas andoil, transportation by pipeline, tanker, truck, and hydro lines, thecombustion of fossil fuels and the disposal of waste products.

Virtually all the energy used in Toronto is imported from outsidesources. About 78% of the energy used here comes from non-renewable sources - fossil fuels and nuclear power — with the balancecoming from hydroelectric sources. There is almost no energyproduced from wind or solar sources. Between 1995 and 1998,Toronto’s consumption of electricity and natural gas increased.

SOLID WASTE GENERATION AND DISPOSAL

The amount of solid waste we produce and how we dispose of it hasa major impact on the environment. This comes from the energy usedand the air pollutants emitted during collection and transportation,and the emissions to air and water from landfills. The resources(materials and energy contained in waste) are effectively lost whenwe throw it in a landfill.

The total amount of municipal solid waste produced in Torontoincreased between 1994 and 1998. However, the residential component,while still high, is steadily decreasing. In 1998, on average, each Torontoresident produced approximately 312 kilograms of solid waste. About78 kilograms or 25% of this is diverted from disposal throughreduction, re-use and recycling. Figure 3 depicts tonnage of the waste

Stresses


Tonn

es D

ispo

sed Percentage (%

)

Municipal Solid Waste Disposed (tonnes) (Y1)Residential Waste Disposed (tonnes) (Y1)Residential Waste Diverted(tonnes) (Y1)Residential Diversion Rate (%) (Y2)

0 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

800000

900000

1000000

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

City of Toronto Municipal Solid Waste (1994-1998)Figure 3

disposed and waste diverted from landfill in the city as well as theresidential diversion rate.

Toronto’s solid waste is disposed of outside its boundaries in the KeeleValley landfill site in the City of Vaughan and in landfills in the UnitedStates. The City is currently developing a strategy to manage wasteafter the Keele Valley Landfill Site closes in 2001. There are anestimated 92 closed landfill sites in Toronto, some dating back to the19th century. These are potential sources of soil and groundwatercontamination.

HAZARDOUS MATERIAL USE AND DISPOSAL

The use of hazardous materials in homes, businesses and industriescan affect indoor air quality. Improper disposal of hazardous wastesthrough spills or sewer dumping can cause contamination of soils,ground and surface waters.

Between 1994 and 1997, an average of 85,180,000 tonnes of hazardousand liquid industrial waste was generated annually in Toronto. Thisrepresents a significant reduction over a ten year period. We do notknow how much household hazardous waste is generated annually inthe city, or how much is improperly disposed of.

The use of pesticides is potentially harmful to the environment andpeople. An unknown, but extremely large amount of pesticides isused in homes, businesses and industry every year. In December 1998,the City adopted a by-law banning the use of pesticides on City

Stresses


property, except in emergency situations. In 1998, it used 3,590 litresof herbicides, 567 litres of fungicides and about 60 kilograms ofinsecticides on parks, sports fields, golf courses, roadsides and trees.In 1999, in the first year of the phasing in of the ban, pesticide use bythe City dropped by over 96% for some applications (i.e., generalparklands, sports fields and roadsides).

HABITAT LOSS AND DEGRADATION

Habitat loss and degradation are major stresses on wildlife. Over thelast 200 years, there has been a dramatic physical alteration ofToronto that has led to significant losses of natural shorelines,wetlands, streams, forests, meadows and other habitats. Impairedwater quality and contaminated sediments have reduced theavailability and quality of aquatic habitat. Development in Torontostill leads to loss of habitats such as regenerating fields and meadows.Even where natural areas are protected, degradation can take placefrom surrounding land uses and inappropriate human use. Forexample, overuse of parks can lead to erosion and loss of plantspecies.

INTRODUCTION OF EXOTIC SPECIES

The introduction of foreign species can alter the balance in terrestrialand aquatic systems. Many exotic species are now found in our parksand natural areas. These include plants such as purple loosestrife anddog-strangling vine that can out-compete native species. Exoticaquatic species such as carp, alewife and the zebra mussel havesimilarly altered the structure of aquatic communities.

WASTEWATER

Wastewater - the effluent that remains after sewage is treated - has alocalized impact where effluent is discharged in Lake Ontario. Moresignificant is the impact of Combined Sewer Overflows. When rainfallexceeds the capacity of the sewage system, discharge of dilute sewagetakes place at the City’s 79 Combined Sewer Overflow outfalls. Thiscauses impaired water quality around the outfalls, and can lead tohigh bacterial loadings at beaches.

Stresses


STORMWATER

In natural systems, most rainfall infiltrates into the ground. Inurbanized areas, like Toronto, this cannot happen because so much ofthe city (our roads, parking lots and rooftops) is impervious. Here,stormwater is a major stress on the environment. When it rains,stormwater runs over land, is collected in the City’s storm sewersystem, and is discharged into streams, rivers or the lake through2,600 outfalls. Stormwater has a significant effect on water qualitybecause of the pollutants (heavy metals, organic chemicals, bacteriaand phosphorus) that it picks up as it runs over land. The hugevolume of stormwater that rushes into streams and rivers causeserosion of streambanks and increased risk of flooding.

EMISSION OF AIR POLLUTANTS

Air pollution comes from a multitude of sources - residential,recreational, industrial, commercial and institutional - and can lead tolocal, regional and global impacts (Figure 4). Emissions from vehiclesare a major contributor to local and regional smog. Stationary sourcessuch as fossil fuel power plants are major contributors of sulphurdioxide, which affects local air quality and contributes to acid rain. All

Stresses


0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97

Tonnes in millions

Total tonnes

Sources of Carbon dioxide related emissions(City of Toronto: 1988-1997)

Figure 4

Natural gas Gasoline/Diesel Electricity

Source: Toronto Works and Emergency Services Department

combustion sources contribute carbon dioxide, a potent greenhousegas that is a major cause of climate change (global warming).

About half of the smog we experience in Toronto comes from longdistance sources in the U.S. (Figure 5).

ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

It is clear that we are putting Toronto’s natural environment undersignificant stress. Without fundamental changes in our behaviour,this stress will only increase as population and employment grows.

One way to gain an understanding of the magnitude of the stress weput on the environment is to look at Toronto’s “ecological footprint”.The ecological footprint is an accounting tool that is used to calculatehow much land is required to sustain human activities, to provide thematerials and energy needed to survive and to assimilate wastesproduced.

The calculation of Toronto’s ecological footprint shows that it needsan area 280 times its size, or roughly one-sixth the size of Ontario, toecologically sustain our current levels of consumption (Figure 6).This translates to 7.6 hectares of land per person, which is about thesame as the Canadian average. By comparison, the average Swiss andGerman citizens have ecological footprints of 5 hectares, the averageChilean is 2.5 hectares, and the average Indian, 0.8 hectares.

Stresses


Toronto 44

Cornwall 4

Niagara Falls 62

Long Point 174Windsor 62

Transboundary Pollution Effects on OntarioFigure 5

Selected Communitieswith Number of 1-HourOzone Exceedances

50% of Ontario Smog Originates in the United States

Source: Ministry of the Environment

Figure 6

If everyone on earth consumed at the rate of Toronto residents, wewould need nearly four more planets like Earth to provide thenecessary energy, resources and waste assimilation capacity. Only bychanging our actions in fundamental ways will we reduce the stresswe are putting on the environment.

2.2 Key Institutional IssuesAlthough as a society we have made progress in moving towardsecosystem approaches to planning and managing our activities, thereare still many institutional and structural issues that contribute toenvironmental impairment as surely as does pollution or resourcedepletion. The first of these is the lack of long-term thinking. Toooften, decisions are made based on annual business cycles, or three-year terms of office, or ten-year planning horizons. Rarely dodecision-makers consider the impacts of their actions on thefollowing generation.

A second issue is the lack of integration of the environment, economyand society. Too often in decision-making, economic or social issuesare examined without consideration of environmental impacts.Virtually all issues have economic, environmental and socialdimensions.

Stresses


Third is the lack of consideration of environmental costs and benefits.Environmental costs (such as pollution of ground or surface water)are still generally seen as externalities that are not factored intotraditional financial accounting systems. We still cannot easilyquantify the benefits that are provided by healthy ecosystems.

In terms of environmental protection and enhancement, ourgovernance systems are still characterized by jurisdictionalfragmentation. Responsibility for environmental matters is scatteredamong dozens of federal departments, provincial ministries,conservation authorities and municipal departments. This leads togaps and overlaps and lack of coordination of efforts.

Related to jurisdictional fragmentation is the problem of lack ofintegrated monitoring. Monitoring of environmental conditions,stresses and program successes is carried out by a multitude ofdepartments, ministries, conservation authorities and universities.Lack of coordination and protocols for data collection andmanagement means that information is often hard to locate and isstored in incompatible formats.

There is a growing understanding of the institutional barriers tosustainability, and therein lies a tremendous opportunity. More andmore citizens and decision-makers are concerned about the environment.More and more citizens and decision-makers understand about theneed to plan better, to integrate environmental considerations intoplanning and to think of long-term consequences of action. Throughthe development and implementation of this Environmental Plan, theCity of Toronto can lead the way in protecting our environmentalresources in perpetuity.

Stresses


3.0 A VISION FOR THE FUTUREEarly on in their work, the Environmental Task Force began todevelop a Sustainability Vision, a Sustainability Goal and a set ofEnvironmental Principles. These were derived by the ETF from thefeedback received from participants attending its Vision and PrioritySetting workshop in September 1998. The Sustainability Goal andEnvironmental Principles are intended to provide guidance to theCity and the Sustainability Roundtable as the Environmental Plan isimplemented. The Sustainability Vision describes what the futureshould look like, the Sustainability Goal tells us where we want to beand the environmental principles tell us what we need to do to getthere.

A VISION OF A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

In the year 2025, Toronto is a world leader in sustainable urban living.It is a city that is renowned for the quality of life experienced by itsresidents. Civic leaders credit the city’s thriving economy to measurestaken to protect the environment. Decision-makers and residentsunderstand that long term sustainability requires a healthy naturalenvironment, a healthy economy, and healthy communities. Planningconsiders the needs of future generations, the need to build in a waythat supports sustainable transportation, and the need to protect andenhance Toronto’s green infrastructure.

A system of linked greenspace follows the framework of the city’sriver valleys, ravines and waterfront. It supports a mosaic of differentkinds of plant communities ranging from woodlands to wetmeadows. These extensive natural areas support vibrant communitiesof mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates and

Vision


provide corridors for the movement of wildlife and people. They alsoact as the “lungs” of the city, pumping out oxygen and filtering airpollutants. Across Toronto, tree cover is extensive. Naturalized parksprovide many ecological, educational and recreational benefits.

The City’s stormwater management strategy has been so successfulthat river flows are returning to their historical norms. Channelizedstructures and non-essential dams have been removed from riversand streams, and water-loving trees and shrubs line their banks. Inthe spring, Atlantic salmon once again migrate up through Torontoto spawning areas in the headwaters. Constructed stormwater pondsand wetlands dot the landscape. As well as being beautiful, these cleanwater, retain it during rainstorms, and provide habitat for a widerange of indigenous and migrating wildlife.

Water quality in Toronto’s rivers, Toronto Bay and Lake Ontario isclean enough to support sensitive coldwater species such as rainbowtrout. Diverse, self-sustaining fish communities provide excellentangling opportunities, and contaminant levels in fish are barelydetectable. Bottom sediments are clean enough to support diversepopulations of clams, crayfish and other benthic invertebrates. Thewaterfront provides safe and healthy recreational opportunities forswimmers, sailors, canoeists and rowers.

Air quality in Toronto is good: Air Quality Advisories are a thing ofthe past and the air no longer makes people sick.

Vision


Toronto is serviced by a seamless, convenient and affordabletransportation system that provides a wide range of options to users.Within the city boundaries, commuters’ preferred modes oftransportation are walking, in-line skating, cycling or transit. Moreand more residents live close enough to cycle or walk to work andcan use the City’s ever-growing network of cycling and walking trails.Increasing numbers of those who work outside Toronto use theregionally integrated transit system. The number of virtualcommuters — people who work from home via electronic linkup —continues to rise.

An ever-increasing proportion of energy used in Toronto is generatedwithin its borders by clean, renewable technologies. Businesses,institutions and residents strive to meet increasingly stringent targetsfor pollution prevention, waste minimization and efficient use ofenergy and water. Increasing amounts of food are generated withinthe city’s borders in allotments, yards and rooftop gardens.

Vision


Toronto’s distinct neighbourhoods flourish and are continually beingre-invented. Within their quiet, tree-lined streets, careful redevelopmenthas fostered a mix of uses that provides shopping, cultural, recreationaland employment opportunities for residents. Development isconcentrated along transit corridors and clustered around transit nodes.

The municipal government is a leader in protecting the environment,and sets an example through its corporate environmental policies. Itworks in partnership with businesses, institutions, other agencies andthe public to achieve environmental health. City residents considerthemselves stewards of Toronto’s natural resources, and carepassionately about its air quality, greenspace system, wildlife and waterresources.

Environmental PrinciplesWHAT TO DO

1. Protect• Conserve our environmental capital and live off the interest.• Protect what is healthy: self-sustaining fish and wildlife populations,

habitats and biodiversity; parks, trails and greenways; clean air andwater; historic buildings and districts; and foodlands.

SUSTAINABILITY GOALThe City of Toronto’s environment, community andeconomy should be healthy and vibrant and should meetthe needs of today without compromising the ability offuture generations to meet their needs.

Vision


2. Prevent• Anticipate and prevent pollution of air, land and water.• Take a precautionary approach (where there are concerns about

serious harm to human or environmental health, the lack of fullscientific certainty shall not be used as a reason to postpone cost-effective, preventive measures).

3. Reduce• Reduce Toronto’s “ecological footprint” and strive for greater self-

sufficiency by: conserving energy, water and resources; reducingwaste; using local materials, foods and products; and using materialsin continuous cycles.

4. Restore• Regenerate and naturalize degraded habitats and linked green

spaces.• Remediate contaminated soils, groundwater and sediments.• Restore hydrological cycles, watersheds and river systems.

HOW TO DO IT

5. Integrate• Integrate environmental factors, along with social and economic

ones, into government, business and personal decision-making.• Involve all stakeholders (citizens, agencies, businesses, special

interests and associations) in open, accessible decision-makingprocesses.

• Accommodate different interests of our diverse population (i.e.,cultures, age groups and special needs).

• Create partnerships for action.• Consider interconnectedness among air, land, water and living

organisms, including humans.

6. Take Responsibility• Promote accountability for our own actions as individuals, businesses

and organizations (e.g., the polluter and user pay principles).• Apply green economics (i.e., seek win-win-win solutions that benefit

the environment, the community and the economy).• Consider the needs and quality of life of future generations.

Vision


7. Motivate• Provide information and sustainability education to encourage the

transition from a consumer to a conserver society.• Develop aware, engaged, committed citizenry.• Monitor results, evaluate progress, and adjust policies and programs

as needed.• Celebrate and showcase accomplishments.

Vision


4.0 CURRENT STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT

4.1 Land LANDFORMS

Toronto has many unique and significant landforms that shape itsidentity. These include the old Lake Iroquois shoreline, the TorontoIslands, the Lake Ontario shoreline (where it is in a natural state), theravine system and the valley and stream corridors. Past developmentpractices have altered many landforms through draining, levelling andfilling. Many of Toronto’s smaller creeks including Taddle and GarrisonCreeks have been filled in or banished underground. Despite the City’sravine protection by-laws, there continues to be pressure to develop andalter ravines.

SOIL QUALITY

Most of the soil in Toronto has likely been affected to some degree byhuman activities. Soil that is contaminated with toxic compounds cancontaminate ground and surface waters. It can also affect the health ofwildlife and people. Unfortunately, there is very little informationavailable on soil conditions.

Current State


Soil contamination has been documented at some sites where pastindustrial activities, such as coal gasification, fuel storage and manufacturing,took place. At such sites, heavy metals, organic compounds and petroleumproducts have been found in the soil and groundwater. Soil contaminationis a potential concern at all gas stations with underground storage tanks, inthe vicinity of closed landfill sites and where lakefilling took place prior tothe development of the Lakefill Quality Assurance Program in the 1980s.Lead levels in soil remain a public health concern because of potential healtheffects. While lead emissions have dropped significantly over the last 15years because lead has been phased out of gasoline and area smelters haveclosed, the lead that remains in soil can be a source of exposure for childrenin situations where children ingest soil.

Cleanup of contaminated soil has taken place at a few sites in Torontousing a variety of approaches. Despite progress that has been made indeveloping soil remediation technologies, cleaning up contaminated sitescontinues to be a technically challenging and expensive process, one thatposes significant challenges to landowners, investors and the City.

NATURAL AREAS

Despite the extensive changes brought about by urbanization,Toronto still possesses many beautiful, unique and ecologicallysignificant natural areas. Most of these natural areas follow theframework of Toronto’s six major watercourses (the Etobicoke,Mimico and Highland Creeks, and the Humber, Don and RougeRivers). The valley corridors and their associated valley lands andtributaries provide drainage and a diversity of habitat for terrestrialand aquatic species. They also provide north-south links for wildlifemigration, although there are many gaps and barriers that impairconnections. Natural east-west connections have largely disappeared,except for some parklands and hydro and rail rights-of-way.

Current State


Along the waterfront, natural areas are limited to the Humber marshes,High Park, the Toronto Islands, Clarke (Cherry) Beach, the ScarboroughBluffs, the Rouge Park marshes and the naturalizing parks created bylakefill (Colonel Sam Smith, Humber Bay Park, Tommy Thompson,Ashbridges and Bluffer’s Parks). East-west connections along thewaterfront are poor because there are very few natural areas and they arewidely separated.

The Ministry of Natural Resources has identified 12 Areas of Naturaland Scientific Interest in Toronto that have outstanding natural values.This includes the Rouge River marshes, parts of the Toronto Islands, theDon Valley Brickyards and the Scarborough Bluffs. The Toronto andRegion Conservation Authority has identified and designated 51Environmentally Significant Areas (ESAs). These ESAs are extremelydiverse and include the Thistletown Oxbow, the Wilket Creek Forest,Lambton Woods and High Park. Agencies, groups and the formermunicipalities of Toronto of Toronto have identified 42 additionalnatural areas that currently have no status or protection.

Toronto’s natural areas are invaluable resources. Although far fromuntouched by human influence, they are the only remnants of the area’soriginal natural ecosystems. They maintain and support the area’s nativeplant and animal species, and provide recreational opportunities forresidents and visitors. To improve their health, we need to expand thenumber of natural areas, protect existing connections and restore thosethat have been lost.

Current State


VEGETATION

While a vast amount of Toronto’s natural vegetation has been lost tourbanization, much remains in natural and semi-natural condition. TheToronto Field Naturalists have documented 1,223 different species ofvascular plants in Toronto. About 30% of these are considered to belocally, regionally or provincially significant. Toronto still containsremnants of Carolinian Forest, which is characterized by broad-leavedtrees such as oak, hickory, beech, sycamore and sassafras. RemnantCarolinian stands are found in the lower Humber, Don and Rouge Rivervalleys, High Park, the Toronto Islands and along the Scarborough Bluffs.

Of the 1,223 species of plants documented here, about 40% areintroduced. In some parks and natural areas, introduced species such aspurple loosestrife, dog-strangling vine and buckthorn have becomeestablished and threaten to displace native plants.

WILDLIFE

A considerable variety of wildlife is found in Toronto, although manyoriginal species, most notably large predators such as wolf and bear, areno longer found. Toronto’s mammal community is typified by smallspecies that are tolerant of habitat disturbances and can live close topeople. Forty species of mammals have been documented here, includingcoyote and whitetail deer.

Current State


Toronto supports many birds, but relatively few species because oflimited habitat diversity and a lack of large habitat blocks. About 267bird species have been identified here, ten of which are provincially ornationally rare, threatened or vulnerable. Peregrine falcons, consideredrare, began nesting again in Toronto in 1996. The waterfront remains asignificant area for migrating birds, partly because it lies between twooverlapping migratory flyways, the Atlantic and Mississippi. Waterfronthabitats such as the Toronto Islands and Tommy Thompson Parksupport large populations of fish-eating colonial waterbirds includingring-billed gulls, black crowned night herons and common cormorants.These species, which were once wiped out locally because of the presenceof persistent organic contaminants such as DDT and PCBs, haverebounded as the levels of these contaminants have declined in the GreatLakes Basin.

There are 22 species of reptiles and amphibians found in Toronto, eightof which are considered rare and five considered uncommon. About 158species of butterflies and moths have been identified here. The TorontoIslands, Tommy Thompson Park and Clarke (Cherry) Beach areimportant staging areas for the migration of butterflies.

Current State


4.2 WaterSURFACE WATER

Toronto’s surface water quality is affected both by land use andpractice upstream (beyond the city’s boundaries) and within the cityitself. Generally, water quality in Toronto’s rivers declines as onemoves downstream. Surface water quality is best in the Rouge River,where extensive natural areas remain, and worst in the Don, wherethe watershed is almost entirely urbanized.

One of the most basic measures of water quality in surface waters isthe amount of phosphorus present. In general, phosphorus levels insurface waters have declined over the last 30 years due to improvedsewage treatment and restrictions on phosphates in detergents.Nevertheless, phosphorus levels in Toronto’s streams and rivers andin the Lake Ontario nearshore remain high, exceeding the ProvincialWater Quality Objective (PWQO).

Levels of bacteria (faecal coliforms) in Toronto’s rivers and streamsare constantly high, and trends suggest that levels are increasing.Along the waterfront, bacterial levels are high enough at times to closemany of Toronto’s 20 beaches. Figure 7 illustrates the number ofbeach closing in Toronto at five sampling locations. The constructionof the Eastern Beaches Detention Tanks in the early 1990s has vastlyimproved water quality at Toronto’s eastern beaches and kept themopen. The Western Beaches Detention Tank, now under construction,should improve bacterial levels at the Humber Bay beaches.

Current State


Tonn

es D

ispo

sed

Etobicoke 3Toronto West 4Toronto East 4Central Toronto 7Scarborough 2

Beach Postings in TorontoMaximum Percentage of Days Posted, 1994-1998

Figure 7

0

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

50

100

Source: Toronto Public Health, Community & Neighboroughhood Services, City of Toronto

Heavy metals (such as lead, mercury and copper) and toxic organiccompounds (such as PCBs and pesticides) are also found in low levelsin Toronto’s rivers, streams and the lake. Occasionally, some heavymetals have been measured in river water at levels that exceed thePWQO. Heavy metals and toxic organic compounds are also found inLake Ontario bottom sediments, although concentrations havedeclined over the last 20 years, particularly for lead and PCBs.Sediment conditions are worst in the Inner Harbour and at themouth of the Humber River.

Warming temperatures associated with climate change may have asignificant effect on area rivers and streams. Lower rates ofprecipitation will likely reduce baseflows in rivers and lower waterlevels in Lake Ontario.

DRINKING WATER

The City’s drinking water system includes four water filtration plantsand hundreds of kilometres of water mains and pipes that delivertreated drinking water to users. Water quality is tested regularly inthe system, with over 250,000 samples taken annually. Treateddrinking water meets all provincial and federal drinking waterguidelines. In recent years, taste and odour compounds in drinkingwater have been a problem during the summer months when warmtemperatures in Lake Ontario cause algae to proliferate. This reducesthe appeal of the City’s drinking water to consumers. To address thetaste and odour problem, the City has installed activated carbonfilters at three of its water treatment plants, and will install them atthe R.C. Harris Plant in 2000. The City will also be examining theeffectiveness and feasibility of extending intake pipes further into thelake to use colder, cleaner raw water.

Current State


FISHERIES

Toronto’s streams, rivers, ponds, wetlands, lagoons, embayments andopen lake support diverse warm and coldwater fish communities. Intotal, 73 species of fish are found here, of which four species areprovincially rare or threatened, or nationally vulnerable, threatenedor endangered. The diversity of species varies across the watersheds,with the greatest number of species (48) being found in the HumberRiver Watershed and the least (14) being found in Mimico Creek.Toronto’s significant fisheries, including the Humber and Rouge RiverMarshes and the lagoons of the Toronto Islands, support diverse andhealthy fish communities supported by top order predators such aspike, bass, trout and salmon. Where habitat is poor, fish communitiesare characterized by the presence of pollution-tolerant, generalistspecies such as white suckers and carp.

Levels of contaminants such as mercury, PCBs and other prioritypollutants in fish have been declining over the last 15 to 20 years,reflecting bans on the use of these substances. In recent years, the rateof decline has slowed. Because of the presence of contaminants, thereare currently consumption advisories on 13 species of fish foundalong the Toronto waterfront and 7 species found in our watersheds.

4.3 AirLOCAL AIR QUALITY

Toronto residents are increasingly concerned about its air quality, andits potential impact on their health. Toronto is becoming the smoggiestmetropolitan area in Canada, and air pollution is bad enough toincrease hospital admissions and increase the rates of respiratory andcardiopulmonary disease and death. Air quality here is affected bothby pollutants emitted from sources here, and by pollutants emittedfrom distant sources.

At five monitoring stations scattered across Toronto, the Ministry ofthe Environment measures the level of common air pollutants (sulphurdioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, inhalable particles andground-level ozone). While levels of some pollutants such as sulphurdioxide, lead and particulates have dropped significantly since the1970s due to environmental regulations and pollution controlmeasures, recent scientific studies have demonstrated that serioushealth impacts can still occur at these lower levels.

Current State


Two of the major ingredients of smog - ground-level ozone andinhalable particles - are the greatest concern for public health.Ground-level ozone is formed when nitrogen oxides and volatileorganic compounds react in the presence of sunlight. Nitrogen oxidesare emitted from many sources including vehicles, power plants,incinerators and a wide range of industries. Volatile organiccompounds come from motor vehicles, the combustion of wood, andthe production and use of solvents and paints. More than half of theground-level ozone found in Ontario comes from distant sources inthe U.S.

Inhalable particles (known as PM10 and PM2.5) are made up of tinyparticles of sulphates, nitrates, organic compounds, metals and soildust. They are generated as wind-blown dust from roads,construction sites and agricultural areas, as ash from forest fires, andas emissions from vehicles and industry.

In Toronto’s air, the levels of ground-level ozone and inhalableparticles commonly exceed the levels at which serious health effectshave been demonstrated. Primarily because of vehicle use, annualmean levels of ground-level ozone continue to exceed the NationalAmbient Air Quality Objective of 15 parts per billion. Torontoresidents are frequently exposed to ozone levels of 25 parts per billion,which is the level at which increased rates of asthma attacks,respiratory infections and hospitalization is expected. They are alsoexposed to levels of inhalable particles at which one can expectincreases in hospitalizations for heart and lung disease and prematuredeath.

Current State


0

2

4

6

8

10

1996 1997 1998 1999

Days

Year Source: Ministry of the Environment

Number of Air Quality Advisories(Smog Days) in the City of Toronto

Figure 8

Air Quality Advisories are triggered in the summer months becauseof high levels of ozone and inhalable particles. The number of AirQuality Advisories is related closely to the weather, with increasedepisodes of poor air quality linked to hot, sunny conditions (Figure8). With global warming, we can expect worsening smog as averagesummer temperatures rise.

Recent research by Health Canada indicates that nitrogen dioxidemay also be a significant health concern. This is meaningful forToronto because it has the highest nitrogen dioxide levels in Ontario.As with other large urban centres, motor vehicles are the maincontributor to nitrogen dioxide levels.

Vehicles are also the primary source of carbon monoxide. Levels ofcarbon monoxide gas sometimes exceed provincial criteria near sometransportation corridors in Toronto where traffic volume andbuildings create a “canyon effect” in which concentrations of the gasbuild up.

Lead levels in ambient air have decreased significantly in the last 15years. This is attributable to the phasing out of lead from gasoline,industrial abatement programs, and the closing of major local sourcesincluding two lead smelters.

GLOBAL AIR ISSUES

Most scientists agree that the emission by humans of “greenhousegases” is leading to global warming (or climate change). Over the pastcentury, the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Region, which includesToronto, has warmed a significant amount, by 0.5° C. The majorcontributor to this warming trend is the release of greenhouse gasessuch as carbon dioxide and methane. In Toronto, carbon dioxideemissions declined significantly from 1992 to 1995. Between 1995 and1997, however, this trend reversed and carbon dioxide emissionsincreased almost back to the 1992 level. This is attributed to a higherpercentage of electricity being generated from fossil fuel sources.Predictions of what climate change will mean for the Toronto areavary because of uncertainties about the emissions of greenhouse gasesand the difficulties of modelling the complex factors that affectclimate. However, many scientists agree that we can expect moreextreme weather events, including floods, droughts, hurricanes andtornadoes.

Current State


The stratospheric ozone layer is a thin layer, about 25 kilometresabove the earth’s surface that acts as a protective shield against thesun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Scientists first noticed that theozone layer was shrinking in the late 1970s, and attributed the causeto emissions of compounds containing chlorine and bromine (CFCs).The depletion of the ozone layer is a great concern because more UVrays are allowed through. Increased levels of UV radiation can lead tolower crop yields and increased levels of skin cancer in people. Toaddress the issue, many governments have banned chlorine andbromine-containing compounds used in air conditioning,refrigeration, and fire extinguishers. During the 1990s, the thicknessof the stratospheric ozone level was about 5% lower than it was inthe 1960s and 1970s. Between 1993 and 1997, the thickness of thestratospheric ozone level improved slightly.

Current State


5.0 GETTING TO CLEAN, GREEN AND HEALTHYThe strategies and recommendations contained in the following sectionsfor Land, Water and Air have been put forward by the EnvironmentalTask Force to address key needs. As outlined in section 1.0 of this Plan,the Strategies for Land, Water and Air are not intended to becomprehensive, but are meant to highlight and augment theenvironmental policies, programs, regulations and by-laws that exist atthe City, within other agencies, and in non-governmental sectors. Inmany cases, obvious gaps are addressed in recommendations made insections 6.2 (Sustainable Transportation), 6.3 (Sustainable Energy Use),6.4 (Green Economic Development) and 7.0 (Education and Awareness).

While the recommendations in this section are divided into Land, Waterand Air, it is important to understand that these compartments of ourenvironment are not separate, but are in fact interconnected. Persistentpollutants – compounds that do not break down easily – that we spill onthe ground, for example, can move and eventually contaminate air,groundwater and streams. Similarly, when we take action to help clean upour soil, it will also have a beneficial effect on our air and aquatic systems.We recognize this and operationalize it by using an ecosystem approachto planning and restoration, one that recognizes the interconnectednessof land, water, air, humans and other living things.

As part of the ecosystems in which we live, humans both affect theirsurroundings and are affected by them. When we pollute or degrade theenvironment, we also potentially affect human health. We can be exposedto pollutants through the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the waterwe drink. We can also be exposed through direct contact with toxicmaterials in the workplace, at home and in our hobbies. One of the mostcompelling reasons to clean up the land we live on, the water we drinkand swim in, and the air we breathe, is to reduce (and eventually)eliminate health impacts from environmental conditions.

POLLUTION PREVENTION

To move towards a clean, green and healthy Toronto, the City needsto adopt the principle of pollution prevention planning. This is anapproach that considers how discharges of pollutants can beminimized or eliminated. This includes the consideration of optionssuch as the substitution of non-toxic or less-toxic materials or

Prevention


processes, setting guidelines to minimize materials use, energy useand waste production, and using closed loop systems in which no pollutants are emitted.

1) Adopt the Principle of Pollution Prevention PlanningRecommended that the City adopt the principle of pollutionprevention planning so that actions taken by the City of Torontoare based on preventing, or at least minimizing to the greatestextent possible, the release of pollutants into the environment.

RIGHT TO KNOW

Toxic materials are potentially hazardous to the environment,residents and emergency services personnel such as fire and police.Community Right to Know By-Laws are used in some cities to keeptrack of where toxic materials are used, manufactured and stored.They could be used to get information on pollutant emissions andhistoric land uses that may have caused soil contamination such aslandfills, refineries and coal gasification plants.

2) Develop a Community Right to Know By-lawRecommended that the City develop a Community Right to KnowBy-law that empowers community members to know the location,sources and health effects of toxics in their community. A reporton the proposed By-law shall be submitted to Council and theSustainability Roundtable by the end of 2000. The By-law should: a) include the collection and dissemination of information

concerning historic land use, emissions of toxic pollutants, andthe use, manufacture, disposal, and storage of toxic materialsand waste;

b) include inventory lists and maps of locations; and c) be developed in consultation with appropriate city departments,

relevant community groups such as the Canadian UniversityResearch Alliance and environmental groups.

5.1 Strategies for Healthy LandPARKS AND NATURAL AREAS

The parks and greenspaces that we use for walking, picnicking, ballplaying and birdwatching are oases of green in our largely concreteurban home. These areas perform important ecological, social andrecreational functions. While Toronto is renowned for its system ofparks and greenspace, it will be necessary to expand the system as the

Land


population grows. This expansion will likely include outrightacquisition of parklands and greenspace, which needs to complementthe land acquisition program of The Toronto and RegionConservation Authority. The City should also explore innovative waysof meeting future needs, through mechanisms such as conservationeasements, accessing underused lands (such as utility rights-of-way)and enhancing existing parks. Attention should be paid to improvingthe connections between parks and greenspace areas with an aim ofhaving a linked network of greenspaces throughout Toronto.

3) Increase Parks and Natural AreasRecommended that the City report to Council and the SustainabilityRoundtable before the end of 2000 on a Land Acquisition Strategy forparks and natural areas that will:a) protect and conserve the City’s greenspaces;b) address innovative ways to accommodate the needs of a growing

population and increased density;c) address potential mechanisms to fund acquisition;d) increase the interconnectedness of the City’s greenspaces; and e) complement The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s

acquisition programs.

NATURAL HERITAGE

Toronto has many unique and beautiful natural features, includingparks, Environmentally Significant Areas, forests, meadows, wetlands,beaches, bluffs and ravines. These provide the residents of Torontowith wonderful opportunities for recreation and nature appreciation,and provide a diversity of habitats for animals and aquatic species.They also perform many other ecological functions; they retainstormwater, prevent erosion, filter out pollutants from water andair, and provide oxygen. These natural areas are our “greeninfrastructure”, and are as vital to the health of Toronto as its road orsewage system.

The City needs to develop a Natural Heritage Strategy to ensure thatits natural features are protected, restored where necessary, and linkedinto a green network. The Strategy needs to explore opportunities forstewardship initiatives, develop partnerships with landowners, schoolboards and community groups, and access underused lands such ashydro and abandoned rail corridors.

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4) Develop a Natural Heritage StrategyRecommended that the City report to Council and theSustainability Roundtable before the end of 2000 on thedevelopment of a Natural Heritage Strategy. This Strategy should:a) protect existing natural heritage features and functions;b) identify opportunities to create or enhance linkages between

greenspaces and greenway corridors;c) identify opportunities and priorities for environmental

restoration and stewardship initiatives; d) address ecological health, recreation and tourism opportunities;

ande) identify opportunities for partnerships with landowners, school

boards and community groups.

TREES

Trees are one of nature’s true miracles: they remove one of our wastes(carbon dioxide) from the air, provide us with the oxygen we need tosurvive, moderate temperature and moisture in our communities,prevent erosion, retain stormwater, infiltrate groundwater andprovide habitat for invertebrates, birds and mammals. Trees alsoimprove our quality of life by making our city more beautiful. Formany years, Toronto was known as the “City of the Trees” because ofits extensive urban forest. But this urban forest has suffered in recentyears from neglect and the stresses of air pollution, disease anddrought. The City needs to focus on improving the health of its urbanforest through better management. It also needs to plant a great manymore trees (and shrubs) across the city. This will not only improvequality of life for residents, but will also improve air quality and helpthe City meet its targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

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5) Plant More TreesRecommended that the City support the efforts of the Council’sTree Advocate to:a) improve the health of the City’s Urban Forest; andb) implement an annual program of tree planting.

LANDFORMS

One form of our natural heritage that is often overlooked is thelandforms that help provide a distinct sense of place. Toronto’sphysiography has largely been shaped by the glaciers in the last Ice Age.The legacy that remained after those glaciers retreated includes ourpresent day ravines and river valleys, the old Lake Iroquois Shorelinethat runs along Davenport Road and drumlins (areas of sand andgravel deposits). For much of Toronto’s early history, the preferredapproach to development was to fill in and level off these landforms.Attitudes have changed since then, and we now need effectivemechanisms to protect these significant landforms from alteration.

6) Protect LandformsRecommended that the City develop policies, by-laws and othermechanisms to protect significant landforms including ravines,river valleys, the Lake Iroquois shoreline, the Lake Ontarioshoreline including beaches and bluffs, and drumlins.

PESTICIDES

Pesticides (insecticides, herbicides and fungicides) are potent chemicalsthat are designed to kill unwanted insects or plants. Unfortunately, useof them can have unintended side effects including the death of non-target species, the exposure of people to toxic substances, andcontamination of water bodies. The City has made significant progressin eliminating the use of pesticides on its properties, but needs to movefurther. The use of alternatives to pesticides (such as Integrated PlantHealth Care) should be institutionalized in City Agencies, Boards andCommissions, and the City should play a leadership role in reducingpesticide use in homes, businesses and institutions.

7) Eliminate the Use of PesticidesRecommended that the City adopt a goal of elimination ofpesticides, where possible. It should:a) support the work being done by the Toronto Inter-Departmental

Environmental Team to reduce and eliminate pesticide usethroughout the City of Toronto;

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b) request all City Agencies, Boards and Commissions to developplans, if such plans have not yet been developed, to banpesticide use except in emergency or exceptional situations, onall City lands by December 31, 2000; and

c) develop a strategy to eliminate pesticide use on private lands.

GREEN ROOFS

A bird’s eye view of Toronto shows a landscape dominated by hard,impervious surfaces – roads, parking lots and rooftops. Thesehardened surfaces alter the hydrologic cycle, meaning rainfall has tobe collected, transported and treated as stormwater rather than filternaturally into the ground. These hardened surfaces also increasereflection of the sun’s heat, creating what is known as a “heat island”.Replacing conventional flat roofs with green roofs can significantlyreduce these problems. Green (or Living) Roofs are designed to allowgroundcovers and gardens to be grown on them. Green Roofsimprove air quality, reduce stormwater runoff, conserve energy inbuildings, reduce carbon dioxide levels, improve microclimate,increase access to greenspace and can support local food production(see recommendation 39). The City should take a leadership role inpromoting the use of Green Roofs on its own buildings and in newdevelopments.

8) Encourage Green RoofsRecommended that the City report to Council and theSustainability Roundtable before the end of 2000 on a strategy toencourage green roofs and rooftop gardens. The strategy should:

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a) address the potential for retrofitting green roofs and rooftopgardens on City-owned buildings;

b) address how green roofs and rooftop gardens can be implementedin new developments; and

c) address the environmental benefits that can be derived fromgreen roofs and rooftop gardens (e.g., CO2 reduction, stormwaterretention, microclimate improvements, etc.).

SOLID WASTE

City residents generate a lot of residential solid waste - about 330kilograms per person annually. Currently, only about 24% of this isdiverted from disposal through reduction, re-use and recycling. Thisneeds to be dramatically increased in order to lessen theenvironmental impacts that come from collecting, transporting anddisposing of this waste. There are many proven systems that can helpthe City move “beyond the blue box” to achieve diversion rates greaterthan 50%. These, along with producer responsibility initiatives andeffective 3Rs education and outreach can achieve dramatic results.

9) Increase the Diversion of Solid WasteRecommended that the Commissioner of Works and EmergencyServices report to Council and the Sustainability Roundtable on astrategy to divert 100% of the City’s solid waste resources by 2020,with an interim target of 75% by 2010.

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE

Currently, the City provides two options for residents wishing toproperly dispose of household hazardous waste such as solvents,paints and pesticides. Residents can drop off wastes at one of theCity’s waste transfer stations or landfills, or arrange collection by the“Toxic Taxi” pick up service. The relative inconvenience of theseoptions, as well as the low level of awareness of the need for properdisposal means that large quantities of household hazardous wastesare still placed in with regular garbage or poured down drains orstorm sewers. This puts waste collection and sewage treatment plantworkers at risk of exposure, and allows toxic materials to enter ourstreams, rivers and Lake Ontario. To reduce risks to workers andenvironmental contamination, the City should explore options forregular pickup of household toxic materials at curbside and forproducer responsibility initiatives such as depots for used batteriesat retail outlets.

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10) Explore the Feasibility of Curbside Collection of and ProducerResponsibility for Household Hazardous WasteRecommended that the Commissioner of Works and EmergencyServices report to Council and the Sustainability Roundtablebefore the end of 2000 on the feasibility of establishing:a) a curbside household hazardous waste program, beginning with

a review of best practices and a pilot project; and b) producer responsibility initiatives such as depots for used

batteries at retail outlets.

CONTAMINATED LANDS

In many parts of Toronto, soils and groundwater are contaminatedwith toxic metals, petroleum products and other organic compounds.These are an unwanted legacy from past industrial activities(including spills, storage and waste management), old landfills,lakefilling and lead from automobile exhaust. These lands posepotential threats to people, wildlife and the environment. The Cityneeds a strategy to clean up city owned and privately owned landsand return them to productive use. This should include aninformation system to track potentially contaminated andcontaminated sites and a protocol to ensure that cleanup adequatelyprotects people and the environment. The strategy should includeincentives for reinvestment by the private sector and be coordinatedthrough the City’s planning and development processes.

11) Clean Up Contaminated LandsRecommended that the City, with the Sustainability Roundtable,develop a strategy to clean up city and privately-ownedcontaminated lands. The strategy should include:a) a comprehensive land use inventory and groundwater information

system to facilitate the identification of potentially contaminatedsites and integrate soil and groundwater information;

b) a protocol that ensures that human health and the naturalenvironment is adequately protected on all developments onpotentially contaminated land;

c) strategies for cleaning up land that is not slated for development;and

d) incentives for re-investment in contaminated lands.

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5.2 Strategies for Healthy WaterRIVERS, STREAMS AND THE WATERFRONT

Much attention has been focused on the condition of Toronto’s rivers,streams and waterfront since 1987 when the International JointCommission (IJC) designated Toronto as one of 43 Great Lakes Areasof Concern because of poor water quality. Through the RemedialAction Plan that was developed in response to the IJC’s designationand other initiatives, work is underway to restore the health ofToronto’s watersheds and waterfront. This work is being carried outby the City, the provincial and federal governments, the ConservationAuthority, the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, community groups andnon-governmental organizations. The City should report on theprogress being made in these remediation and restoration efforts.

12) Restore the Health of Rivers, Streams and the WaterfrontRecommended that the City prepare a report, with recommendationsfor action, for Council and the Sustainability Roundtable before theend of 2000 on new initiatives and on the work being done by CityDepartments, The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, theWaterfront Regeneration Trust, federal and provincial agencies,community partners and community-based watershed groups to:a) restore water quality along the waterfront and in streams and

rivers; b) revegetate and naturalize stream and river banks and the

waterfront; c) reclaim the City’s buried creeks and streams; d) carry out aquatic habitat restoration projects; and e) effectively monitor environmental conditions within the

waterfront and watersheds.

COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOWS AND STORMWATER

In the lower reaches of Toronto’s rivers and along the waterfront, themajor source of water pollution is the 79 Combined Sewer Overflowsoutfalls that discharge dilute sewage during large rainstorms.Stormwater is also a major stress on Toronto’s watersheds andwaterfront. When it rains, a vast amount of stormwater runs overland, is collected in storm sewers, and is discharged into watercoursesthrough the 2600 stormwater outfalls that dot Toronto. The City isdeveloping a Wet Weather Flow Management Master Plan to addressthese issues. The Plan needs to dramatically reduce combined seweroverflows and improve stormwater management. It needs to view

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rainwater as a resource (to be used in gardens, parks and yards, toinfiltrate into the ground) rather than a waste. Priority must be placedon source reduction through such means as downspoutdisconnection, rainbarrels, infiltration pits and replacement ofimpervious surfaces with permeable ones. Flows need to be managedon a watershed, rather than a sewershed basis, in order to tie in withwatershed restoration efforts. Innovative, non-structural approachesfor managing stormwater such as retention ponds and wetlandsshould be encouraged.

13) Eliminate Combined Sewer Overflows and Improve StormwaterManagementRecommended that the City eliminate combined sewer overflowsand improve stormwater management. The City should:a) view rainwater as a resource;b) place priority on source reduction rather than conveyance orend-of-pipe controls;c) manage wet weather flows on a watershed basis;d) encourage innovative, natural and non-structural methods ofreducing and managing stormwater;e) develop strategies to “unpave”Toronto by reducing the amountof impermeable land; andf) complete the Wet Weather Flow Master Plan by January 2002and implement it as quickly as possible.

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DISCHARGE OF POLLUTANTS INTO SEWERS

The discharge of industrial chemicals into sewers can have a negativeimpact on the workers and operations of wastewater treatmentplants. It also can contaminate the biosolids (sludge) produced inwastewater treatment, which can make it unfit for spreading onagricultural land. In leaky pipes, contaminants can migrate into thesurrounding soil and groundwater. The City needs to finishdeveloping and then implement an effective Sewer Use By-Law toprevent the discharge of pollutants from industries. It also shouldlook at ways of containing and treating the runoff from snow piles,and options for treating leachate from landfill sites.

14) Prevent the Discharge of Pollutants into SewersRecommended that the City prevent the discharge of pollutantsinto sanitary sewers. It should:a) by June 2000 adopt a Sewer Use By-Law that prevents pollution

and improves the quality of biosolids produced in wastewatertreatment;

b) include in the Sewer Use By-law a provision to developEnvironmental Emergency Plans to prevent and recover fromEnvironmental Emergencies;

c) after completion of the Sewer Use By-Law, encourage otherupstream municipalities to adopt similar by-laws to protectwatercourses and aquatic communities;

d) develop its own internal standards for wastewater treatmentplants that exceed the requirements of Certificates of Approval;

e) address options to contain and treat runoff from snow piles; andf) explore options for treating leachate from landfill sites that

avoid treatment at a wastewater treatment plant.

WATER USE

On average, Toronto residents use a lot of water in their homes, about250 litres per person per day. This translates to about 1.2 billion litresof water a day for residential use. The bulk of this is used inside thehouse, for flushing the toilet, showering, and washing dishes andclothes. In the summer months, a significant amount is used forwatering lawns and gardens and washing cars. Significant amountsof water can be conserved in the home by using modern, efficientfixtures, especially toilets and shower heads.

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Water conservation saves the City money that otherwise would bespent on conveying and treating water and wastewater. (One third ofthe Corporation’s energy purchase annually - about $31 million - isused for water and wastewater treatment). It also effectively increasesthe capacity at wastewater treatment plants, and postpones the needfor expansion. Water conservation also saves the homeowner money.The City should aggressively implement the strategies beingdeveloped in the Water Efficiency Plan in order to meet the targets setfor reduction in water use. As part of its Water Efficiency Plan, theCity should consider innovative ways to reduce water use such asclosed loop systems and grey water re-use.

15) Reduce Water UseRecommended that the City prepare a report for Council and theSustainability Roundtable before the end of 2000 on waterefficiency and conservation. The report should:a) address the implementation of the strategies being developed

in the Water Efficiency Plan; b) include innovative strategies to reduce water use such as the re-

use of grey water; andc) set aggressive short and long-term targets for reduction of water

use in all sectors.

SANITARY SEWERS

Many of the City’s sanitary sewers are old and in need of repair orreplacement. Leaky sewers pose two serious problems. Sewage canleak out of sewers and migrate into ground and surface water. Also,groundwater can seep into sewers, increasing the amount that thenhas to be treated at the wastewater treatment plant. Rather thanreplacing these sewers, which is costly and disruptive, the City shouldexamine innovative ways of improving their performance such as re-lining.

16) Improve the Environmental Performance of Sanitary SewersRecommended that the City prepare a report for Council and theSustainability Roundtable before the end of 2000 on innovativemethods of improving the environmental performance of sanitarysewers to reduce leakage and infiltration.

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ALTERNATIVES TO CHLORINE FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT

After biological treatment and before discharge into Lake Ontario,chlorine is added to sewage effluent to disinfect it. Chlorine use posesrisks for treatment plant workers and the community living aroundthe plants, and has an impact on water quality near the outfall. Aspart of the Environmental Assessment of the expansion of theAshbridges Bay Treatment Plant, the City is now using alternativeways of disinfecting at the Plant. The City needs to replace chlorinewith alternative disinfection methods at its other wastewatertreatment plants.

17) Expand the Use of Alternatives to Chlorine for WastewaterTreatment

Recommended that the City support the use of alternatives tochlorine for the disinfection of wastewater at the Ashbridges BayTreatment Plant including not chlorinating in the winter, andimplementing the use of alternatives at the City’s other wastewatertreatment facilities.

DRINKING WATER

Toronto’s drinking water meets all provincial and federal guidelinesand objectives that are set to protect human health. These drinkingwater guidelines and objectives are updated at intervals, and City staffshould continue to be involved in these review processes. Particularlyin recent years, taste and odour compounds have been a problem indrinking water during the summer months when warm temperaturesin Lake Ontario cause algae to proliferate. The City has begun toinstall activated carbon filters to address taste and odour problems,and should continue to explore how to reduce these compounds.

18) Monitor Drinking Water GuidelinesRecommended that the City should monitor research on drinkingwater quality and health. It should:a) participate in Federal and Provincial processes that set

guidelines or objectives for drinking water with the aim ofdeveloping more stringent guidelines;

b) on an ongoing basis, review the use of chemicals used in thewater treatment and distribution system with the aim ofreducing chemical use where possible;

c) continue to explore ways of reducing compounds that causetaste and odour problems; and

d) communicate its results to the public.

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FINANCIAL INCENTIVES TO REDUCE POLLUTION

In Canada, we have generally used a regulatory approach to controlwater pollution. There is evidence, however, that financial instrumentsmay also be useful to improve water quality. The City should explorehow financial instruments such as graduated pricing schemes (inwhich users benefit more when they conserve more water) can helpreduce water use and water pollution.

19) Explore the Use of Financial Incentives to Reduce PollutionRecommended that the Commissioner of Works and EmergencyServices report to Council and the Sustainability Roundtablebefore the end of 2000 on the use of financial incentives such aspolluter pay, user pay and graduated pricing schemes to reducewater pollution.

5.3 Strategies for Healthy AirTHE GOAL OF CLEAN AIR

The most pressing concern about Toronto’s ambient air quality is thelevels of ground-level ozone and inhalable particles that are the mainingredients of smog. These levels are high enough to increase the ratesof respiratory and cardiovascular illness and death. The City shouldmake improvement of ambient air quality one of its priorities, inorder to protect health and improve the quality of life of residents. Aswell, the City should continue to play a leadership role in addressingglobal air issues such as global warming and the depletion of thestratospheric ozone level.

20) Recognize the Right of Torontonians to Clean AirRecommended that the City recognize the right of Torontonians toclean air, and recognize its necessity for the health and well-beingof vulnerable populations and current and future generations. TheCity should adopt the following goals:a) to work to make Toronto’s air clean and free of harmful levels of

pollutants;b) to maintain and expand the City’s leadership role in air quality;c) to continue its commitments to address global warming and

depletion of the ozone layer; andd) to consider air quality impacts as a major criterion in transportation

and land use planning.

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A COMPREHENSIVE AIR STRATEGY

Over the last decade, the City launched many initiatives to improveair quality. These include strategies to eliminate the use ofchlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that contribute to the depletion of theozone layer. The City has also launched programs to reduce energyuse such as those carried out by the Energy Efficiency Office, andstrategies to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide and othergreenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Through theMoving the Economy project, the City has explored how to movetowards a more sustainable transportation system. In 1997, the Citydeveloped a Smog Prevention and Reduction Plan to help it reach itssmog reduction targets. City Council has also recently approved thebulk purchase in 2000 of low-sulphur fuel for the City’s corporatefleet of vehicles.

The City needs to integrate and coordinate its existing air-relatedinitiatives, and the new ones recommended in this section of theEnvironmental Plan and in sections 6.2 (Sustainable Transportation),6.3 (Sustainable Energy Use) and 6.4 (Green EconomicDevelopment). Part of this effort should include priority setting andthe development of targets where they do not currently exist.

21) Develop a Comprehensive Air Quality StrategyRecommended that the City build on, integrate and coordinateits efforts to improve air quality through the development of acomprehensive Air Quality Strategy for the City of Toronto. TheStrategy should:a) assess the progress of and integrate current air quality

initiatives;b) set priorities for City action;c) set targets where they do not now exist;d) consider air emissions and their impacts;e) identify areas where the City can be involved (such as promoting

the City’s own corporate smog reduction program within theToronto business community, zero-emission City fleets andpromoting employer trip reduction programs) and how it can bestapply its resources to maximum effect; and

f) facilitate monitoring and reporting to the public.

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REDUCING EMISSIONS

Stationary pollution sources within Toronto, including factories, heatingplants and incinerators, contribute to poor air quality. The City shoulddefine a role for itself in reducing air emissions. This should includeensuring that emission inventories are adequate and that point sourceemitters are in compliance with their allowable emissions.

22) Reduce Air EmissionsRecommended that the City work to reduce air emissions. It should: a) assess the need to improve City, provincial and federal emission

inventories;b) ask the Province to review Certificates of Approval for point

sources in the City, to ensure compliance and up-to-date recordsfor emission inventories;

c) explore the feasibility of introducing a by-law to restrict pointsource emissions; and

d) advocate for provincial, federal and U.S. government action toreduce air emissions.

MONITORING AIR QUALITY

Ambient air quality is routinely measured by the Ministry of theEnvironment at its monitoring stations. This allows a comparison ofpollutant levels against the objectives and standards that are set toprotect the most sensitive receptor (which in various cases might behumans, vegetation or buildings). The City should consider developingits own monitoring and reporting system to measure air quality, toaugment the measurements taken by the Ministry. It should also takepart in standard setting processes and advocate for regulations thatprotect the environment and the health of sensitive populations suchas children and the elderly.

23) Monitor Ambient Air Quality and Standard-SettingRecommended that the City develop a role in air quality monitoringand standard-setting. It should:a) participate with the provincial and federal governments in the

delivery of an effective monitoring and reporting system for ambientair quality;

b) continue to participate in provincial and federal processes thatset air quality objectives and standards; and

c) advocate to the provincial and federal governments for effectivemonitoring, air quality objectives and standards, regulationsand emission caps.

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ADDRESS REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

Air quality is affected by local, regional and long-distance sources. Theairshed (or atmospheric region of influence) for the GTA stretchesfrom the Dakotas in the west to New Brunswick in the east, and fromHudson Bay in the north to central Georgia in the south. Throughlong-range transport, sources of air pollution within this area can havean effect on our air in Toronto. About half of the pollutants that causesmog, for example, come from the U.S. Climate change and depletionof the ozone layer are problems that need global action to solve.

Because of our limited ability to control our own air quality, the Cityneeds to work with other jurisdictions and organizations to effectivelyaddress air pollution problems. One such organization is the InternationalCouncil for Local Environmental Initiatives (headquartered in Toronto)which is working with municipalities around the world to slow climatechange and improve local air quality and urban livability through itsCities for Climate Protection Campaign. Appropriate provincial andfederal strategies to address air pollution may include considerationof options such as taxation and financial incentives that support ashift away from fossil fuel use.

24) Integrate City Efforts with Other JurisdictionsRecommended that the City integrate its efforts on air quality withregional, provincial, federal, U.S. and internationals bodies. Itshould:a) develop air quality strategies for the GTA, Ontario, and the

Quebec-Windsor corridor in partnership with the provincialand federal governments and other municipalities;

b) make regional and international movement of air pollutants apriority of intergovernmental relations through its membershipin the Greater Toronto Services Board, the Association ofMunicipalities of Ontario, the Federation of CanadianMunicipalities, the International Council for LocalEnvironmental Initiatives and other organizations; and

c) encourage the provincial and federal governments to implementappropriate strategies, policies, and regulations to ensure thatmunicipal, provincial and federal air quality goals andinternational commitments are met.

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6.0 MOVING TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITYReducing the stress we put on Toronto’s natural environment will bea significant challenge. In developing the Environmental Plan, theETF has tried to consider the best ideas, policies, strategies andprocesses. This has meant relying on tried and true approaches thatpromote environmental health, as well as new, cutting-edgeapproaches.

Section 5 of the Environmental Plan focused on improving the healthof the environment by cleaning and restoring land, water and air. Thissection of the Environmental Plan moves beyond clean land, waterand air to focus on sustainability. The rationale for using asustainability approach is that the best way to ensure the health ofthe environment is to replace economic and social practices that harmthe environment with ones that promote environmental, economicand social health. The recommendations in this section promoteenvironmental health as part of a larger, sustainability strategy.

6.1 About SustainabilityThe term “sustainable development” was popularized by the WorldCommission on Environment and Development (the BruntlandCommission) in 1987. In the Commission’s groundbreaking report,“Our Common Future,” sustainable development was defined as“economic development that meets the needs of the present withoutcompromising the ability of future generations to meet their ownneeds”. The concept of sustainable development has now beenincorporated into policy discourses at all levels from the global to thelocal. It focuses world-wide efforts to integrate economic, social andenvironmental values, as well as to encourage decision-making that islong-range, democratic, participatory and respectful of all stakeholders.

Sustainability means looking at issues through a new lens thatbroadens our vision by considering economic, environmental andsocietal implications together, rather than using a singular focus (suchas the economy, the environment or society). Sustainability meansfocussing on long term horizons (such as a generation ahead) insteadof the next fiscal year, or the next term of Council.

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Sustainability is first and foremost about legacy - the kind of world wewant to leave for those who follow after us. Legacy is well understoodin relation to financial and economic considerations. “Build up thecapital, live off the interest” is a formula for personal and businessfinancial success. Increasingly, we are realizing that similar principlesapply to our “natural capital” — our environmental assets - anddecision-makers are starting to apply the concept to social andhuman capital as well. The World Bank, for example, defines“sustainable development” as development that passes on to futuregenerations an equal or preferably enhanced stock of economic,natural, social and human capital.

A sustainability approach will ensure that decisions and strategicdirections are based on:• actions that simultaneously enhance social, economic and

environmental conditions in both the short and long-term;• minimizing environmental stress by taking preventive and

precautionary approaches;• saving financial resources by eliminating unwise subsidies for

unsustainable activities; and• institutional cooperation and coordination.

A sustainability approach is a new and innovative way to promote thehealth of the environment. Because of that, many basic questionsremain to be answered. How best can we institutionalizesustainability approaches? How best can we measure progress?

The following sections of the Environmental Plan were developed bythe ETF to “move the yardstick” on sustainability and to begin toanswer the questions posed above. Section 6 contains an overview ofmajor conclusions and recommendations contained in the reportsprepared by the Sustainable Transportation, Sustainable Energy andGreen Economic Development Work Groups. These Work Groupswere charged with coming up with sustainability solutions. Typically,many of the recommendations lead to multiple benefits. Increaseduse of sustainable energy sources has many positive outcomes: itreduces air and water pollution, helps reduce the emissions that leadto global climate change, saves money by replacing imported costlyfossil fuel with renewable sources such as wind or solar, and promoteslocal economic development.

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Readers should consult the individual Work Group Reports for moreinformation on sustainability, additional detail, backgroundinformation or descriptions of how the Work Group developed theReport.

6.2 Sustainable TransportationTransportation is an integral part of 21st century living, part of thefabric of how we live, work and play. On an average day in Toronto,people make 3,294,300 car trips, 248,100 truck trips, 1,108,000 transitjourneys, 52,300 bike trips and 311,100 trips on foot. All thistransportation has an impact, however, on the world around us. Themovement of people and goods into, out of and within Toronto hasa tremendous impact on the environment, on society, and on theeconomy. Research shows that:

• traffic congestion is worsening because of an increased reliance onsingle occupancy vehicles and increased numbers of trucks;

• traffic congestion in Toronto causes an estimated $1 billion annuallyin delays, pollution and other negative impacts;

• because of the number of vehicles on the road, commuters arespending more time on the road, travelling farther, and at slowerspeeds than 15 years ago;

• motor vehicles are a major cause of smog, a major emitter of carbonmonoxide, and a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions;

• pollution from motor vehicles causes increased rates of sickness anddeath and about $646 million a year in increased health costs;

• motor vehicle accidents cause $9 billion a year in health costs;

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• vast amounts of land are dedicated to motor vehicles with about40% of the land in the GTA used for roads and parking lots; and

• the costs of using transportation are increasing such that Canadiansnow spend more on transportation than they do on food.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION

Although Toronto is considered by many to be one of North America’sleading cities in terms of transportation, our current transportation trendswith their congestion, pollution, danger, cost and inefficiencies are clearlyunsustainable over the long term.With expected regional growth, matterswill only get worse. To become a sustainable city, Toronto needs to developa sustainable transportation system. In a sustainable transportation system,people and goods would be moved in ways that are cleaner, greener,healthier, safer and more equitable than now. This includes emphasizingapproaches in which people and goods do not have to be moved.A sustainable transportation system is one that:

• allows the basic access needs of individuals and societies to be metsafely and in a manner consistent with human and ecosystem health;

• is accessible and equitable, both within and between generations;• is affordable, operates efficiently, offers many choices of transport

mode, and supports a vibrant economy; and• limits emissions and waste within the planet’s ability to absorb

them, minimizes consumption of non-renewable resources, reusesand recycles its components, and minimizes the use of land and theproduction of noise.

A 1998 World Bank study found that cities that invest in sustainabletransportation infrastructure are the world’s wealthiest and mostliveable cities. Typically these cities have the most sophisticated andsustainable transportation systems and are highly transit-orientedwith strong regional passenger rail networks. They have dense, mixedland use and highly integrated transportation systems that use allmodes of transport. They typically spend the least per capita ontransportation.



What would Toronto’s sustainable transportation system look like?The Sustainable Transportation Vision is a starting point for where wewant to be (see box).

25) Recognize the Importance of Sustainable TransportationRecommended that the City recognize the importance of sustainabletransportation in achieving a sustainable city and adopt thefollowing goals to establish Toronto as a leading sustainabletransportation city:a) to provide Toronto residents and visitors with the widest range

of sustainable transportation options that are seamlessly linked, safe, convenient, enjoyable, affordable, economicallycompetitive, and which significantly reduce the environmental,health, social and economic impacts of personal transportation;

b) to significantly reduce the congestion, pollution, danger, costand inefficiencies related to the movement of people and goods;



A SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION VISION FOR TORONTO*

In the year 2023, the City of Toronto is a world leader in sustainable transportation. Among itssuccesses are the following:

• The City has many compact, multi-use town centres linked by connecting corridors that alsocontain compact forms and mixed uses.

• The City’s emphasis on compact form and mixed use encourages people to walk, cycle and usepublic transit rather than drive cars.

• Transit, highways, arterial roads, truck routes and parking are planned and coordinated acrossthe City.

• The percentage of trips made by walking, cycling, transit and high occupancy vehicles isincreasing. The percentage of trips made by single family occupancy vehicle is decreasing.

• The average distance travelled and time for peak hour commuting is decreasing.• An area-wide parking strategy is in place and enforced.• There are very few places where on-street transfer of goods must take place.• There is universal accessibility to public transportation facilities and services.• Roads and bridges are in good repair.• Air pollution from motor vehicles is declining, and air quality is no longer a health concern.• Transportation infrastructure and services are adequately funded from stable and sustainable

revenues.• The average resident’s cost of transportation is low, and decreasing.• Political leaders have the support of a well-informed public when making decisions on

development and transportation systems.

* Adapted from the Transportation Association of Canada

c) to replace or reduce the need for transportation of people andgoods;

d) to give priority in transportation and land use decisions tosustainable transportation;

e) to address institutional biases that favour auto users; andf) to be a leader in facilitating discussions with other governments

and bodies with the aim of establishing truly comprehensivesustainable transportation strategy.

MOVE TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION

The Report prepared by the ETF’s Sustainable Transportation WorkGroup lays out a process for moving towards a sustainabletransportation system for Toronto. Achieving this will requireinnovative and integrated approaches, including an increasedemphasis on not moving people and goods, as well as new ways ofmoving people and goods.

Approaches that do not require the movement of people or goodsinclude information technologies that allow people to work at home,mixed use zoning that provides options for living where you workand intense development around transit stations.

New approaches to moving people will include sophisticated car-sharing schemes, integrated mobility systems (integrated mobilitysystems that allow a user access to a whole range of transportationoptions), advanced transit options, trip information and mobilitycentres, innovations in bicycle infrastructure, advanced urban railnetworks, walk-to-school programs and more.



New approaches to moving goods will include joint distributioncentres, bundling of freight transport, cleaner freight vehicles andfuels, local production and distribution of goods, and human-powered movement of goods.

Some of these innovations are already being explored in Torontoincluding Auto Share’s car sharing initiative, Greenest City’s WalkingSchool Bus Program, the Community Bicycle Network’s human-powered freight delivery program and Greenest City’s localproduction and distribution projects. The City itself has been a leaderwith respect to its green fleets, route optimization system, andinnovative approaches to revitalize old industrial and potential live-work areas.

The Work Group identified eight elements that are essential in thedevelopment of a sustainable transportation system. These are:

• Information: gather and disseminate information on transportationimpacts, options and solutions;

• Infrastructure: develop sustainable land use, transportation modesand networks, and telecommunications infrastructure;

• Integration: integrate transportation modes and systems,governance structures (local and regional), city departments andother sectors;

• Involvement: involve all sectors and stakeholders in transportationdecision-making and development;

• Investment: provide the financing from public, private andpartnership sources to allow implementation to take place;

• Implementation: ensure that recommendations move from policiesand principles to reality;

• Innovation: use new approaches, both “home-grown” and importedto solve difficult problems and take advantage of emergingsolutions; and

• Indicators: select and use cost-effective monitoring tools to providefeedback on progress being made and inform decision-making.

To achieve the vision of sustainable transportation, the City needs tointegrate land use and transportation planning. Decision-makingmust be coordinated and integrated across all City departments, levelsof government and sectors. Sustainable transportation planningneeds to build on the successes that the City has already enjoyed, andborrow from successful approaches used elsewhere. It needs to haveambitious targets, “quick start” activities, and implementation



schedules backed up with adequate resources. The Plan needs to bedeveloped with the involvement of the community and stakeholders.

26) Plan for and Implement Sustainable Transportation Recommended that the City prepare a report for City Council andthe Sustainability Roundtable by the end of 2000 on the staff andresource requirements needed to develop and implement acomprehensive, integrated plan or mechanism to meet the goalsoutlined above. The plan or mechanism should include:a) an integrated framework and vision for future transportation

and land use in Toronto;b) consultation and partnership with all relevant City

Departments and Agencies, other levels of government, thetransportation industry, citizens, labour, community groupsand environmental groups;

c) short and long-term goals and principles for the developmentof sustainable transportation;

d) ambitious targets (and indicators to measure progress);e) quick start activities, where appropriate;f) assembly, and where appropriate, City-wide implementation of

existing policies and initiatives related to sustainabletransportation as described in the Sustainable TransportationWork Group Report;

g) assembly, and where appropriate, implementation of proposedsustainable transportation policies and pilot initiativesincluded in current reports (the Board of Trade InfrastructureReport, Pollution Probe Transit Action Plan, GTSBTransportation Plan, the Coroner’s Report on Cycling Deaths,and the Federal Climate Change Table Recommendations);



h) establishment and implementation of an integrated mechanismto develop new policies, practices and pilot initiatives asdescribed in the Sustainable Transportation Work GroupReport;

i) implementation schedules;j) resources needed, financial sources and mechanisms, and

strategies for stimulating investment in the sustainabletransportation sector;

k) staffing requirements and mechanisms to coordinate the City’ssustainable transportation efforts;

l) mechanisms for establishing new and building on existingpartnerships and public participation;

m) a communications and outreach plan;n) recommendations to key agencies, other levels of government,

businesses, institutions and community agencies; o) detailed evaluation and monitoring mechanisms; andp) the formation of a Sustainable Transportation Working Group,

that includes City Councillors, to assist in the development ofthe plan.

6.3 Sustainable Energy UseLike transportation, energy use is a vital part of our urban lives. Indeed,it would be hard to imagine life without it. We use energy to heat andlight our homes and offices, operate our factories, power our vehicles,and run our appliances. We use a vast amount of energy to accomplishthese things, virtually all of it imported from sources outside Toronto.About 78% of the energy used in Toronto comes from non-renewablesources - fossil fuels and nuclear power – with the balance coming fromhydroelectric sources.

Every part of the energy use cycle, including extraction, production,transmission, waste disposal and use, causes adverse effects impactson the environment. These come from the building of dams, theextraction and refinement of petroleum products, the mining of coal,the burning of coal, fuel oil and natural gas, the building of transmis-sion lines and gas pipelines, and the trucking of fuel.

Energy use causes impacts on air, water and terrestrial systems. Thecombustion of fossil fuel plays a major role in poor local air quality, acidrain and global warming. Air pollutants from fossil fuel combustionalso get deposited in water bodies and are a significant source of sometoxic pollutants (such as mercury) in lakes. Nuclear waste, flyash from

Sustainable Energy


coal-fired power plants, and uranium tailings can cause contaminationin terrestrial and aquatic systems.

Toronto has a long history of leadership in global warming and energyefficiency.After hosting the 1988 conference “The Changing Atmosphere”,the former City of Toronto developed a strategy and set targets to reduceemissions of greenhouse gases. In 1991, the City established its EnergyEfficiency Office that developed energy efficiency requirements for newbuildings. In 1992, the City created the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, anagency with a mandate to help the City reach its goal of reducinggreenhouse gas emissions. In 1996, the City created the Better BuildingsPartnership, a public-private sector initiative that promotes energyefficiency and implements energy retrofits in commercial and institutionalbuildings. Most recently, the City has expanded the mandate of its EnergyEfficiency Office to promote energy efficiency across the entire city.

A GOAL OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

Despite its history of leadership in the energy field, and despite the successof the above ventures, the City needs to take significant, coordinatedaction, if it is to reach its environmental goals and move towardssustainability. This action needs to begin with a goal of developing asustainable energy infrastructure for Toronto. A sustainable energy infra-structure is a system that supports the efficient production, transmissionand use of energy from renewable and co-generation sources.

27) Adopt a Goal of Sustainable EnergyRecommended that the City adopt, as a long-range goal, the develop-ment of a Sustainable Energy Infrastructure for Toronto that supportsthe efficient production, transmission and use of energy fromrenewable sources.

COORDINATE SUSTAINABLE ENERGY EFFORTS

The City should coordinate sustainable energy efforts through amulti-stakeholder Sustainable Energy Partnership. A major role forthe Sustainable Energy Partnership would be to prepare a SustainableEnergy Plan for Toronto. It should also facilitate the creation ofenergy partnerships, direct and carry out research, provideinformation on sustainable energy, and develop programs that targethomeowners. The City needs to ensure that its Agencies, Boards andCommissions work together to maximize environmental gains andshould support the ongoing work of the Better Buildings Partnership.In order to increase the dialogue on and build support for sustainable

Sustainable Energy


energy initiatives, the City should establish an Energy Policy WorkingGroup of City Councillors.

28) Coordinate Toronto’s Efforts on Sustainable Energy Recommended that the City coordinate sustainable energy efforts.It should:a) in the short term, expand the mandate of the City’s Energy

Efficiency Office to include all aspects of sustainable energyproduction, transmission and use and authorize the EnergyEfficiency Office with the mandate and role to coordinate theCorporation’s energy efficiency efforts;

b) facilitate the development of a multi-stakeholder SustainableEnergy Partnership which will:

i. prepare a Sustainable Energy Plan for Toronto;ii. coordinate Toronto-wide activities on Sustainable Energy;iii. encourage the formation of partnerships and joint ventures;iv. fund feasibility studies;v. carry out research; vi. act as an information clearing house; andvii. develop programs that target homeowners;c) ensure that Toronto Hydro, the Toronto District Heating

Corporation, and other Agencies, Boards, Commissions andDepartments work together wherever appropriate to maximizeenergy efficiency, economies of scale and project economics;

d) establish an Energy Policy Working Group of City Councillorsto discuss energy policy; and

e) continue to support the work of the City’s Better BuildingsPartnership in meeting its goal of retrofitting 40% of thebuildings in the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional sectorby 2008.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN CITY OPERATIONS AND FACILITIES

While much has been accomplished through the City’s EnergyEfficiency Office to increase energy efficiency in City facilities, muchmore could (and should) be done. Corporately, the City and itsAgencies, Boards and Commissions (excluding the TTC) use 1.9billion kWh of energy. This represents about 4.3% of the electricityand 2% of the natural gas used in Toronto. This can be reducedthrough increased energy efficiency and waste heat recovery in theover 6,000 City-owned properties.

Sustainable Energy


The Energy Efficiency Office has estimated that the City could reduceenergy use in its operations and facilities by a further 15 to 20%.Reducing corporate energy use by 15% will help the City movetowards its greenhouse gas reduction target (20% reduction in carbondioxide emissions by 2005 from 1990 levels).

29) Increase Energy Efficiency in City Operations and FacilitiesRecommended that the City increase its corporate energyefficiency. It should:a) request departments to prepare plans to reduce energy use in

their operations and in City buildings and facilities at least 15%by 2005;

b) encourage all agencies, boards and commissions and require alldepartments to examine how to reduce energy use ininfrastructure projects; and

c) ensure that the City’s accounting system allows energy use to betracked.

GREEN POWER

“Green Power”is energy that is generated from renewable sourcessuch as water, solar and wind. In 1999, the City set a goal ofpurchasing 25% of its corporate energy needs from Green Power. TheCity should also encourage its Agencies, Boards and Commissions toalso fill 25% of their energy needs through Green Power. Aggregatingdemand for Green Power in this way will reduce the costs of it in theshort term and facilitate the siting of Green Power manufacturingfacilities in Toronto, creating further economic benefit. Such acorporate wide replacement of fossil fuels with Green Power, coupledwith the above reduction in corporate energy use of 15%, will allowthe City to exceed its target for the reduction of CO2 emissions.

Sustainable Energy


30) Support Green PowerRecommended that the City support the use of Green Power. Itshould:a) reaffirm its commitment to purchase 25% of its energy needs

through Green Power and report to the Sustainability Roundtableon how it is going to accomplish this;

b) encourage all agencies, boards and commissions to aggregatetheir purchasing power by participating in a municipal greenpower aggregation project and committing to purchasing 25%of their energy needs through Green Power;

c) carry out an inventory of potential City locations for sitingGreen Power sources such as wind turbines and solar panels;

d) encourage Toronto Hydro Energy Services Company to include1000 MW of Green Power in its Integrated Resources StrategicPlan; and

e) encourage the Toronto Hydro Energy Services Company to formcollaborative sustainable energy partnerships with the TorontoDistrict Heating Corporation and the Better Buildings Partnership.

IMPROVING BUILDING DESIGN

Improving building design to increase energy efficiency can play largedividends in terms of reducing Toronto’s energy demand. The Cityshould play an advocacy and leadership role to encourage a newgeneration of energy efficient buildings.

31) Encourage Improved Building DesignRecommended that the City encourage improvements in buildingdesign. It should:a) implement a means of achieving the federal C2000 performance

standard for all commercial buildings;b) create a Buildings Design Challenge to engage the building

sector in the design and construction of state of the art buildings;c) report on the feasibility of implementing the federal Energuide

label for housing, and giving building permit priority tobuildings with Energuide labels and plans;

d) report on the feasibility of implementing a sliding scale buildingpermit fee based on energy efficiency criteria and/or fast-tracking proposals that meet energy efficiency targets;

e) provide training on energy efficiency design and technologiesfor Building Division permit and customer service staff ofUrban Planning and Development Services; and

f) request the Province to adopt a Green Building Code thatencourages the use of solar heating, waste heat recovery, green

Sustainable Energy


roofs, recycled grey water and rain water, recycled materials,and other technologies that reduce resource consumption andenvironmental impacts and discourages the use of toxic andhazardous materials.

THE USE OF DISTRICT HEATING AND COOLING

District heating and cooling is a cost-effective and efficient way toheat and cool buildings. It also pollutes less than when individualbuildings have their own separate heating sources and airconditioning chillers. The City should promote the use of districtheating and cooling, including Deep Lake Water Cooling, which usesa renewable resource (the cold bottom waters of Lake Ontario) tocool buildings.

32) Promote the Use of District Heating and CoolingRecommended that the City promote the use of district heatingand cooling. It should:a) develop a plan for how all agencies, boards, commissions and

departments can use and/or promote the benefits and use ofdistrict heating and cooling in new developments; and

b) develop a plan that enables all new developments in the centraldowntown to use district heating, district cooling, especiallyDeep Lake Water Cooling.

EFFICIENCY ENERGY IN NEW DEVELOPMENTS

New developments and redevelopments such as the Railway Landsand the Downsview Lands offer many opportunities to develop a newgeneration of energy efficient buildings. The City should explore howbest to encourage this. One option is to designate new developmentsas Model Communities to demonstrate cleaner and greenerapproaches to design and building.

33) Encourage Energy Efficiency in New DevelopmentsRecommended that the City identify approaches to encourageenergy efficiency in new developments including the designation ofnew development areas as Model Communities to showcasesustainability, with a focus on energy efficiency and use ofrenewable energy sources, and that these approaches beincorporated into the Official Plan and be reported back to theWorks Committee and the Planning and Transportation Committeeby the end of 2000.

Sustainable Energy


DEVELOP INVESTMENT STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

With its buying power, existing energy programs and Agencies, theCity is in a unique position to accelerate investment in sustainableenergy initiatives. The Sustainable Energy Work Group developed alist of possible financial mechanisms for accelerating investment. TheCity should examine these further and report back on which of themwould be most useful. The options include a surcharge applied toToronto Hydro customers to generate funds that could then be usedfor sustainable energy projects such as the development of windpower. Toronto Hydro’s rate structure itself could be used toencourage energy efficiency. The City could re-invest energy savingsfrom its own energy efficiency projects in Green Power projects. Thereare many ways in which the City could optimize its financial supportfor sustainable energy initiatives. These include having the TorontoAtmospheric Fund adopt a portfolio investment managementapproach to improve the return on its assets. The City could also useits purchasing power in the energy market to encourage thedevelopment of sustainable power initiatives, or use its borrowingcapacity to support them. It could continue to support innovative andsuccessful programs such as Green$aver and the Better BuildingsPartnership.

34) Develop Investment Strategies for Sustainable Energy PlanImplementationRecommended that the City, Toronto Hydro and the TorontoAtmospheric Fund (TAF) jointly report to the SustainabilityRoundtable and the Energy Policy Working Group (seerecommendation 28) by July 2000 on how best to employ financialinstruments to accelerate investment in sustainable energy. Thereport should consider:a) the use of a surcharge applied to all Toronto Hydro customers to

generate funds that could be used to fund sustainable energyprojects;

b) the use of varying rate structures by Toronto Hydro (includingrate structures based on consumption rather than fixed servicecharges);

c) the use by Toronto Hydro of net billing for customers of GreenPower;

d) re-investing savings from City energy efficiency projects in thepurchase and/or redevelopment of Green Power for the City’suse;

e) how the City should optimize its financial support for sustainableenergy (including consideration of Toronto Hydro’s capital structure,

Sustainable Energy


use of City reserve funds, use of the City’s purchasing power in themarket place, leveraging private capital to underwrite increasedinvestments, and leveraging TAF’s assets with private capital);

f) how the City can minimize the financing costs for sustainableenergy projects (including consideration of long-term, definedprice contracts);

g) what role the City should play in promoting sustainable energyas a commercial venture; and

h) lessons learned in other jurisdictions that have created sustainableenergy programs.

6.4 Green Economic DevelopmentGreen economic development features the development of businessand social entrepreneurship that promotes the joint goals of a healthyeconomy in a healthy environment. This includes green companiesthat produce goods and services, such as low-flow toilets, windgenerators and home composters - products or services that reducethe use and waste of natural and non-renewable resources andthereby protect the natural environment. Green development alsoincludes civic institutions that promote public policies supportingwise use of resources and community groups that encourage thegreening of both public policy and individual behaviour. Theenvironmental challenge is bigger than all of us, so naturally greeneconomic development can’t be confined to just one sector or group.

Green economic development will have many benefits for the city ofToronto. Health costs will be reduced as preventable diseases causedby pollution are addressed pro-actively. Infrastructure costs for roads,sewers, filtration plants and the like will be reduced as less demand isplaced on them. Waste management costs will drop. There will also bean increase in the amount and value of local purchases asconservation displaces purchases we now import from outsideToronto - three billion dollars a year in energy alone. We will beputting Toronto dollars to work in Toronto, even as the entireeconomy becomes more efficient, productive and competitive.

Finally, green economic development will help create healthy, vibrantand friendly communities that support the public good and publicpeace. Community gardens, for instance, provide fresh and nutritiousfood at a low cost, reduce the pollution and congestion from long-haul trucking of imported foods, and create oases of cooperation andeye-pleasers across the city. As well, green economies tend to rely

Green Economic Development


more on labour and ingenuity but less on resources, which can onlybe good for employment. The jobs will be close to where people live,and will provide steady jobs for people at all skill levels and levels ofability.

The City is already carrying out some Green Economic Developmentinitiatives in transportation (Moving the Economy) and greentourism (Green Tourism Association). The Moving the Economyinitiative is working to develop Toronto’s sustainable transportationsector by attracting investment, creating jobs and supportinginnovation. Moving the Economy was founded by the City,Transportation Options and Human Resources Development Canadawith broad support from business, government, labour andcommunity groups. Originally created to develop and host aninternational conference on sustainable transportation, Moving theEconomy is now a sector development agency. The Toronto-basedGreen Tourism Association is working to develop Toronto’s greentourism sector. Its mission is to develop and cultivate a green tourismindustry in the Toronto region that is ecologically sound, fostersappreciation of and respect for cultural and natural heritage, andstrengthens local economies and communities.

The ETF created its Green Economy Work Group to explore how theCity can help support green economic development. The WorkGroup focused its attention in three areas:

• how Toronto can develop and grow in a manner that is moresustainable;

• how the City can increase energy efficiency in the industrial sector;and

• how the City can support the development of green industry.

DEVELOP IN A MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE MANNER

Toronto is recognized around the world as a great city in which to liveand work. This reflects the services, amenities and quality of life foundhere. Nevertheless, as shown in section 3.0 of the Environmental Plan,Toronto faces many environmental problems that erode our qualityof life. Some of these can be partly be addressed by developing, andredeveloping in a manner that is more environmentally sustainablethan we have done in the past.



The City has an enormous amount of money invested ininfrastructure - its roads, transit, water and sewer systems. The key tomaking infrastructure investments efficient and cost-effective is toattract enough people and jobs to maximize their use and spread theircost. While the City has experienced some population growth inrecent years, most of the GTA’s population and employment growthhas taken place in the regions that surround Toronto. To counter thistrend, the City needs to set aggressive targets for population increaseand employment growth and promote redevelopment. It also needsto target this reurbanisation by directing compact growth to thoseareas of Toronto where infrastructure capacity already exists.Such a “strategic reinvestment” approach will increase the City’seconomic competitiveness and will yield sustainability benefits.

As noted in section 6.2, compact, transit-friendly urban form isfundamental to developing a greener, cleaner city. To improvesustainability, reurbanisation should be efficient, cost-effective, andsupport sustainable modes of transportation such as walking, cyclingand transit use. This is true for both residential and employmentlands. It should also capitalize on business trends such as the use ofInformation Communication Technology to reduce commuting, thetransportation of goods and other business-related travel.

Because Toronto’s environmental, social and economic condition isinextricably tied to the Greater Toronto Area, it needs to addresssustainability outside of its boundaries. The long-term environmental,social and economic health of Toronto is influenced greatly by howdevelopment takes place in the GTA. Accordingly, the City shouldrequest the Greater Toronto Services Board to pursue policies thatpromote the intensification of urban areas, the protection of naturalfeatures, and the preservation of agricultural land across the GTA.

35) Promote Environmentally Sustainable Development and UrbanFormRecommended that the City promote development that isenvironmentally sustainable. It should:a) promote reurbanisation of the City to increase the population

and employment opportunities and set aggressive targets in theOfficial Plan;

b) pursue a strategy of “strategic reinvestment”that encouragescompact growth and directs growth to those areas of the Citywhere infrastructure capacity already exists;

c) maximize the use of existing infrastructure capacities beforebuilding new infrastructure;



d) ensure that new investments are efficient and cost effective (forexample, by considering transportation impacts and usingflexible planning policies);

e) ensure that new developments include stormwatermanagement;

f) give strong emphasis to and include strategies in the OfficialPlan to support low capital, low-cost modes of travel such aswalking, cycling and flexible transit;

g) capitalize on business trends that support sustainability (suchas the use of Information and Communication Technology toreduce travel); and

h) advocate within the Greater Toronto Services Board policies thatpromote the intensification of urban areas, the conservation andenhancement of natural features and resources, and the conservationof prime agricultural land across the GTA.

EXPLORE HOW TO DEVELOP MORE SUSTAINABLY

There are a number of areas in which the City should carry ourresearch to explore how development can be made even moresustainable. One important area to examine is the sustainabilitybenefits that might come from business clusters, groups ofcomplementary firms that locate in the same area. Clusters areincreasingly seen as important drivers of urban economies, but it isnot yet known whether they are a more environmentally sound wayto organize business. The use of Information and CommunicationTechnology to reduce transportation (and therefore the impacts oftransportation) is another promising area to explore. The City shouldalso examine its approach to costing the infrastructure services itprovides, with the goal of moving towards true cost accounting.

36) Conduct Research on Environmentally SustainableDevelopmentRecommended that the City, through the Sustainability Roundtable,carry out a program of research on environmentally sustainabledevelopment. The research program should explore: a) the sustainability benefits that may accrue from industry clusters

that put businesses, suppliers, customers and employees together;b) the use of Information and Communication Technology to

reduce travel by employees, suppliers and customers, to reducethe shipping of goods, and to improve the efficiency of existingtravel;

c) the implications of non-residential sprawl on environmentalsustainability;



d) determine how infrastructure costs vary with location and withprojected population and job growth;

e) determine the full costs of the infrastructure services it provides,including environmental and social costs, and develop astrategy to move towards true cost accounting;

f) further investigate the linkages between urban form, energyefficiency and community economic development; and

g) the possibility of using heritage buildings as incubators forinnovative business and community economic developmentprojects.

HELP INDUSTRY BECOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT

Through the Better Buildings Partnership, the City has played aleadership role in promoting energy efficiency in commercial andinstitutional buildings. It can do the same with industrial energy use,helping businesses produce, store and ship products more efficiently.Reducing industrial energy use will yield many benefits: it can reduceenergy bills for participating companies, boost productivity, createnew jobs and businesses, and reduce air emissions that affect localand global air quality. To do this, the City should set up an IndustrialEnergy Efficiency Program in partnership with Toronto Hydro. TheProgram should provide services such as energy audits, contractortraining and technical support to industries wishing to become moreenergy efficient.

37) Increase Energy Efficiency in the Industrial SectorRecommended that the City establish an Industrial EnergyEfficiency Program. The program should:a) be coordinated by the City’s Energy Efficiency Office;b) be carried out in partnership with Toronto Hydro, gas companies

and the industrial sector; c) provide services including energy audits, marketing, technical

support and training, contractor training and certification, andrelated matters; and

d) as an early step, carry out a sector energy characterization tolearn about the state of the city’s industrial technologies,processes, and market segments.



HELP GREEN INDUSTRY DEVELOP

The City should establish a Green Industry Initiative to promotegreen industry and support green industry entrepreneurs andprojects. The Initiative could include actions such as renting space toor giving favourable leases to green industries, providing financingor helping to create markets for products much as provincial andfederal government programmes support and subsidize infant andinnovative industries in other sectors.

38) Promote the Development of Green IndustryRecommended that the City coordinate the establishment of aGreen Industry Initiative. This initiative should:a) promote the establishment of “green industries” including

industries that produce wind turbines, photovoltaic cells, soilremediation technologies, recycling technologies, etc.;

b) support “green industry” entrepreneurs through such means asaccess to appropriate space, favourable leases and low costfinancing;

c) support “green industry” projects that employ the sociallydisadvantaged;

d) help to create markets for products;e) document and monitor Toronto’s green economy including

progress on social and health factors; f) promote the potential of the green economy to the public and

private sectors;g) develop a green economy award program to honour and

celebrate leading companies and organizations contributing tothe greening of Toronto; and

h) include a full life cycle analysis of capital goods to ensure thatnew capital investment reflects a commitment to sustainability.

GROWING FOOD LOCALLY

Ever-increasing amounts of the food we eat is brought in by truck, rail,ship and air from around the world. Increasing the amount of foodproduced within Toronto will help us move towards sustainability byeliminating the impacts of transportation, and will boost the localeconomy. The City should support local food production. It can dothis in many ways, by expanding community gardening, byencouraging the use of rooftop gardens, and by making municipalcompost available to local food projects and businesses. It shouldexamine the potential to locate food production projects near energyco-generation projects or landfills with methane recovery. It should



also examine the feasibility of developing a cluster of local foodindustries, explore the need for “incubator” programs to supportemerging businesses, and create urban food production pilot projects.

39) Promote Local Food ProductionRecommended that the City support local food production bycarrying out the following initiatives: a) recognize the City’s potential for increased urban food production

in the Official Plan;b) implement the action plan that is being developed by Economic

Development, Culture and Tourism to expand communitygardening;

c) develop an action plan to build rooftop gardens on City buildings(see Recommendation 8);

d) prepare an inventory of potential locations where greenhousefacilities could be located near potential energy co-generationprojects or landfills with methane recovery;

e) make compost from wet waste recovery readily available tourban food production projects and businesses;

f) report on the feasibility of developing a cluster of local foodindustries;

g) determine the need for “incubator” programs to support emerginglocal food businesses;

h) carry out a food flow analysis for the City to determine theamount of food imported and its sources;

i) analyze existing food procurement arrangements to identifypotential products that could be produced through an urbanfood production system;

j) create urban food production pilot projects; and



k) prepare an inventory of sources of organic food in Toronto andmake this information available to the public in the form of adirectory.

CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION WASTE

There is a great potential to increase the number of green industriesinvolved in the re-use and recycling of construction and renovationwaste. Re-using or recycling construction and renovation wastecreates jobs, provides low-cost options for builders and renovators,and avoids the environmental impacts of landfilling. To encouragethe re-use and recycling of construction and renovation waste, theCity should examine options to make re-use and recycling more cost-effective, explore incentives to create stable, long-term markets, andorganize a cluster pilot project. The City should also examine thefeasibility of assigning priority to building and renovation projectsthat include re-use and recycling of waste.

40) Promote Re-use and Recycling of Construction and RenovationWasteRecommended that the City encourage the re-use and recycling ofsolid waste from construction and renovation projects. It should:a) report on options for making resource recovery easier and more

cost-effective;b) launch a public education campaign on resource recovery aimed

at homeowners and renovation contractors;c) report on the feasibility of assigning priority to building permit

applications that demonstrate re-use or recycling as part of theproject;

d) review waste management policies and practices to ascertainwhat incentives can be put in place to create stable, long-termmarkets for resource recovery; and

e) organize an industrial cluster pilot project centred on the themeof re-using and recycling construction and renovation waste.



7.0 EDUCATION AND AWARENESSA sustainable Toronto will be a city with a healthy economy, healthycommunities and a healthy natural environment. Achievingsustainability will require many institutional changes: changes inhow we make decisions, changes in how we carry out ouraccounting, changes in the time frames in which we plan. Butinstitutional changes alone will not lead us to sustainability. Toachieve sustainability, each of us will have to change our behaviourin significant ways. This is why education and awareness are soimportant.

Our attitudes, choices, behaviours and practices have a dramaticeffect on the natural world around us. How we choose to get to work,the amount of water we use in a day, the toxic products we buy andhow we dispose of them, all have an effect on the environment. Sodoes the amount of energy we use to heat and light our houses, theamount of garbage we place at the curb for pick up, and whether ornot we use pesticides on our lawns and gardens. Changing behaviouris a challenging task, but its benefits can be significant to individuals,the City, and society as a whole. Individuals can save money on theirwater and sewage bill, on transportation and on their energy bills.The City will save money on water and wastewater treatment, solidand hazardous waste management and environmental cleanup. Wewill all benefit from cleaner land, water and air.

THE CITY AS A WORLD LEADER IN EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

To move towards a sustainable society, we need to develop aninformed, educated and participatory citizenry. The Report preparedby the ETF’s Education and Awareness Work Group lays out aframework that will enable the City to become a world leader in thedelivery of education and outreach on the environment andsustainability. The Work Group’s Report identifies major roles for theCity, but also acknowledges that the responsibility for education isshared among school boards, universities and colleges, agencies, theToronto Public Library Board, non-governmental organizations,institutions such as the Ontario Science Centre, business, industryand the media. The proposed framework for education and outreachbuilds on the programs currently being offered by these groups. Italso reflects the belief that “education” should not just be equated

Education


with formal schooling. Education also comes through “non-formal”means (such as personal and professional development), and“informal” avenues (referring to the lifelong process through whichpeople acquire knowledge, skills, attitudes and insights from dailyexperiences and the environment around them).

The recommendations found in the Education and Awareness WorkGroup Report are excerpted in this section of the EnvironmentalPlan. Readers should consult the Work Group Report for additionaldetail, background information or the description of how the WorkGroup developed the Report.

The Work Group set three objectives for education and outreach inToronto:

• to increase individual awareness of the need for environmentallysustainable behaviour;

• to encourage and assist all Toronto residents to adopt moreenvironmentally sustainable behaviour; and

• to establish a culture within Toronto to allow this to happen.

“Environmentally sustainable behaviour” is action that preserves orimproves the health of the natural environment and contributes tothe well-being of present and future generations. This includes actionthat minimizes the use of resources, minimizes or eliminates thedischarge of pollutants, and maintains or enhances biodiversity.

41) Become a World Leader in Environmental and SustainabilityEducation and OutreachRecommended that the City adopt a goal of becoming a world leaderin the delivery of education and outreach on the environment andsustainability. To achieve this goal the City should:a) develop and deliver education and outreach initiatives in

partnership with the broad community of educators; andb) strive to establish a culture supportive of environmental

sustainability through building awareness of the need foraction, developing support for sustainability initiatives, andmotivating the adoption of more environmentally sustainablebehaviour across society.

Education


PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM

To establish a culture of sustainability in Toronto, we need to buildawareness of, develop support for and motivate action around the City’senvironmental priorities. The best way to do this is for the City todevelop and implement a broad, integrated Public Education andOutreach Program (PEO Program) on environment and sustainability.This program should build on and coordinate existing education efforts.

The principle of partnerships is central to the PEO Program. The Cityneeds to work with other educators and City Agencies, Boards andCommissions including the School Boards, the Library Board, TorontoHydro, the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, the Toronto District HeatingCorporation, The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority andothers.

The PEO Program should use a two-tiered social marketing approach.One tier - the City-Wide Social Marketing Campaign — should focuson fostering city-wide awareness of, commitment to and support forthe policy, regulatory and other actions that are needed to address keyenvironmental issues. This campaign should communicate the visionof a sustainable city, showcase progress, recognize achievements andintegrate community-level activities. The campaign should useadvertising, media relations, and city-wide public events in order toraise awareness and promote understanding. A sustainability “brand”should be developed to enhance the profile of sustainability initiativesand reinforce relevant City messages. The brand should be compellingand simple to encourage other organizations to affiliate themselveswith the program.

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The second tier – Community-Based Social Marketing – should bean essential component of an integrated PEO Program. Community-based social marketing has been shown to be very effective at bringingabout behaviour change. Its effectiveness is due to its pragmaticapproach which involves:• identifying barriers and benefits to a sustainable behaviour;• designing a strategy that utilizies behaviour change tools;• piloting the strategy with a small segment of the community; and• evaluating the impact of the program once it has been implemented

across a community.

These activities will complement the city-wide campaign by focusingon key sustainability issues as identified in other chapters of theEnvironmental Plan and by the Sustainability Roundtable.

The second tier of activities – Community Based Social Marketing –should focus on encouraging people to adopt more environmentallysustainable behaviour through implementing strategies to overcomethe barriers to behaviour change.

As well as the general public, the PEO Program should target some keyaudiences, notably City staff and multi-cultural communities. An “in-reach” program targeted at City staff will help ensure that they areknowledgeable about the City’s sustainability goals and principles, theyunderstand the need for more environmentally sustainable behaviour,and they can communicate that information to others. Programstargeted at multi-cultural communities can overcome barriers oflanguage and cultural differences.

42) Develop a Public Education and Outreach Program on theEnvironment and SustainabilityRecommended that the City develop and implement a targetedPublic Education and Outreach Program on the environment andsustainability. The program should:a) be coordinated by the Commissioner of Works and Emergency

Services until such time as a lead for sustainability assumes thisresponsibility;

b) be designed to involve other City Agencies, Boards and Commissions;c) be based on City priorities as identified in the approved Strategic

Plan and this document or by Council;d) use a two-tiered community-based social marketing approach

that develops broad public awareness of environmental conditionsand issues and promotes individual behaviour change and theadoption of environmentally sustainable practices;

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e) include an “inreach” component aimed at City staff;f) include the development of culturally sensitive and relevant

initiatives incorporating environmental and sustainabilityinformation in English as a Second Language programs andequivalent programs as well as in the Citizenship and ImmigrationCanada test information;

g) include the Toronto Environmental/Earth Week Program in2000, sponsored by the Mayor and Council;

h) include the development of a sustainability “brand” or identityfor the City in the form of an easily recognized name, logo andslogan;

i) be developed in consultation with key environmental educatorsin Toronto, including the city’s environmental groups;

j) include communicating the City’s success stories such asenvironmental procurement, building efficiency, corporate smogreduction and pesticide reduction; and

k) be presented to the Sustainability Roundtable and City Councilbefore December 31, 2000.

KEY AREAS FOR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY-BASED SOCIAL MARKETING

The previous recommendation focused on developing an overallEducation and Outreach Program on the environment andsustainability. There are some key areas, however, in which morefocused education and outreach is needed. In these areas, the Cityshould develop community-based social marketing and educationprograms for targeted audiences on specific sustainability issues.

43) Focus Education and Community-Based Marketing on KeyAreas

Recommended that the City, in consultation with theSustainability Roundtable, identify priority areas for the PublicEducation and Outreach Program. These should include:a) the promotion of sustainable transportation options including

public transit; andb) air issues including climate change, ozone depletion, smog and

air toxics.

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EDUCATION AND OUTREACH BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

Many community-based groups and not-for-profit organizationscarry out education and outreach on environmental andsustainability issues. These include public awareness campaigns,nature interpretation programs, community-based social marketinginitiatives, and information clearinghouse programs. The City shouldsupport this work through the provision of staff resources and shouldexplore the potential of co-marketing (working cooperatively withsuch groups to develop and deliver programs).

Programs developed with businesses and industries can help thembecome environmental leaders both within their business sector (forexample, by conserving energy and materials) and in the community(by taking part in local stream or park clean ups). Programs thatengage youth can have great success in changing the behaviour ofyoung people, as well as influence their peers, families andcommunities. Tapping into the energy, enthusiasm and values ofyouth can help them become effective agents of social change. (SeeAppendix C).

44) Support the Education and Outreach Work of OthersRecommended that the City recognize the contribution of andcontinue to support the environmental and sustainabilityeducation and outreach work of community-based groups, non-governmental organizations, and business, industry, union andyouth organizations. The City should:a) provide funding and in-kind assistance for environmental

community groups and their education projects to carry out

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public education and outreach initiatives on environmentaland sustainability issues;

b) include opportunities to work with business, industry and unions; c) include a specific youth program that considers ideas generated by

the Youth Environmental Summit held in the Summer of 1999; d) recognize through award programs or other means the

contributions of individuals and organizations in environmentaland sustainability initiatives; and

e) support the environmental community’s education and awarenessprojects, especially those that work towards energy conservationand climate change, smog reduction habitat restoration, pollutionprevention and sustainable transportation.

INTEGRATE INTO THE FORMAL EDUCATION SYSTEM

A critical part of the city’s long-term strategy for educating the publicabout environmental and sustainability issues must be an effective,collaborative partnership with the formal education system. Theappropriate tools (curricula, materials, training and teacherrecognition) can improve the capability of educators to teach aboutthe environment and sustainability. Currently, however, funding fromschool boards does not provide full support for classroom materialsor professional development for teachers. Environment and sustainabilityeducation is considered to be supplemental to the core curriculum,and teachers need high quality resources to link environmental andsustainability education to the new Ontario Curriculum. Localuniversities and colleges should likewise offer the concepts ofsustainability as components of their curriculum. To optimize itspublic outreach, the City needs to play a role in helping to ensure thatenvironmental and sustainability issues are integrated into the formaleducation system.

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45) Help Integrate the Environment and Sustainability into theFormal Education System Recommended that the City encourage the development of curriculummaterials related to environment and sustainability. It should:a) request local universities, colleges and school boards to include

the concepts of sustainability as components of their curricula;b) identify appropriate roles for City departments and agencies

represented on the ETF in developing curriculum materials forthe Toronto school boards;

c) request local universities and colleges and the Ontario Ministriesof Education and Training, Colleges and Universities to includeenvironmental and sustainability education as a significant coreelement for the education of teachers;

d) work in partnership with universities, local colleges, school board,environmental agencies and organizations to develop andmonitor sustainability indicators; and

e) develop new programs and strengthen existing programs beingdelivered in Toronto schools in partnership with other educators.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN CITY PARKS AND GREENSPACE

Toronto’s parks, river valleys and waterfront greenspaces provideopportunities for people to learn about the environment andsustainability through the experience of using them. Through theParks and Recreation Department of the Economic Development,Culture and Tourism Division, the City has developed programs tohelp people experience heritage and the environment. The DiscoveryWalks Program, for example, provides self-guided tours of Cityravines, parks, buried streams, gardens, beaches and heritage sites.The City should develop additional interpretation and hands-onprograms to help Toronto residents learn more about ecology,naturalization, plant and animal species, and other aspects of theenvironment in our outdoor “classrooms”.

46) Increase Educational Opportunities in City Parks andGreenspacesRecommended that the City support enhanced opportunities fornature appreciation, nature exploration and stewardshipactivities in City parks and greenspaces.

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ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTRES

For more than fifty years, Toronto area students have learned aboutthe environment at outdoor education schools run by the TorontoDistrict School Board and The Toronto and Region ConservationAuthority. These schools provide the opportunity for every Torontostudent to learn about nature and the environment in an intensiveand focused way, through field studies and classroom learning. Notonly do these centres allow City children to learn and experience thenatural world, they help motivate students to adopt moreenvironmentally sustainable behaviour. The City should seek ways ofstrengthening outdoor education centres to increase theireffectiveness and contributions.

47) Support and Enhance Environmental Education CentresRecommended that the City recognize the importance of and seekways to strengthen the contributions made by existing outdooreducation facilities run by the Toronto District School Board, theToronto Catholic District School Board and The Toronto andRegion Conservation Authority.

INFORMATION ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

There is a wealth of information on the environment and sustainability,but it is scattered amongst hundreds of City departments, agencies,libraries, educational institutions, environmental resource centres andnon-governmental organizations. Specialized information is oftenhard to find and difficult to access. The City should help improve the

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availability of environmental and sustainability information byencouraging the Library Board to promote existence of its collectionand explore the feasibility of establishing a special collection onsustainability. It should also develop its own on-line informationresource to provide easy access to local environmental andsustainability data and information. Through the SustainabilityRoundtable, the City should explore the options that exist to shareinformation with local colleges and universities, school boards, TheToronto and Region Conservation Authority, other agencies, business,and other non-governmental groups.

48) Improve the Availability of Information on Environment andSustainabilityRecommended that the City facilitate the exchange of informationon environmental and sustainability issues. It should: a) request the Toronto Public Library Board to promote its existing

environmental resources and investigate the feasibility ofestablishing a sustainability collection;

b) develop an on-line environmental information resource as partof the City website, including links to Toronto’s environmentalcommunity ; and

c) request the Sustainability Roundtable to explore the opportunitiesfor sharing information on sustainability with other organizationsand agencies.

LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS

One of the roles played by the ETF’s Education and Awareness WorkGroup was to facilitate dialogue and integrate the efforts of educatorsworking in the field of education and outreach on environmental andsustainability issues. This was a role that was unique to the WorkGroup. One important outcome of their work has been the creationof partnerships among educators from every field and sector. TheCity needs to support these partnerships. It should provide resourcesto allow the Work Group to continue to assist with theimplementation of some of its recommendations that are alreadyunderway, such as the annual sustainability forum for educators. Inaddition, the City should create an education and outreachsubcommittee of the Sustainability Roundtable and should ask TheTRCA to develop and host a regular sustainability forum foreducators.

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49) Support Long-Term Partnerships for Education and OutreachRecommended that the City support the development of long-termpartnerships for education and outreach on environmental andsustainability issues. The City should;a) provide staff resources to allow the Education and Awareness

Work Group to continue to advise on and help implementelements such as a sustainability forum for educators, theToronto Environmental/Earth Week Program in 2000, and on-line environmental information for the City’s website;

b) develop an education and outreach subcommittee to theSustainability Roundtable to include representatives from allsectors of education;

c) request The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, inpartnership with school boards and Toronto’s environmentalgroups, explore the feasibility of hosting a regular sustainabilityforum for educators;

d) request recognized environmental learning centres, such as theOntario Science Centre, to promote urban sustainability intheir core programs;

e) develop partnerships and work with other environmental fundingagencies, including the Community Foundation, Trillium, GreatLakes Renewal Foundation, and Environment Canada;

f) work in partnership with Toronto’s environmental communityto promote skill development, access to city staff, and increasednetworking and information sharing; and

g) recognize the role of business associations in promotingenvironmental and sustainable awareness programs to theirmembers and develop partnerships with those working onenvironmental education programs.

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8.0 PLANNING, MANAGEMENT &GOVERNANCE

8.1 The Current FrameworkThe ETF’s analysis of governance options looked closely at theexisting situation in the City of Toronto. The current framework foraddressing environmental issues has some strengths, a number ofweaknesses, and many opportunities for improvement.

Responsibility for environmental issues is spread across many Citydepartments and committees. Much of Toronto’s environmental“infrastructure” including its water and sewage systems is theresponsibility of the Works and Emergency Services Department andthe Works Committee. The responsibility for transportation, whichhas such an impact on the quality of our environment, is sharedamong several departments and committees. Environmental impactson human health are the responsibility of Public Health and theBoard of Health. Toronto’s parks and greenspace are dealt withthrough the Economic Development and Tourism Department andthe Economic Development and Parks Committee. Municipalplanning is the job of the Urban Planning and Development ServicesDepartment and the Planning and Transportation Committee. Thisspreading of responsibilities contributes to overlaps and gaps in theCity’s ability to address environmental issues.

The size and complexity of the new City of Toronto poses challengesfor communication and coordination. To help coordinate action onenvironmental matters, the City created its Toronto Inter-Departmental Environmental Team (TIE), which supports thecoordination and strategic direction for environmental issues andpolicies. The Senior Management Team is another forum forcoordination. The Healthy City Office is noteworthy because itoperates on the principle that the environment, the economy and thecommunity are always linked and need to be considered in decision-making.

Municipal planning is carried out as an ongoing process at differentlevels and by different parts of the City. The City is currentlydeveloping a Strategic Plan that will incorporate elements of the

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Economic, Social and Environmental Plans being developed. The Cityis also developing a new Official Plan. All of these plans are affectedby, and will have an influence on the natural environment.

Within the City, and its Agencies, Boards and Commissions, there isa strong foundation of expertise that allows it to identify and respondto environmental challenges. This includes Toronto Public Health,which conducts research and responds to health concerns related toenvironmental issues. Works and Emergency Services delivers a widerange of environmental programs, including the pickup of householdtoxic wastes and the disconnection of downspouts. The EnergyEfficiency Office has expertise in energy conservation. The TorontoAtmospheric Fund is a leader in reducing air emissions. There aremany other examples.

Toronto has an active and committed environmental community thatcontributes greatly to environmental protection and enhancement.The former municipalities had some 40 advisory committees thatdealt with the environment. Some of these worked on a wide range ofissues, while others were focused on specifics such as air quality orstormwater.

The responsibility for environmental issues is shared among manystakeholders, of which the City of Toronto is just one. The federal andprovincial governments share the bulk of responsibility forenvironmental regulation and protection. Environmental andcommunity groups play extensive roles in advocacy, public educationand environmental restoration. Business and industry haveresponsibilities as corporate citizens, and individuals have aresponsibility for their own actions.

The major shortcoming of the City’s current framework is the lack ofmechanisms or structures that force the consideration ofenvironmental, economic and social aspects of issues together, duringdecision-making. In the current framework, environmental issues areoften considered separately from economic and social issues. In somecases, they are not considered at all. To move towards sustainability,the City needs policies, structures and processes that integrateenvironmental, economic and social considerations in decision-making. These are vital to achieving basic long-term sustainabilitygoals - a clean environment, healthy communities and a vibranteconomy.

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8.2 A Framework for SustainabilityThe ETF’s proposed governance framework is designed to putsustainability into action1. The City should create a SustainabilityLead to identify how the principles of sustainability can best bepromoted, facilitated and supported within the City. The City shouldalso establish a Sustainability Roundtable to promote actions thatcontribute to sustainability. The main functions of the Roundtableshould be to provide advice to the City, facilitate communityconsultation and education, and monitor progress on sustainability.The City should create a Sustainability Advocate to promotesustainability principles and monitor their incorporation into theCity’s policies and activities. In addition, the City should create aStanding Committee Sustainability Representative to monitorStanding Committees and promote sustainable thinking in theactivities of the Committees.

CREATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUSTAINABILITY

50) Appoint a Sustainability LeadRecommended that the Chief Administrative Officer become theSustainability Lead and appoint a Sustainability Director to carryout the following responsibilities:a) prepare a plan, in consultation with the proposed Sustainability

Roundtable and staff to identify how sustainability can best bepromoted, facilitated and supported within the Corporation,and present this plan to the Policy and Finance Committee byJanuary 2001; and

b) work with other members of the Senior Management Team toincorporate sustainability into the City’s policies, programs anddecision-making processes.

51) Establish a Sustainability RoundtableRecommended that the City establish a strategic, high-levelSustainability Roundtable to meet periodically. The mandate ofthe Roundtable should include the following responsibilities:a) to promote actions within the City of Toronto based on

sustainability (i.e., actions that simultaneously achieveenvironmental protection, economic vitality and social well-being);

b) to report to Council, normally through the Policy and FinanceCommittee, and where appropriate through other StandingCommittees;

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1 City Council adopted the ETF’s governance framework on December 14, 1999

c) to act as the City’s key forum to develop and bring togethersustainability leaders and make recommendations aboutsustainability to Council and the administration;

d) to help Council form consensus on contentious issues through asustainability approach;

e) to monitor, with the assistance of the Sustainability Lead,progress towards sustainability in the Corporation and the Cityof Toronto;

f) to advise in strategic and sectoral planning so thatsustainability becomes a key integrating tool in planningprocesses;

g) to facilitate public input into sustainability planning by theCity;

h) to facilitate education and awareness of sustainability; and i) to issue an annual “State of Sustainability Report”to Council

and report to Council and its Standing Committees on anyissues related to sustainability.

The membership of the Sustainability Roundtable will include:a) one City Councillor from each of the following Standing

Committees (Economic Development and Parks, Policy andFinance, Community Services, Planning and Transportationand Works) and the Sustainability Advocate;

b) senior staff including the CAO or the Sustainability Director,the Commissioners of Works and Emergency Services, EconomicDevelopment, Culture and Tourism, Community andNeighbourhood Services, Urban Planning and DevelopmentServices or their delegates, and the Medical Officer of Health;

c) one representative each from The Toronto and RegionConservation Authority and the Board of Health;

d) one representative each from CUPE 416 and CUPE 79;e) equal representation from organizations representing the

environmental, social and economic development communities;f) the community representation outlined in (e) should constitute

at least 50 percent of the membership; andg) a list of organizations to nominate representatives to the

Roundtable will be developed by the Environmental Task Forcefor consideration by the Policy and Finance Committee.

52) Create a Sustainability AdvocateRecommended that the City appoint a member of Council (who isnot the Chair of a Standing Committee or of Community Council)as the Sustainability Advocate with the following responsibilities:

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a) to co-chair, with a prominent citizen member, the SustainabilityRoundtable;

b) to ensure that sustainability is promoted through the City ofToronto;

c) on behalf of the Roundtable, to monitor the incorporation ofsustainability into the policies and activities of the Corporationand to consult with members of the public promotingsustainability; and

d) to present to Council, on behalf of the Roundtable, its annualreport and report to Council and its Standing Committees onany issues related to sustainability.

53) Create a Standing Committee Sustainability RepresentativeRecommended that the Standing Committees nominate arepresentative to sit on the Sustainability Roundtable and carryout the following responsibilities:a) monitor the policies and activities of the Standing Committees

and promote actions based on sustainability;b) consult with the public on sustainable activities; andc) consider suggestions and complaints from the public on the

success in promoting sustainability achieved by the StandingCommittees and Departments.

CARRY OUT ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITS

In order to assess its progress on environmental matters, the Cityshould create an Environmental Auditor. The Auditor shouldannually report on how effective departments have been at meetingthe City’s environmental goals, and should investigate citizencomplaints. The Standing Committees should respond to theAuditor’s annual reports. Through the City Auditor, the City shouldalso conduct research into how best to carry out sustainability audits.This will help move the City towards sustainability.

54) Create an Environmental AuditorRecommended that the City create the position of EnvironmentalAuditor within Audit Services with the following responsibilities:a) to assess:i. how effectively City Departments have met the City’s environmental

goals; andii. the processes established to achieve these goals.b) to produce an annual report that is accessible and available to

the public;

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c) to investigate the City’s response to public complaints about cityoperations that contribute to environmental degradation;

d) to develop methodologies and reporting mechanisms that willallow environmental audits to incorporate social and economicconsiderations; and

e) to liaise with provincial and federal counterparts to takeadvantage of shared methodologies and insights.

55) Standing Committees Should Respond to the EnvironmentalAuditRecommended that the City’s Departments submit annual reportsto the appropriate Standing Committee in response to theEnvironmental Auditor’s Report.

56) Research How to do a Sustainability AuditRecommended that the City Auditor, in consultation with theSustainability Roundtable, prepare a report on how aSustainability Audit can be produced by Audit Services, andsubmit this report to the Policy and Finance Committee withintwo years of the creation of the Sustainability Roundtable.

INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY

Community involvement in governance should come through manyformal avenues. Representatives from community groups will take upat least half the seats on the Sustainability Roundtable. EnvironmentalAdvisory Groups will continue, and where appropriate, new ones willbe created so community members can work with the City onenvironmental matters.

In December 1999, City Council adopted the following motion thatcalls on Commissioners to review the need for EnvironmentalAdvisory Committees and report on the best way to provide effectivesupport for them.

57) Support Environmental Advisory CommitteesEach Commissioner, in consultation with the ETF and its successorthe Sustainability Roundtable, should review the need for and thesupport provided to Department Program Advisory Committeesand City-owned site specific Advisory Committees and reportthereon to the appropriate standing committee of Council.

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WORKING WITH OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT

Ecosystems know no political boundaries. The watersheds of Torontostreams and rivers include land outside the boundaries of our City.The pollutants in the air we breathe come not just from the within thecity but also from sources outside the city, province and country. Thismeans that advocating for a clean, green and healthy Toronto involvesworking with other levels of government. To ensure that this happens,City Council and City staff need to be involved in regional, provincialand national environmental policy review and development.

58) Create an Inter-Governmental Environmental AdvocateRecommended that City Council appoint a City Councillor and aSenior staff person to ensure that City interests are properlyrepresented in regional, provincial and federal environmentalpolicy review and development and to recommend such actions asdeemed necessary.

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9.0 MEASURING AND REPORTING PROGRESSMEASURING PROGRESS

In any endeavour, it is necessary to know if goals, objectives andtargets are being met. In the environmental field, measurement ofprogress is often done with the use of indicators. Indicators are bitsof information that tell us something about conditions in the worldaround us. Blood pressure, for example, is an indicator that tells adoctor something about a person’s health, and Gross DomesticProduct is an indicator that tells us something about the health of anation’s economy. Simple indicators such as the number of AirQuality Advisories, the presence of self-sustaining populations oftarget fish species such as the Atlantic salmon, or the extent of forestcover, can tell us a tremendous amount about the health of our air,water and land.

Many environmental agencies, groups and organizations have (and arestill) investing considerable time and energy in the development ofindicators to measure the health of ecosystems at various scales.Preliminary lists of indicators have been developed for Canada, theGreat Lakes Basin, Lake Ontario, the Don and Humber Watersheds,and for the former Metro Toronto. Other monitoring initiativesunderway include the “Taking Toronto’s Vital Signs” (TorontoCommunity Foundation), The Toronto and Region Remedial ActionPlan (Waterfront Regeneration Trust) and the Sustainable CommunityIndicators Program (Environment Canada and CMHC). At the City,indicators will be used in State of the Environment and Healthy Cityreporting, among other areas.

Preliminary indicators to measure the environment were selected bythe ETF’s Indicators Work Group (see preliminary list of indicators).These were selected after reviewing other indicator programs andafter consideration of five key criteria: relevance, scientific reliability,value, practicality and sustainability. The indicators selected reflectthe priorities of the ETF and were previously used by the City’sformer municipalities. Indicators for Green Economic Developmentand Education and Awareness were not selected as they were not usedin previous reports.

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Preliminary List of IndicatorsLand• amount of greenspace per capita• diversity of plants and animals• type and amount of hazardous and liquid waste generated• number of documented spills to the environment• amount of solid waste generated per capita• amount of pesticides used in City operations

Water• number of beach closings• level of all pollutants identified in the Draft Sewer Use By-law• number of CSO discharges and contaminant loadings• water consumption per capita

Air• emissions of carbon dioxide, by sector• Air Quality Index• emissions of priority pollutants (including carbon monoxide,

mercury, benzene, sulphates, nitrogen oxides and volatile organiccompounds)

Transportation• modal split for transportation• average trip length• vehicle occupancy• public transit use

Energy• energy consumption per capita• percentage of energy supplied by renewable sources

The City needs to continue the indicator development process toidentify a suite of indicators that can be used to measuresustainability and the health of the environment. This process shoulduse the preliminary indicators contained in this Plan as a startingpoint, incorporate the best ideas used elsewhere, and involve thecommunity and stakeholders in the process.

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59) Develop Indicators to Measure Sustainability and the Health ofthe EnvironmentRecommended that the City develop a set of performance indicatorsto measure environmental, economic and social health. These should:a) be developed by a Monitoring Subcommittee of the Toronto Inter-

Departmental Environmental Team (TIE ) with the SustainabilityRoundtable;

b) use the indicators identified in this Plan and those used in the1998 Metro Toronto State of the Environment Update Report asstarting points and develop additional indicators to fill datagaps;

c) incorporate best practices from other jurisdictions; d) involve the community and stakeholders in the indicator selection

process; ande) be updated regularly to keep indicators relevant to environment

changes, technological improvements and community concerns.

AN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK

Environmental Management Systems are management frameworksthat are used to implement environmental policies in business,industry, institutions and governments. There are a number of these,including the International Standards Organization (ISO) 14000 and14001 systems. A pilot project carried out by the former Metro WorksDepartment in 1997 suggested that an effective EnvironmentalManagement System for the City would:• establish overall corporate environmental policies;• identify and review activities within the organization that have

significant environmental effects;• develop an action plan to improve the environmental performance

of these activities;• establish monitoring and audit functions to report on performance;• review the system periodically in order to take corrective actions;

and• produce an environmental statement to publicly report on progress.

There are many reasons why the City should develop an EnvironmentalManagement System. It will provide the City with an excellent way ofmonitoring the environmental impact of its corporate functions. Theestablishment of a regular cycle of audits and reviews (similar to theannual budgeting and auditing that is part of financial management),will allow the City to assess progress with a goal of continuousimprovement in environmental performance. The City will also benefitfrom improved business performance, a better corporate image,

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reduced operating cost, increased employee morale, reduced liabilityand improved public relations.

60) Develop an Environmental Management System for the CityRecommended that the City develop an Environmental ManagementSystem for the corporation. This system should:a) establish overall environmental policies;b) use the priorities outlined in this Plan as a starting point;c) be used to evaluate corporate-wide implementation of

environmental policies; d) include mechanisms to ensure employee buy-in, such as training

and reward components;e) consider the establishment of workplace Environment Committees

so that workers and management can work together to identifyand address workplace-related environmental issues; and

f) include annual environmental audits by an internal auditor (asdescribed in recommendation 55) to measure the environmentalperformance of the Corporation.

REPORTING ON PROGRESS

Reporting on progress is an integral part of a monitoring framework.Effective reporting is timely, easily understood, and easy to access. TheETF has proposed a framework for the City to report on sustainabilityprogress and environmental conditions. This includes the preparation ofa State of the City Report by the Chief Administrative Officer at three yearintervals. This report will look at the natural, social and economicenvironment of Toronto. The City, through the Toronto Inter-Departmental Environmental Team, should issue a State of theEnvironment Report and a Sustainable Transportation progress reportevery three years. The Sustainability Roundtable should report annuallyon Implementation of the Environmental Plan, and should update thePlan every six years. ETF expects that all of these reporting initiatives willinvolve City departments, Agencies, Boards and Commissions and thecommunity as appropriate.

61) Report on Sustainability Progress and EnvironmentalConditions

Recommended that the City report regularly to Council, residents,agencies and the media on the progress being made to achievesustainability and improve environmental conditions. It should:a) produce a State of the City Report every three years that reviews

the natural, social and economic environment;

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b) issue a State of the Environment Report every three yearsbeginning in 2003, that includes a section written by a thirdparty representing the environmental community;

c) report to the Sustainability Roundtable every three years,starting in 2001, on Sustainable Transportation Progress;

d) report on the implementation of the Environmental Plan annuallybeginning in 2001 with a “State of Sustainability Report” thatincludes a section written by a third party representing theenvironmental, social equity and economy sectors; and

e) update the Environmental Plan every six years beginning in2006.

COORDINATION

Coordination, integration and linking of the City’s monitoring,evaluation and reporting activities will be necessary to eliminateoverlap, encourage the use of compatible and consistent approachesand achieve efficiency. TIE and the Sustainability Roundtable shouldtake on this task.

62) Coordinate Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting ActivitiesRecommended that TIE and the Sustainability Roundtable, inconsultation with City Departments, coordinate the monitoring,evaluation and reporting activities outlined in this Plan.

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10.0 NEXT STEPS AND IMPLEMENTATIONThe Environmental Plan is the culmination of almost 2 years of effortby the Environmental Task Force, City staff, and hundreds ofindividuals from all walks of life. It represents the ETF’s best thoughtsand ideas on how to protect and enhance our natural environment,and how to help move Toronto towards sustainability.

The recommendations below are intended to guide implementationof the recommendations contained in this Environmental Plan.

63) Integrate the Environmental Plan with Other PlanningProcessesRecommended that the City a) forward Clean, Green and Healthy: A Plan for an Environmentally

Sustainable Toronto for incorporation of relevant elements intoother current planning processes. These include the OfficialPlan, the Strategic Plan, the Strategic Transportation PlanningGroup, the Annual Budget Process, the Economic Plan, SocialDevelopment Strategies and future planning processes;

b) forward the plan to the Greater Toronto Services Board, theAssociation of Municipalities of Ontario, the Federation ofCanadian Municipalities, provincial and federal governmentsand ensure the plan’s contents are incorporated into any citypolicies being developed for these bodies or jurisdictions

64) Provide Adequate Resources for ImplementationRecommended that the City consider the financial, social andeconomic implications of each recommendation contained in theEnvironmental Plan and direct City staff to include adequatefinancial and human resources for implementation in their 2001budget submissions and budget projections for subsequent years.

Due to overwhelming public interest for targets in the EnvironmentalPlan (EP), a companion report on targets for the recommendationswill be developed and submitted to City Council to accompany itsreview of the EP. In addition, the Sustainability Roundtable and CityCouncil will have responsibility for setting and reviewing anyadditional targets.

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65) Set Moving TargetsRecommended that the City and the Sustainability Roundtable settargets for implementation, review them over time against overallgoals, and tighten them when appropriate to reflect programsuccesses, environmental conditions, and public concern.

A number of issues were identified during the last two meetings of theEnvironmental Task Force that could not be integrated into theEnvironmental Plan including: the addition of fluoride to drinkingwater, options for decentralizing the sewer system, expansion ofPearson International Airport, the increase in air shipment of goodsand indoor air quality.

The Task Force also heard from several communities concerned aboutnoise. Other Cities around the world are beginning to address thegoal of achieving a quiet city. The City of Toronto should considerthis objective as well and develop strategies based on appropriateresearch and data to address noise issues and achieve a quieter cityfor its citizens. This is seen as a priority for the SustainabilityRoundtable to initiate in conjunction with Toronto Public Health,which is preparing a report on this issue.

66) Address Future and Emerging Issues Recommended that the City, through the SustainabilityRoundtable, monitor future and emerging issues that relate tosustainability and the natural environment. These issues include: • the addition of fluoride to drinking water;• options for decentralizing the sewer system;• the expansion of Pearson International Airport;• the increase in air shipment of goods;• noise;• indoor air quality; • genetically altered foods;• those identified in the ETF Public Consultation report, the TEA

Environmental Leaders report and the forthcoming report of theToronto Cancer Prevention Coalition such as the integration ofthe implementation of water, energy and toxics reductionprograms through the creation of interdepartmental pollutionprevention teams; and

• others as appropriate.

Next Steps


This Environmental Plan for the new City of Toronto presents theEnvironmental Task Force’s vision of a clean, green, healthy andsustainable Toronto. In our vision, Toronto will become a worldleader in sustainability, as evidenced by its vibrant and healthyenvironment, community and economy. The Environmental Planalso provides a blueprint for how to achieve that vision. Turning thevision into reality will require the involvement of all Toronto’scitizens, along with City staff and councillors, the business andeducation communities, agencies and non-governmentalorganizations. The Environmental Task Force understands that thegoals we have set are significant. Nevertheless, we believe that theyare attainable. Moreover, we believe that it is imperative for Torontoto become a sustainable city if we want to pass it on to our children,and our children’s children as a wonderful place in which to live, workand play.

Next Steps


APPENDIX ACONSOLIDATED RECOMMENDATIONS

1) Adopt the principle of pollution prevention planningRecommended that the City adopt the principle of pollutionprevention planning so that actions taken by the City of Toronto arebased on preventing, or at least minimizing to the greatest extentpossible, the release of pollutants into the environment.

2) Develop a Community Right to Know By-lawRecommended that the City develop a Community Right to KnowBy-law that empowers community members to know the location,sources and health effects of toxics in their community. A report on theproposed By-law shall be submitted to Council and the SustainabilityRoundtable by the end of 2000. The By-law should: a) include the collection and dissemination of information concerning

historic land use, emissions of toxic pollutants, and the use,manufacture, disposal, and storage of toxic materials and waste;

b) include inventory lists and maps of locations; and c) be developed in consultation with appropriate city departments,

relevant community groups such as the Canadian UniversityResearch Alliance and environmental groups.

LAND

3) Increase Parks and Natural AreasRecommended that the City report to Council and the SustainabilityRoundtable before the end of 2000 on a Land Acquisition Strategy forparks and natural areas that will:a) protect and conserve the City’s greenspaces;b) address innovative ways to accommodate the needs of a growing

population and increased density;c) address potential mechanisms to fund acquisition;d) increase the interconnectedness of the City’s greenspaces; and e) complement The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s

acquisition programs.

4) Develop a Natural Heritage StrategyRecommended that the City report to Council and the SustainabilityRoundtable before the end of 2000 on the development of a NaturalHeritage Strategy. This Strategy should:a) protect existing natural heritage features and functions;b) identify opportunities to create or enhance linkages between

Appendix A


greenspaces and greenway corridors;c) identify opportunities and priorities for environmental restoration

and stewardship initiatives; d) address ecological health, recreation and tourism opportunities;

ande) identify opportunities for partnerships with landowners, school

boards and community groups.

5) Plant More TreesRecommended that the City support the efforts of the Council’sTree Advocate to:a) improve the health of the City’s Urban Forest; andb) implement an annual program of tree planting.

6) Protect LandformsRecommended that the City develop policies, by-laws and othermechanisms to protect significant landforms including ravines,river valleys, the Lake Iroquois shoreline, the Lake Ontarioshoreline including beaches and bluffs, and drumlins.

7) Eliminate the Use of PesticidesRecommended that the City adopt a goal of elimination ofpesticides, where possible. It should:a) support the work being done by the Toronto Inter-Departmental

Environmental Team to reduce and eliminate pesticide usethroughout the City of Toronto;

b) request all City Agencies, Boards and Commissions to developplans, if such plans have not yet been developed, to banpesticide use except in emergency or exceptional situations, onall City lands by December 31, 2000; and

c) develop a strategy to eliminate pesticide use on private lands.

8) Encourage Green RoofsRecommended that the City report to Council and theSustainability Roundtable before the end of 2000 on a strategy toencourage green roofs and rooftop gardens. The strategy should:a) address the potential for retrofitting green roofs and rooftop

gardens on City-owned buildings; b) address how green roofs and rooftop gardens can be

implemented in new developments; andc) address the environmental benefits that can be derived from

green roofs and rooftop gardens (e.g., CO2 reduction, stormwaterretention, microclimate improvements, etc.).

Appendix A


9) Increase the Diversion of Solid WasteRecommended that the Commissioner of Works and EmergencyServices report to Council and the Sustainability Roundtable on astrategy to divert 100% of the City’s solid waste resources by 2020,with an interim target of 75% by 2010.

10) Explore the Feasibility of Curbside Collection of and ProducerResponsibility for Household Hazardous WasteRecommended that the Commissioner of Works and EmergencyServices report to Council and the Sustainability Roundtablebefore the end of 2000 on the feasibility of establishing:a) a curbside household hazardous waste program, beginning with

a review of best practices and a pilot project; and b) producer responsibility initiatives such as depots for used

batteries at retail outlets.

11) Clean Up Contaminated LandsRecommended that the City, with the Sustainability Roundtable,develop a strategy to clean up city and privately-owned contaminatedlands. The strategy should include:a) a comprehensive land use inventory and groundwater information

system to facilitate the identification of potentially contaminatedsites and integrate soil and groundwater information;

b) a protocol that ensures that human health and the naturalenvironment is adequately protected on all developments onpotentially contaminated land;

c) strategies for cleaning up land that is not slated for development; andd) incentives for re-investment in contaminated lands.

WATER

12) Restore the Health of Rivers, Streams and the WaterfrontRecommended that the City prepare a report, with recommendationsfor action, for Council and the Sustainability Roundtable before theend of 2000 on new initiatives and on the work being done by CityDepartments, The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, theWaterfront Regeneration Trust, federal and provincial agencies,community partners and community-based watershed groups to:a) restore water quality along the waterfront and in streams and

rivers; b) revegetate and naturalize stream and river banks and the

waterfront; c) reclaim the City’s buried creeks and streams; d) carry out aquatic habitat restoration projects; and

Appendix A


e) effectively monitor environmental conditions within the waterfrontand watersheds.

13) Eliminate Combined Sewer Overflows and Improve StormwaterManagementRecommended that the City eliminate combined sewer overflowsand improve stormwater management. The City should:a) view rainwater as a resource;b) place priority on source reduction rather than conveyance or

end-of-pipe controls;c) manage wet weather flows on a watershed basis;d) encourage innovative, natural and non-structural methods of

reducing and managing stormwater;e) develop strategies to “unpave” Toronto by reducing the amount

of impermeable land; andf) complete the Wet Weather Flow Master Plan by January 2002

and implement it as quickly as possible.

14) Prevent the Discharge of Pollutants into SewersRecommended that the City prevent the discharge of pollutantsinto sanitary sewers. It should:a) by June 2000 adopt a Sewer Use By-Law that prevents pollution

and improves the quality of biosolids produced in wastewatertreatment;

b) include in the Sewer Use By-law a provision to developEnvironmental Emergency Plans to prevent and recover fromEnvironmental Emergencies;

c) after completion of the Sewer Use By-Law, encourage otherupstream municipalities to adopt similar by-laws to protectwatercourses and aquatic communities;

d) develop its own internal standards for wastewater treatmentplants that exceed the requirements of Certificates of Approval;

e) address options to contain and treat runoff from snow piles; andf) explore options for treating leachate from landfill sites that

avoid treatment at a wastewater treatment plant.

15) Reduce Water UseRecommended that the City prepare a report for Council and theSustainability Roundtable before the end of 2000 on water efficiencyand conservation. The report should:a) address the implementation of the strategies being developed

in the Water Efficiency Plan; b) include innovative strategies to reduce water use such as the re-use

of grey water; and

Appendix A


c) set aggressive short and long-term targets for reduction of wateruse in all sectors.

16) Improve the Environmental Performance of Sanitary SewersRecommended that the City prepare a report for Council and theSustainability Roundtable before the end of 2000 on innovativemethods of improving the environmental performance of sanitarysewers to reduce leakage and infiltration.

17) Expand the Use of Alternatives to Chlorine for WastewaterTreatmentRecommended that the City support the use of alternatives tochlorine for the disinfection of wastewater at the Ashbridges BayTreatment Plant including not chlorinating in the winter, andimplementing the use of alternatives at the City’s other wastewatertreatment facilities.

18) Monitor Drinking Water GuidelinesRecommended that the City should monitor research on drinkingwater quality and health. It should:a) participate in Federal and Provincial processes that set

guidelines or objectives for drinking water with the aim ofdeveloping more stringent guidelines;

b) on an ongoing basis, review the use of chemicals used in thewater treatment and distribution system with the aim ofreducing chemical use where possible;

c) continue to explore ways of reducing compounds that causetaste and odour problems; and

d) communicate its results to the public.

19) Explore the Use of Financial Incentives to Reduce PollutionRecommended that the Commissioner of Works and EmergencyServices report to Council and the Sustainability Roundtablebefore the end of 2000 on the use of financial incentives such aspolluter pay, user pay and graduated pricing schemes to reducewater pollution.

AIR

20) Recognize the Right of Torontonians to Clean AirRecommended that the City recognize the right of Torontoniansto clean air, and recognize its necessity for the health and well-being of vulnerable populations and current and futuregenerations. The City should adopt the following goals:

Appendix A


a) to work to make Toronto’s air clean and free of harmful levels ofpollutants;

b) to maintain and expand the City’s leadership role in air quality;c) to continue its commitments to address global warming and

depletion of the ozone layer; andd) to consider air quality impacts as a major criterion in

transportation and land use planning.

21) Develop a Comprehensive Air Quality StrategyRecommended that the City build on, integrate and coordinate itsefforts to improve air quality through the development of acomprehensive Air Quality Strategy for the City of Toronto. TheStrategy should:a) assess the progress of and integrate current air quality

initiatives;b) set priorities for City action;c) set targets where they do not now exist;d) consider air emissions and their impacts;e) identify areas where the City can be involved (such as

promoting the City’s own corporate smog reduction programwithin the Toronto business community, zero-emission Cityfleets, and promoting employer trip reduction programs) andhow it can best apply its resources to maximum effect; and

f) facilitate monitoring and reporting to the public.

22) Reduce Air EmissionsRecommended that the City work to reduce air emissions. It should: a) assess the need to improve City, provincial and federal emission

inventories;b) ask the Province to review Certificates of Approval for point

sources in the City, to ensure compliance and up-to-date recordsfor emission inventories;

c) explore the feasibility of introducing a by-law to restrict pointsource emissions; and

d) advocate for provincial, federal and U.S. government action toreduce air emissions.

23) Monitor Ambient Air Quality and Standard-SettingRecommended that the City develop a role in air qualitymonitoring and standard-setting. It should:a) participate with the provincial and federal governments in the

delivery of an effective monitoring and reporting system forambient air quality;

Appendix A


b) continue to participate in provincial and federal processes thatset air quality objectives and standards; and

c) advocate to the provincial and federal governments for effectivemonitoring, air quality objectives and standards, regulationsand emission caps.

24) Integrate City Efforts with Other JurisdictionsRecommended that the City integrate its efforts on air quality withregional, provincial, federal, U.S. and internationals bodies. It should:a) develop air quality strategies for the GTA, Ontario, and the

Quebec-Windsor corridor in partnership with the provincialand federal governments and other municipalities;

b) make regional and international movement of air pollutants a priority of intergovernmental relations through its membershipin the Greater Toronto Services Board, the Association ofMunicipalities of Ontario, the Federation of CanadianMunicipalities, the International Council for Local EnvironmentalInitiatives and other organizations; and

c) encourage the provincial and federal governments to implementappropriate strategies, policies, and regulations to ensure thatmunicipal, provincial and federal air quality goals andinternational commitments are met.

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION

25) Recognize the Importance of Sustainable TransportationRecommended that the City recognize the importance of sustainabletransportation in achieving a sustainable city and adopt the followinggoals to establish Toronto as a leading sustainable transportation city:a) to provide Toronto residents and visitors with the widest range

of sustainable transportation options that are seamlessly linked,safe, convenient, enjoyable, affordable, economically competitive,and which significantly reduce the environmental, health, socialand economic impacts of personal transportation;

b) to significantly reduce the congestion, pollution, danger, cost andinefficiencies related to the movement of people and goods;

c) to replace or reduce the need for transportation of people and goods; d) to give priority in transportation and land use decisions to

sustainable transportation;e) to address institutional biases that favour auto users; andf) to be a leader in facilitating discussions with other governments

and bodies with the aim of establishing truly comprehensivesustainable transportation strategy.

Appendix A


26) Plan for and Implement Sustainable Transportation Recommended that the City prepare a report for City Council and theSustainability Roundtable by the end of 2000 on the staff and resourcerequirements needed to develop and implement a comprehensive,integrated plan or mechanism to meet the goals outlined above. Theplan or mechanism should include:a) an integrated framework and vision for future transportation

and land use in Toronto;b) consultation and partnership with all relevant City Departments and

Agencies, other levels of government, the transportation industry,citizens, labour, community groups and environmental groups;

c) short and long-term goals and principles for the developmentof sustainable transportation;

d) ambitious targets (and indicators to measure progress);e) quick start activities, where appropriate;f) assembly, and where appropriate, City-wide implementation of

existing policies and initiatives related to sustainable transportationas described in the Sustainable Transportation Work Group Report;

g) assembly, and where appropriate, implementation of proposedsustainable transportation policies and pilot initiatives includedin current reports (the Board of Trade Infrastructure Report,Pollution Probe Transit Action Plan, GTSB Transportation Plan,the Coroner’s Report on Cycling Deaths, and the Federal ClimateChange Table Recommendations);

h) establishment and implementation of an integrated mechanismto develop new policies, practices and pilot initiatives as describedin the Sustainable Transportation Work Group Report;

i) implementation schedules;j) resources needed, financial sources and mechanisms, and

strategies for stimulating investment in the sustainabletransportation sector;

k) staffing requirements and mechanisms to coordinate the City’ssustainable transportation efforts;

l) mechanisms for establishing new and building on existingpartnerships and public participation;

m) a communications and outreach plan;n) recommendations to key agencies, other levels of government,

businesses, institutions and community agencies; o) detailed evaluation and monitoring mechanisms; andp) the formation of a Sustainable Transportation Working Group,

that includes City Councillors, to assist in the development ofthe plan.

Appendix A


SUSTAINABLE ENERGY USE

27) Adopt a Goal of Sustainable EnergyRecommended that the City adopt, as a long-range goal, thedevelopment of a Sustainable Energy Infrastructure for Torontothat supports the efficient production, transmission and use ofenergy from renewable sources.

28) Coordinate Toronto’s Efforts on Sustainable Energy Recommended that the City coordinate sustainable energy efforts.It should:a) in the short term, expand the mandate of the City’s Energy

Efficiency Office to include all aspects of sustainable energyproduction, transmission and use and authorize the EnergyEfficiency Office with the mandate and role to coordinate theCorporation’s energy efficiency efforts;

b) facilitate the development of a multi-stakeholder SustainableEnergy Partnership which will:i. prepare a Sustainable Energy Plan for Toronto;ii. coordinate Toronto-wide activities on Sustainable Energy;iii. encourage the formation of partnerships and joint ventures;iv. fund feasibility studies;v. carry out research; vi. act as an information clearing house; andvii. develop programs that target homeowners;

c) ensure that Toronto Hydro, the Toronto District HeatingCorporation, and other Agencies, Boards, Commissions andDepartments work together wherever appropriate to maximizeenergy efficiency, economies of scale and project economics;

d) establish an Energy Policy Working Group of City councillorsto discuss energy policy; and

e) continue to support the work of the City’s Better BuildingsPartnership in meeting its goal of retrofitting 40% of thebuildings in the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional sectorby 2008.

29) Increase Energy Efficiency in City Operations and FacilitiesRecommended that the City increase its corporate energyefficiency. It should:a) request departments to prepare plans to reduce energy use in their

operations and in City buildings and facilities at least 15% by 2005;b) encourage all agencies, boards and commissions and require all

departments to examine how to reduce energy use in infrastructureprojects; and

Appendix A


c) ensure that the City’s accounting system allows energy use to betracked.

30) Support Green PowerRecommended that the City support the use of Green Power. Itshould:a) reaffirm its commitment to purchase 25% of its energy needs

through Green Power and report to the Sustainability Roundtableon how it is going to accomplish this;

b) encourage all agencies, boards and commissions to aggregatetheir purchasing power by participating in a municipal greenpower aggregation project and committing to purchasing 25%of their energy needs through Green Power;

c) carry out an inventory of potential City locations for sitingGreen Power sources such as wind turbines and solar panels;

d) encourage Toronto Hydro Energy Services Company to include1000 MW of Green Power in its Integrated Resources StrategicPlan; and

e) encourage the Toronto Hydro Energy Services Company to formcollaborative sustainable energy partnerships with the TorontoDistrict Heating Corporation and the Better Building Partnership.

31) Encourage Improved Building DesignRecommended that the City encourage improvements in buildingdesign. It should:a) implement a means of achieving the federal C2000 performance

standard for all commercial buildings;b) create a Buildings Design Challenge to engage the building

sector in the design and construction of state of the art buildings;c) report on the feasibility of implementing the federal Energuide

label for housing, and giving building permit priority tobuildings with Energuide labels and plans;

d) report on the feasibility of implementing a sliding scale buildingpermit fee based on energy efficiency criteria and/or fast-tracking proposals that meet energy efficiency targets;

e) provide training on energy efficiency design and technologiesfor Building Division permit and customer service staff ofUrban Planning and Development Services; and

f) request the Province to adopt a Green Building Code thatencourages the use of solar heating, waste heat recovery, greenroofs, recycled grey water and rain water, recycled materials,and other technologies that reduce resource consumption andenvironmental impacts and discourage the use of toxic andhazardous materials.

Appendix A


32) Promote the Use of District Heating and CoolingRecommended that the City promote the use of district heatingand cooling. It should:a) develop a plan for how all agencies, boards, commissions and

departments can use and/or promote the benefits and use ofdistrict heating and cooling in new developments; and

b) develop a plan that enables all new developments in the centraldowntown to use district heating, district cooling, especiallyDeep Lake Water Cooling.

33) Encourage Energy Efficiency in New DevelopmentsRecommended that the City identify approaches to encourageenergy efficiency in new developments including the designation ofnew development areas as Model Communities to showcasesustainability, with a focus on energy efficiency and use ofrenewable energy sources, and that these approaches beincorporated into the Official Plan and be reported back to theWorks Committee and the Planning and Transportation Committeeby the end of 2000.

34) Develop Investment Strategies for Sustainable Energy PlanImplementationRecommended that the City, Toronto Hydro and the TorontoAtmospheric Fund (TAF) jointly report to the SustainabilityRoundtable and the Energy Policy Working Group (seerecommendation 28) by July 2000 on how best to employ financialinstruments to accelerate investment in sustainable energy. Thereport should consider:a) the use of a surcharge applied to all Toronto Hydro customers to

generate funds that could be used to fund sustainable energyprojects;

b) the use of varying rate structures by Toronto Hydro (including ratestructures based on consumption rather than fixed service charges);

c) the use by Toronto Hydro of net billing for customers of GreenPower;

d) re-investing savings from City energy efficiency projects in thepurchase and/or redevelopment of Green Power for the City’s use;

e) how the City should optimize its financial support for sustainableenergy (including consideration of Toronto Hydro’s capitalstructure, use of City reserve funds, use of the City’s purchasingpower in the market place, leveraging private capital tounderwrite increased investments, and leveraging TAF’s assetswith private capital);

Appendix A


f) how the City can minimize the financing costs for sustainableenergy projects (including consideration of long-term, definedprice contracts);

g) what role the City should play in promoting sustainable energyas a commercial venture; and

h) lessons learned in other jurisdictions that have createdsustainable energy programs.

GREEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

35) Promote Environmentally Sustainable Development and UrbanFormRecommended that the City promote development that isenvironmentally sustainable. It should:a) promote reurbanisation of the City to increase the population

and employment opportunities and set aggressive targets in theOfficial Plan;

b) pursue a strategy of “strategic reinvestment” that encouragescompact growth and directs growth to those areas of the Citywhere infrastructure capacity already exists;

c) maximize the use of existing infrastructure capacities beforebuilding new infrastructure;

d) ensure that new investments are efficient and cost effective (forexample, by considering transportation impacts and usingflexible planning policies);

e) ensure that new developments include stormwater management;f) give strong emphasis to and include strategies in the Official

Plan to support low capital, low-cost modes of travel such aswalking, cycling and flexible transit;

g) capitalize on business trends that support sustainability (suchas the use of Information and Communication Technology toreduce travel); and

h) advocate within the Greater Toronto Services Board policies thatpromote the intensification of urban areas, the conservation andenhancement of natural features and resources, and theconservation of prime agricultural land across the GTA.

36) Conduct Research on Environmentally SustainableDevelopmentRecommended that the City, through the Sustainability Roundtable,carry out a program of research on environmentally sustainabledevelopment. The research program should explore: a) the sustainability benefits that may accrue from industry clusters

that put businesses, suppliers, customers and employees together;

Appendix A


b) the use of Information and Communication Technology to reducetravel by employees, suppliers and customers, to reduce theshipping of goods, and to improve the efficiency of existing travel;

c) the implications of non-residential sprawl on environmentalsustainability;

d) determine how infrastructure costs vary with location and withprojected population and job growth;

e) determine the full costs of the infrastructure services it provides,including environmental and social costs, and develop a strategyto move towards true cost accounting;

f) further investigate the linkages between urban form, energyefficiency and community economic development; and

g) the possibility of using heritage buildings as incubators forinnovative business and community economic developmentprojects.

37) Increase Energy Efficiency in the Industrial SectorRecommended that the City establish an Industrial Energy EfficiencyProgram. The program should:a) be coordinated by the City’s Energy Efficiency Office;b) be carried out in partnership with Toronto Hydro, gas companies

and the industrial sector; c) provide services including energy audits, marketing, technical

support and training, contractor training and certification, andrelated matters; and

d) as an early step, carry out a sector energy characterization to learnabout the state of the city’s industrial technologies, processes, andmarket segments.

38) Promote the Development of Green IndustryRecommended that the City coordinate the establishment of a GreenIndustry Initiative. This initiative should:a) promote the establishment of “green industries” including industries

that produce wind turbines, photovoltaic cells, soil remediationtechnologies, recycling technologies, etc.;

b) support “green industry” entrepreneurs through such means asaccess to appropriate space, favourable leases and low cost financing;

c) support “green industry” projects that employ the sociallydisadvantaged;

d) help to create markets for products;e) document and monitor Toronto’s green economy including

progress on social and health factors; f) promote the potential of the green economy to the public and

private sectors;

Appendix A


g) develop a green economy award program to honour and celebrateleading companies and organizations contributing to thegreening of Toronto; and

h) include a full life cycle analysis of capital goods to ensure thatnew capital investment reflects a commitment to sustainability.

39) Promote Local Food ProductionRecommended that the City support local food production by carryingout the following initiatives: a) recognize the City’s potential for increased urban food production

in the Official Plan;b) implement the action plan that is being developed by Economic

Development,Culture and Tourism to expand community gardening;c) develop an action plan to build rooftop gardens on City buildings

(see Recommendation 8);d) prepare an inventory of potential locations where greenhouse

facilities could be located near potential energy co-generationprojects or landfills with methane recovery;

e) make compost from wet waste recovery readily available to urbanfood production projects and businesses;

f) report on the feasibility of developing a cluster of local foodindustries;

g) determine the need for “incubator” programs to support emerginglocal food businesses;

h) carry out a food flow analysis for the City to determine theamount of food imported and its sources;

i) analyze existing food procurement arrangements to identifypotential products that could be produced through an urbanfood production system;

j) create urban food production pilot projects; andk) prepare an inventory of sources of organic food in Toronto and

make this information available to the public in the form ofa directory.

40) Promote Re-use and Recycling of Construction and RenovationWasteRecommended that the City encourage the re-use and recycling ofsolid waste from construction and renovation projects. It should:a) report on options for making resource recovery easier and more

cost-effective;b) launch a public education campaign on resource recovery aimed

at homeowners and renovation contractors;c) report on the feasibility of assigning priority to building permit

applications that demonstrate re-use or recycling as part of the project;

Appendix A


d) review waste management policies and practices to ascertainwhat incentives can be put in place to create stable, long-termmarkets for resource recovery; and

e) organize an industrial cluster pilot project centred on the themeof re-using and recycling construction and renovation waste.

EDUCATION AND AWARENESS

41) Become a World Leader in Environmental and SustainabilityEducation and OutreachRecommended that the City adopt a goal of becoming a worldleader in the delivery of education and outreach on the environmentand sustainability. To achieve this goal the City should:a) develop and deliver education and outreach initiatives in

partnership with the broad community of educators; andb) strive to establish a culture supportive of environmental

sustainability through building awareness of the need foraction, developing support for sustainability initiatives, andmotivating the adoption of more environmentally sustainablebehaviour across society.

42) Develop a Public Education and Outreach Program on theEnvironment and SustainabilityRecommended that the City develop and implement a targetedPublic Education and Outreach Program on the environment andsustainability. The program should:a) be coordinated by the Commissioner of Works and Emergency

Services until such time as a lead for sustainability assumes thisresponsibility;

b) be designed to involve other City Agencies, Boards andCommissions;

c) be based on City priorities as identified in the approvedStrategic Plan and this document or by Council;

d) use a two-tiered community-based social marketing approachthat develops broad public awareness of environmentalconditions and issues and promotes individual behaviourchange and the adoption of environmentally sustainablepractices;

e) include an “inreach” component aimed at City staff;f) include the development of culturally sensitive and relevant

initiatives incorporating environmental and sustainabilityinformation in English as a Second Language programs andequivalent programs as well as in the Citizenship and ImmigrationCanada test information;

Appendix A


g) include the Toronto Environmental/Earth Week Program in2000, sponsored by the Mayor and Council;

h) include the development of a sustainability “brand” or identityfor the City in the form of an easily recognized name, logo andslogan;

i) be developed in consultation with key environmental educatorsin Toronto, including the city’s environmental groups;

j) include communicating the City’s success stories such asenvironmental procurement, building efficiency, corporate smogreduction and pesticide reduction; and

k) be presented to the Sustainability Roundtable and City Councilbefore December 31, 2000.

43) Focus Education and Community-Based Marketing on KeyAreasRecommended that the City, in consultation with the SustainabilityRoundtable, identify priority areas for the Public Education andOutreach Program. These should include:a) the promotion of sustainable transportation options including

public transit; andb) air issues including climate change, ozone depletion, smog and

air toxics.

44) Support the Education and Outreach Work of OthersRecommended that the City recognize the contribution of andcontinue to support the environmental and sustainability educationand outreach work of community-based groups, non-governmentalorganizations, and business, industry, union and youth organizations.The City should:a) provide funding and in-kind assistance for environmental

community groups and their education projects to carry outpublic education and outreach initiatives on environmentaland sustainability issues;

b) include opportunities to work with business, industry and unions;c) include a specific youth program that considers ideas generated by

the Youth Environmental Summit held in the Summer of 1999; d) recognize through award programs or other means the

contributions of individuals and organizations in environmentaland sustainability initiatives; and

e) support the environmental community’s education and awarenessprojects, especially those that work towards energy conservationand climate change, smog reduction habitat restoration, pollutionprevention and sustainable transportation.

Appendix A


45) Help Integrate the Environment and Sustainability into theFormal Education System Recommended that the City encourage the development of curriculummaterials related to environment and sustainability. It should:a) request local universities, colleges and school boards to include the

concepts of sustainability as components of their curricula;b) identify appropriate roles for City departments and agencies

represented on the ETF in developing curriculum materials forthe Toronto school boards;

c) request local universities and colleges and the Ontario Ministriesof Education and Training, Colleges and Universities to includeenvironmental and sustainability education as a significant coreelement for the education of teachers;

d) work in partnership with universities, local colleges, school board,environmental agencies and organizations to develop and monitorsustainability indicators; and

e) develop new programs and strengthen existing programs beingdelivered in Toronto schools in partnership with other educators.

46) Increase Educational Opportunities in City Parks andGreenspacesRecommended that the City support enhanced opportunities fornature appreciation, nature exploration and stewardship activitiesin City parks and greenspaces.

47) Support and Enhance Environmental Education CentresRecommended that the City recognize the importance of and seekways to strengthen the contributions made by existing outdooreducation facilities run by the Toronto District School Board, theToronto Catholic District School Board and The Toronto and RegionConservation Authority.

48) Improve the Availability of Information on Environment andSustainabilityRecommended that the City facilitate the exchange of informationon environmental and sustainability issues. It should: a) request the Toronto Public Library Board to promote its existing

environmental resources and investigate the feasibility of establishinga sustainability collection;

b) develop an on-line environmental information resource as partof the City website, including links to Toronto’s environmentalcommunity ; and

Appendix A


c) request the Sustainability Roundtable to explore the opportunitiesfor sharing information on sustainability with other organizationsand agencies.

49) Support Long-Term Partnerships for Education and OutreachRecommended that the City support the development of long-termpartnerships for education and outreach on environmental andsustainability issues. The City should;a) provide staff resources to allow the Education and Awareness

Work Group to continue to advise on and help implementelements such as a sustainability forum for educators, theToronto Environmental/Earth Week Program in 2000, and on-line environmental information for the City’s website;

b) develop an education and outreach subcommittee to theSustainability Roundtable to include representatives from allsectors of education;

c) request The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, inpartnership with school boards and Toronto’s environmentalgroups, explore the feasibility of hosting a regular sustainabilityforum for educators;

d) request recognized environmental learning centres, such as theOntario Science Centre, to promote urban sustainability intheir core programs;

e) develop partnerships and work with other environmentalfunding agencies, including the Community Foundation,Trillium, Great Lakes Renewal Foundation, and EnvironmentCanada;

f) work in partnership with Toronto’s environmental communityto promote skill development, access to city staff, and increasednetworking and information sharing; and

g) recognize the role of business associations in promotingenvironmental and sustainable awareness programs to theirmembers and develop partnerships with those working onenvironmental education programs.

GOVERNANCE

50) Appoint a Sustainability LeadRecommended that the Chief Administrative Officer become theSustainability Lead and appoint a Sustainability Director to carryout the following responsibilities:a) prepare a plan, in consultation with the proposed Sustainability

Roundtable and staff to identify how sustainability can best bepromoted, facilitated and supported within the Corporation,

Appendix A


and present this plan to the Policy and Finance Committee byJanuary 2001; and

b) work with other members of the Senior Management Team toincorporate sustainability into the City’s policies, programs anddecision-making processes.

51) Establish a Sustainability RoundtableRecommended that the City establish a strategic, high-levelSustainability Roundtable to meet periodically. The mandate ofthe Roundtable should include the following responsibilities:a) to promote actions within the City of Toronto based on

sustainability (i.e., actions that simultaneously achieveenvironmental protection, economic vitality and socialwell-being);

b) to report to Council, normally through the Policy and FinanceCommittee, and where appropriate through other StandingCommittees;

c) to act as the City’s key forum to develop and bring togethersustainability leaders and make recommendations aboutsustainability to Council and the administration;

d) to help Council form consensus on contentious issues through asustainability approach;

e) to monitor, with the assistance of the Sustainability Lead,progress towards sustainability in the Corporation and the Cityof Toronto;

f ) to advise in strategic and sectoral planning so that sustainabilitybecomes a key integrating tool in planning processes;

g) to facilitate public input into sustainability planning by the City;h) to facilitate education and awareness of sustainability; and i) to issue an annual “State of Sustainability Report” to Council

and report to Council and its Standing Committees on any issuesrelated to sustainability.

The membership of the Sustainability Roundtable will include:a) one City Councillor from each of the following Standing

Committees (Economic Development and Parks, Policy andFinance, Community Services, Planning and Transportation andWorks) and the Sustainability Advocate;

b) senior staff including the CAO or the Sustainability Director,the Commissioners of Works and Emergency Services, EconomicDevelopment, Culture and Tourism, Community andNeighbourhood Services, Urban Planning and DevelopmentServices or their delegates, and the Medical Officer of Health;

Appendix A


c) one representative each from The Toronto and RegionConservation Authority and the Board of Health;

d) one representative each from CUPE 416 and CUPE 79;e) equal representation from organizations representing the

environmental, social and economic development communities;f) the community representation outlined in (e) should constitute

at least 50 percent of the membership; andg) a list of organizations to nominate representatives to the

Roundtable will be developed by the Environmental Task Forcefor consideration by the Policy and Finance Committee.

52) Create a Sustainability AdvocateRecommended that the City appoint a member of Council (who isnot the Chair of a Standing Committee or of Community Council)as the Sustainability Advocate with the following responsibilities:a) to co-chair, with a prominent citizen member, the Sustainability

Roundtable;b) to ensure that sustainability is promoted through the City of

Toronto;c) on behalf of the Roundtable, to monitor the incorporation of

sustainability into the policies and activities of the Corporation andto consult with members of the public promoting sustainability; and

d) to present to Council, on behalf of the Roundtable, its annualreport and report to Council and its Standing Committees onany issues related to sustainability.

53) Create a Standing Committee Sustainability RepresentativeRecommended that the Standing Committees nominate arepresentative to sit on the Sustainability Roundtable and carryout the following responsibilities:a) monitor the policies and activities of the Standing Committees

and promote actions based on sustainability;b) consult with the public on sustainable activities; andc) consider suggestions and complaints from the public on the

success in promoting sustainability achieved by the StandingCommittees and Departments.

54) Create an Environmental AuditorRecommended that the City create the position of EnvironmentalAuditor within Audit Services with the following responsibilities:a) to assess:

i. how effectively City Departments have met the City’senvironmental goals; and

ii. the processes established to achieve these goals.

Appendix A


b) to produce an annual report that is accessible and available tothe public;

c) to investigate the City’s response to public complaints about cityoperations that contribute to environmental degradation;

d) to develop methodologies and reporting mechanisms that willallow environmental audits to incorporate social and economicconsiderations; and

e) to liaise with provincial and federal counterparts to takeadvantage of shared methodologies and insights.

55) Standing Committees Should Respond to the EnvironmentalAuditRecommended that the City’s Departments submit annual reports tothe appropriate Standing Committee in response to the EnvironmentalAuditor’s Report.

56) Research How to do a Sustainability AuditRecommended that the City Auditor, in consultation with theSustainability Roundtable, prepare a report on how a SustainabilityAudit can be produced by Audit Services, and submit this report tothe Policy and Finance Committee within two years of the creationof the Sustainability Roundtable.

57) Support Environmental Advisory CommitteesEach Commissioner, in consultation with the ETF and its successorthe Sustainability Roundtable, should review the need for and thesupport provided to Department Program Advisory Committeesand City-owned site specific Advisory Committees and reportthereon to the appropriate standing committee of Council.

58) Create an Inter-Governmental Environmental AdvocateRecommended that City Council appoint a City Councillor and aSenior staff person to ensure that City interests are properlyrepresented in regional, provincial and federal environmentalpolicy review and development and to recommend such actions asdeemed necessary.

MEASURING AND REPORTING PROGRESS

59) Develop Indicators to Measure Sustainability and the Health ofthe EnvironmentRecommended that the City develop a set of performance indicatorsto measure environmental, economic and social health. Theseshould:

Appendix A


a) be developed by a Monitoring Subcommittee of the TorontoInter-Departmental Environmental Team (TIE ) with theSustainability Roundtable;

b) use the indicators identified in this Plan and those used in the1998 Metro Toronto State of the Environment Update Reportas starting points and develop additional indicators to fill datagaps;

c) incorporate best practices from other jurisdictions; d) involve the community and stakeholders in the indicator

selection process; ande) be updated regularly to keep indicators relevant to environment

changes, technological improvements and community concerns.

60) Develop an Environmental Management System for the CityRecommended that the City develop an Environmental ManagementSystem for the corporation. This system should:a) establish overall environmental policies;b) use the priorities outlined in this Plan as a starting point;c) be used to evaluate corporate-wide implementation of

environmental policies; d) include mechanisms to ensure employee buy-in, such as training

and reward components;e) consider the establishment of workplace Environment Committees

so that workers and management can work together to identifyand address workplace-related environmental issues; and

f) include annual environmental audits by an internal auditor (asdescribed in recommendation 55) to measure the environmentalperformance of the Corporation.

61) Report on Sustainability Progress and EnvironmentalConditionsRecommended that the City report regularly to Council, residents,agencies and the media on the progress being made to achievesustainability and improve environmental conditions. It should:a) produce a State of the City Report every three years that reviews

the natural, social and economic environment;b) issue a State of the Environment Report every three years

beginning in 2003, that includes a section written by a thirdparty representing the environmental community;

c) report to the Sustainability Roundtable every three years,starting in 2001, on Sustainable Transportation Progress;

d) report on the implementation of the Environmental Planannually beginning in 2001 with a “State of SustainabilityReport” that includes a section written by a third party

Appendix A


representing the environmental, social equity and economysectors; and

e) update the Environmental Plan every six years beginning in2006.

62) Coordinate Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting ActivitiesRecommended that TIE and the Sustainability Roundtable, inconsultation with City Departments, coordinate the monitoring,evaluation and reporting activities outlined in this Plan.

IMPLEMENTATION

63) Integrate the Environmental Plan with Other PlanningProcessesRecommended that the City a) forward Clean, Green and Healthy: A Plan for an

Environmentally Sustainable Toronto for incorporation ofrelevant elements into other current planning processes.These include the Official Plan, the Strategic Plan, theStrategic Transportation Planning Group, the Annual BudgetProcess, the Economic Plan, Social Development Strategiesand future planning processes;

b) forward the plan to the Greater Toronto Services Board, theAssociation of Municipalities of Ontario, the Federation ofCanadian Municipalities, provincial and federal governmentsand ensure the plan’s contents are incorporated into any citypolicies being developed for these bodies or jurisdictions

64) Provide Adequate Resources for ImplementationRecommended that the City consider the financial, social andeconomic implications of each recommendation contained in theEnvironmental Plan and direct City staff to include adequatefinancial and human resources for implementation in their 2001budget submissions and budget projections for subsequent years.

65) Set Moving TargetsRecommended that the City and the Sustainability Roundtable settargets for implementation, review them over time against overallgoals, and tighten them when appropriate to reflect programsuccesses, environmental conditions, and public concern.

Appendix A


66) Address Future and Emerging Issues Recommended that the City, through the Sustainability Roundtable,monitor future and emerging issues that relate to sustainability andthe natural environment. These issues include: • the addition of fluoride to drinking water;• options for decentralizing the sewer system;• the expansion of Pearson International Airport;• the increase in air shipment of goods;• noise;• indoor air quality; • genetically altered foods;• those identified in the ETF Public Consultation report, the TEA

Environmental Leaders report and the forthcoming report of theToronto Cancer Prevention Coalition such as the integration ofthe implementation of water, energy and toxics reductionprograms through the creation of interdepartmental pollutionprevention teams; and

• others as appropriate.

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APPENDIX CINVOLVING YOUTH IN SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES

As part of the Environmental Task Force’s work on Education andAwareness, a Youth Environmental Summit was held in the summer of1999. The summit was put on by a coalition of environmental educatorsfrom the Toronto District School Board’s Department of Global andEnvironmental Education, Citizens Environment Watch, ParentsEnvironmental Network, Youth Challenge International, StudentEnvironment Network, Bring Back the Don, and the City’s WastewatchersProgram. Twenty-seven students from across the City attended the two-day session. During the summit, the participants identified the challengesthat exist for involving youth in environmental activities, the solutions,and ways of implementing the solutions. To build on the success of theSummit, the School Board has agreed to make it an annual activity.

The participants identified a number of concrete ways in which youthcan be involved more in environmental issues. These include:

• Hold mainstream events such as concerts and conferences that targetyouth in a way that will introduce people in the mainstream toenvironmental issues.

• Create more bike lanes around schools and provide safe places to lockbikes at school.

• Hold specific events for youth such as Bike to School Week.• Include environmentally-minded youth as part of the Metro Youth

Council to advise the City on how to improve the environmentalawareness of young people.

• Create a TTC Student Input Committee consisting of both youth andadults to better advise the TTC on how to increase student ridership andmake it more “student-friendly”.

• Create a “cool” Environmental Youth magazine that showcasesenvironmental issues in a pop culture way.

• Create partnerships between schools and environmental monitoringgroups to show the causes and effects of environment problems and tolink them to individual actions.

• Showcase new environmentally-friendly technologies to youth as a wayof teaching them about sustainability.

• Educate youth about environmental issues, both through schoolcurricula and informal means.

• Encourage youth to become responsible for their own actions (for example, by supplying them with information aboutenvironmentally damaging practices and products)

Appendix C


APPENDIX DGLOSSARY

Better Buildings Partnership: A program that helps building ownersimprove and modernize buildings through energy and waterefficiency retrofits. The program is a partnership of the City ofToronto, Enbridge Consumers Gas, Toronto Hydro, the TorontoAtmospheric Fund and energy management firms.

City: The City refers to the Corporation of the City of Toronto.

City of Toronto: Refers to the Corporation of the City of Toronto.

Co-generation: The reclaiming and use of waste heat as steam or togenerate electricity.

Ecosystem approach: A holistic approach to planning and managingnatural resources that recognizes the interdependence of land, water,air and living things, including people.

Food flow analysis: A study that documents the movement of foodthrough the food system, including the production, transportation,distribution and retailing stages.

Green economic development: The development of “green industries”,industries that promote a healthy environment along with a vitaleconomy. Also, the development of economic activities that use systemsof production, consumption, distribution and waste management thathave a benign or beneficial impact on the environment.

Green$aver: A community-based non-profit organization in SouthRiverdale that delivers energy and water efficiency services.

Green industry: Business ventures that produce goods and services -such as low flow toilets, wind generators, home composters or energyaudits - that protect or improve the natural environment

Green Power: Energy that is generated from renewable sources suchas water, solar and wind.

Appendix D


Grey water: Any water that has been used in the home, except waterfrom toilets. Dish, shower, sink and laundry water comprise 50-80%of residential wastewater. This may be reused for other purposes,especially landscape irrigation.

Information and Communications Technology: Technologies suchas fibre optics and the Internet that allow employees to work fromhome.

Watershed: The drainage area, basin or catchment area for awatercourse.

Appendix D


APPENDIX EBACKGROUND REPORTS

The following Environmental Task Force Background Reports havebeen incorporated into the Environmental Plan:

1. Sustainable Transportation Work Group Report, Sue Zielinski,Workgroup Coordinator

2. Sustainable Energy Plan for Toronto, Allen Kani Associates (GregAllen), Judith Ramsey, Local Solutions (Stephen Hall), BridgetHaworth and Access Capital (Rob McLeese and Terry Vaughan)

3. The Green Economy Plan, Local Solutions (Stephen Hall), RodMcRae, Metropole (Pamela Blais), Richard Gilbert, INDECO(Judy Simon, Claire Aplevich, Seema Varma)

4. Education and Awareness Work Group Report, Adele Freemanand Karen Puhlmann, Work Group Coordinators

5. Environmental Health Issues in the City of Toronto, Kim Perrotta,City of Toronto

6. Land, Air and Water – Current Conditions and Strategies, EricKrause, City of Toronto.

7. How Big is Toronto’s Ecological Footprint?, Eric Krause, City ofToronto.

8. Indicators: A Framework for Environmental Sustainability,Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting, Laura von Zittwitz, Cityof Toronto.

9. The Enviromental Task Force Leads Toronto Towards aSustainable Toronto, An Interim Report, Carol Mee, City ofToronto.

10. A Vision for the Future of the Environment in Toronto, Carol Mee,City of Toronto.

Copies of these reports may be obtained from Frank Baldassini atthe address outlined below:

Frank BaldassiniClerk’s Division, City of TorontoNorth York Civic Centre5100 Yonge St.,North York, OntarioM2N 5V7

Tel: 416-395-7352Fax: 416-395-7337E-mail: [email protected]

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Photo Credits

Garth ArmourGera DillonPeter McCallionCity of Toronto, Economic Development, Culture & TourismCity of Toronto, Healthy City Office,City of Toronto, Urban Development ServicesToronto Public Health

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