Evidence of meeting #65 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was minerals.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:40 p.m.
Conservative
Ryan Williams Conservative Bay of Quinte, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
This is for the Department of the Environment. What is our recycling rate in Canada, and then what is the recycling rate in British Columbia?
5:40 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
I can speak to the recycling rate in Canada for plastics. Right now, the collection rate is about 25% and the recycling rate is 9%. That's a gap that we're trying to narrow. The reasons are often around contamination of what's collected, consumer confusion about what exactly is recyclable, and also sometimes the lack of infrastructure and capacity at facilities.
In terms of the B.C. rate, I don't have that at my fingertips, but we can certainly follow up.
Dany might want to add to that.
5:40 p.m.
Director General, Plastics and Waste Management Directorate, Department of the Environment
It's probably, just in quality terms, one of the really good ones in the country.
5:40 p.m.
Conservative
Ryan Williams Conservative Bay of Quinte, ON
From my research, it seems like it's among the best. The recycling rate in B.C. seems to be over 75%. Would that sound about right? That's for all electronics and all recycling as a whole—diverted from landfill. I guess that's where I'm getting the recycling rate number.
5:40 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
We'd have to get back to you on that.
5:40 p.m.
Conservative
Ryan Williams Conservative Bay of Quinte, ON
If you do get that, can you submit it to the committee?
5:40 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
Certainly.
5:40 p.m.
Conservative
Ryan Williams Conservative Bay of Quinte, ON
One reason for that, I guess, is the extended producer responsibility program. Are you aware of that program?
5:40 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
Certainly.
5:40 p.m.
Conservative
Ryan Williams Conservative Bay of Quinte, ON
Fantastic.
Can you tell the committee what that program is and why it's successful?
5:40 p.m.
Director General, Plastics and Waste Management Directorate, Department of the Environment
Can I just clarify whether this is related to B.C.?
5:40 p.m.
Conservative
March 29th, 2023 / 5:40 p.m.
Director General, Plastics and Waste Management Directorate, Department of the Environment
Yes. The EPR, or the extended producer responsibility program, transfers the responsibility and cost for the design, recycling, and end-of-life management of the product from the public to the industry itself. The economics behind that is that the industry will then have all the levers, tools and incentives to better design, better collect and better reintroduce it into the market. That's what the EPR program is.
There are EPR programs in Canada—in Quebec and recently in Ontario—but B.C. is one of the most established. There is also one being developed for the north in some territories. There are many EPR programs in the country. The one in B.C. is often seen as having a really wide scope of products. The programs take different shapes and forms, but essentially the province would set a target and would require the industry to meet that target and organize itself to do that.
Federally, we are working toward a federal registry that would allow us to get a national picture of the plastics put on the market. We're working with provinces and territories on this. At the CCME, we have published guidance on how to standardize and harmonize these EPR programs. The experience of B.C. and the leadership of B.C. in that collective work were actually really appreciated.
There is quite a lot happening in EPR in Canada.
5:40 p.m.
Conservative
Ryan Williams Conservative Bay of Quinte, ON
Does the Department of the Environment see working with industries, even like Chemical Canada, as beneficial to that process where the EPR has worked in B.C.?
5:40 p.m.
Director General, Plastics and Waste Management Directorate, Department of the Environment
Given everything you've heard so far, we think that addressing the issue requires action by everybody, every level of government, including the industry, along the plastics life cycle, from design to cleanup and along the value chain. We do believe heavily in collaboration. We work collaboratively not only with provinces and territories but also with industry, including the chemicals sector, for sure, yes.
5:45 p.m.
Conservative
Ryan Williams Conservative Bay of Quinte, ON
I'll direct a question, then, to the Department of Industry.
Chemical Canada has an active role, as far as I understand, in B.C. Does the Department of Industry track that? Can you tell me whether in the last five years we've had any investment from Chemical Canada in those industries into Canada?
5:45 p.m.
Director General, Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Strategy Branch, Department of Industry
We are very much engaged with the chemical industry on a number of fronts. In B.C. specifically, I cannot recall a project on our radar that relates specifically to them.
We've invested in some very significant projects in this sector in the past several years through the strategic investment fund, including in Nova Chemicals, for example. There are some prospective projects that we're working on with the industry as well that could both decarbonize and put in place really strong parts of the ecosystem in the Canadian system.
As for B.C. specifically, nothing is coming to mind.
5:45 p.m.
Bloc
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Concerning the Horne Foundry, what worries a lot of people is the question of inputs, that is, what is being processed inside the plant. That aspect may fall more within the federal government's jurisdiction.
What are the standards in force for complex concentrates, in terms of the toxicity of the products processed? Obviously, these products often come from the United States by rail.
What can we do to be proactive? I'm curious to know your opinion on this.
5:45 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
In terms of the inputs for the Horne foundry, certainly, the federal government has a role. Some of these materials require permits from the Minister of Environment when they meet the criteria under the cross-border movement of hazardous waste and hazardous recyclable material regulations. In those cases, the Minister of Environment must be confident that the materials will be managed in a manner that will protect the environment and human health before issuing the permit.
There are a number of permits already in place with the Horne foundry, and we continue to look at those to make sure they meet the requirements for the regulations. With the new Quebec ministerial authorization, we are examining the new conditions to ensure that the minister continues to fulfill his obligations under the regulations. The results of our assessment will determine whether any additional measures need to be taken.
5:45 p.m.
Bloc
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
In Canada, there is a code governing Canadian foundries.
What are the Canadian government's objectives when it comes to arsenic emissions, for example, and how does that compare to other countries in terms of the standards applied, in particular to the Horne Foundry?
If there are differences with the other provinces, how do we explain them?
Has the code been updated recently?
In terms of regulations, what is the impact of new knowledge and new data about toxic emissions and what is the impact of base metals on the regulations?
