Mr. Speaker, this government has clearly stated its commitment to clean up federal contaminated sites and to encourage the private sector to clean up brownfield sites.
This government's approach to contaminated sites and brownfields is founded on the polluter pays principle. The federal government is applying this principle to itself through a $3.5 billion program to address federal contaminated sites. There is action under way on hundreds of contaminated sites on federal lands across Canada.
This government will hold federal departments and agencies to their responsibility to protect the environment by identifying, assessing and cleaning up contaminated sites that represent a risk to the environment or to human health.
The federal contaminated sites program also encourages departments to take action on federal brownfield sites. There are opportunities for the federal government to make better use of its urban contaminated properties by cleaning them up so they can better be used and developed.
Federal brownfield sites that meet the risk criteria of the federal program will be treated as a priority for action. The federal government also recognizes the benefits to the Canadian environment and the economy for cleaning up and redeveloping non-federal brownfield sites.
Perhaps we should be clear on what we mean by brownfield sites. Brownfields are abandoned, vacant or underutilized commercial or industrial properties where past actions have resulted in contamination and where there is an active potential for redevelopment for productive uses.
Returning underutilized urban contaminated sites to economically productive uses has the potential to generate significant public benefits. Economic benefits include both the economic impact of remediation and redevelopment and the longer term benefits of the increased economic activity associated with the end land use.
By returning urban lands to active use, infrastructure expansion costs to communities can be avoided. Quality of life in the community will be improved when redevelopment contributes to revitalization of the urban core. The greatest environmental benefit of brownfield redevelopment results from intensified use of the urban core, such that the increased air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions associated with urban sprawl are avoided. These benefits are increased if the redevelopment incorporates environmentally sustainable features such that the environmental footprint of buildings and operations on the land is reduced.
Sustainable community design incorporates appropriate community and site planning, along with sustainable building and infrastructure design and materials. Energy efficient design, storm water management and water reuse systems as key elements of new developments on brownfield sites will make a positive contribution to community environments.
The redevelopment of brownfields has the potential to provide many community benefits, including an increased supply of affordable housing, improved health and safety of residents, increased economic activity, heritage preservation, and increased tax revenues for all levels of government.
The economic benefits of brownfield remediation and redevelopment include: transformation of a liability into an asset; reduced risk of effects on the environment and human health; creation of employment opportunities, both during the redevelopment process and in the long term; use of existing urban infrastructure such as roads, sewers and utilities, thereby reducing the need for new infrastructure; and the opportunity to utilize well-located properties in a developed area.
