Environment Committee MINUTES 19 Tuesday, 28 August 2012, 9:30 a.m. Champlain Room, 110 Laurier Avenue West Present: Councillor M. McRae (Chair) Councillor S. Moffatt (Vice Chair) Councillors D. Chernushenko, S. Desroches, K. Egli, M. Fleury, D. Holmes, A. Hubley, P. Hume DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST No declarations of interest were filed. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES Minutes 18 of the Regular meeting on 19 June 2012 CONFIRMED COMMUNICATIONS Responses to Inquiries: ENV 02-12 : Ottawa Rural Clean Water Grants Program RECEIVED PRESENTATION 1. PERMITS TO TAKE WATER - VERBAL PRESENTATION CITY WIDE The Committee received a verbal update from Rick O’Connor, City Clerk and Solicitor in which he informed the Committee on details of five breaches that the City of Ottawa is charged under the Ontario Water Resources Act. Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager of Planning and Infrastructure and Wayne Newell, General Manager of Infrastructure Services were on hand to respond to questions. RECEIVED DIRECTION TO STAFF : 1. The City Clerk and Solicitor to review Council’s Accountability and Transparency Policy as well as its Purchasing By-law to see whether or not any penalties or prohibitions levied against commercial corporations may be publicized as part of the Mid-Term Review Report due later this fall.   2. The Deputy City Manager (DCM) of Planning and Infrastructure to prepare a letter to pursue the pilot project that is similar to the Ministry of Transportation’s with regards to Permits for Taking Water.  The letter is to be signed by the DCM and the Chair of the Environment Committee, and copy local MPP’s and Members of Council.  Staff to inform Committee member of any responses received. CITY MANAGER CITY CLERK & SOLICITOR 2. STATUS UPDATE - INQUIRIES, MOTIONS AND DIRECTIONS TO STAFF - FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 10 AUGUST 2012 ACS2012-CMR-CCS-0062 CITY WIDE REPORT RECOMMENDATION: That the Environment Committee receive this report for information. RECEIVED DIRECTION TO STAFF : Councillor Qadri to discuss the wording in the Response Details Section in Document 1 of the staff report with the General Manager of Environmental Services and the Deputy City Clerk. CITY OPERATIONS ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 3. REMEDIATION OF RESIDENTIAL WASTEWATER CROSS CONNECTIONS ACS2012-COS-ESD-0018 CITY WIDE REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS: That Environment Committee recommend that Council approve: 1. The approach to identify and eliminate wastewater cross connections at private residences outlined in this report; 2. The Wastewater Cross Connection Grant program as set out in this report, to provide funding for 50 percent of a homeowner’s costs to correct a cross connection, to an upset limit of $2,500.00, subject to annual Water and Wastewater Rate Budget approval. CARRIED The Committee discussed rights of entry, comparing them with the City of Toronto which has broader legislations allowing entry into the residents’ homes. After the question period, Councillor Holmes introduced the following motion: That the City request an amendment to the City of Ottawa Act to permit entry by the City’s representatives into a dwelling unit for the purposes of inspection and enforcement, without court order, where the City has reasonable grounds to believe substances are being discharged into a storm sewer in contravention of municipal by-laws. At the request of Committee, Legal Services provided procedural advice on how to move forward with the Holmes motion, given that Committee requested more information prior to voting on said motion. After discussion, the Committee voted on referring the Holmes motion, as follows: MOTION NO EC 19/1 Moved by D. Holmes, That the Environment Committee refer the Holmes motion to Council. REFERRAL CARRIED DIRECTION TO STAFF : 1. Staff to provide a written response prior to Council as to what the powers of entry were to dwellings by the Fire Department and Health Department.  2. Staff to inform members of Council how often the City of Toronto has exercised its power of entry. MOTIONS OF WHICH NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN PREVIOUSLY 4. COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS GRANT PROGRAM (CEPGP) ACS2012-CMR-ENV-0006 CITY WIDE REPORT RECOMMENDATION: That the Environment Committee direct staff to ensure that the project criteria for the Community Environmental Projects Grant Program reflect the current Term of Council Priorities and include items such as: * Increasing the City’s urban forest cover; * Addressing the Emerald Ash Borer issue; * Initiatives related to the move to bi-weekly residual waste collection. CARRIED INQUIRIES Submitted by Councillor Desroches, The City currently has in place a program to recycle scrap metal at the Trail Road Waste Facility. The program allows residents to bring clean, scrap metals to the facility, whereby the City accepts the separated metals free of charge and sells them to local scrap-metal dealers. Most commonly, residents drop off old appliances such as stoves, dishwashers, washers, dryers, bedrails etc., though any other clean metal product is accepted. In 2010, the program recycled approximately 370 metric tonnes of metal, generating a total of $42,000 in revenue for the City. In 2011, due to a rise in market prices, a total of 345 tonnes of scrap metal were recycled, generating a total of $93,000 in City revenue. Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of Canada said in a speech on May 1st, that while all commodity booms eventually end, “this one in our view will go on for some time.” 1. With the prevalence of higher market prices for scrap metal, is the City doing everything it can to promote the Trail Road Waste Diversion program to residents? 2. Has the City conducted any advertising campaigns in the past to advise residents of the program at Trail Road? 3. Has the City looked at providing information on the program on the City’s website to ensure that residents are aware of the initiative? 4. Is the City currently maximizing the opportunities to raise additional revenue through the scrap-metal recycling program? 5. What are other City branches, such as Parks and Recreation Services, Ottawa Community Housing, OC Transpo, etc., doing to ensure that their scrap metal is recycled through the program to help increase revenue? ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 10:55 a.m. _____________________________ _____________________________ Committee Coordinator Chair CORPORATE SERVICES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AGENDA 56 19 SEPTEMBER 2006 i COMITÉ DES SERVICES ORGANISATIONNELS ET DU DÉVELOPPEMENT ÉCONOMIQUE ORDRE DU JOUR 56 LE 19 SEPTEMBRE 2006 PAGE Note: 1. Please note that these Minutes are to be considered DRAFT until confirmed by the Committee. 2. Except where otherwise indicated, reports requiring Council consideration will be presented to Council on 12 September 2012 in Environment Committee Report 17. ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES 19 28 AUGUST 2012 5