Rapport au/ Report to:
Comité de
l’urbanisme et de l’environnement
Planning and Environment Committee
et au Conseil/ and Council
Le 05 avril 2007/05 April 2007
Soumis par/Submitted by:
Nancy Schepers, Directrice municipale adjointe/
Deputy City Manager, Urbanisme, Transport en commun et Environnement/Planning, Transit and
the Environment /
and
Steve Kanellakos, Directeur général
adjoint/ Deputy City Manager,
Services communautaires et de
protection/Community and Protective Services
Contact Persons /
personnes-ressource : Dennis
Jacobs, Directeur/Director, Direction politique urbaine, environnement et
infrastructure/Planning, Environment, Infrastructure and Policy Branch /
613-580-2424 25521, dennis.jacobs@ottawa.ca
and
613-580-2424 25536, susan.jones@ottawa.ca
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OBJET : |
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SUBJECT: |
Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de
l’environnement recommande au Conseil :
1.
D’adopter
le projet de Règlement municipal sur la marche au ralenti des véhicules,
constituant le document 1 ci-joint, avec une date d’entrée en vigueur le 1er septembre
2007;
2.
De modifier l’article 10 du
Règlement municipal 2004-253 sur le bruit afin de préciser que cet article ne
s’applique qu’au bruit causé par les véhicules dont le moteur tourne au ralenti
lorsque la température est supérieure à 27 °C, avec le facteur humidex, ou
inférieure à 5 °C, avec le facteur éolien.
That the Planning and Environment Committee
recommend that Council:
1.
Enact
the draft Idling Control By-law, attached as Document 1, with an effective date
of September 1, 2007;
2.
Amend section 10 of Noise By-law
2004-253 to clarify that this section will only apply to noise-related idling
of motor vehicles where the temperature exceeds 27 degrees Celsius with
the humidex or where the temperature is less than five degrees Celsius
including the windchill value;
Assumptions and Analysis:
The Planning and Environmental Committee approved a motion from the
Environmental Advisory Committee, directing staff to bring forward an Idling
Control By-law.
The purpose of the proposed Idling Control By-law is to protect the
environment and public health by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, smog and
criteria air contaminants. This by-law
would contribute to achieving the City’s 20 per cent reduction target of greenhouse
gas emissions within the community by 2012, approved by Council in the Air
Quality and Climate Change Management Plan.
Financial Implications:
Public Consultation/Input:
RÉSUMÉ
Hypothèses et analyse :
Le Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement
a approuvé une motion du Comité consultatif sur l'environnement enjoignant au
personnel de rédiger un règlement municipal sur la marche au ralenti des
véhicules.
Le règlement projeté sur la marche au ralenti
des véhicules vise à protéger l'environnement et la santé publique en réduisant
les émissions de gaz à effet de serre, le smog et les contaminants
atmosphériques. Ce règlement aiderait à réduire de 20 % les émissions de gaz à
effet de serre dans notre ville d'ici 2012, ce qui est l'ojectif approuvé par
le Conseil dans le Plan de gestion de la qualité de l'air et des changements
climatiques.
Le règlement projeté, qui vise à réduire la
marche au ralenti inutile des véhicules, prévoit que personne ne doit laisser
un véhicule marcher au ralenti pendant plus de trois (3) minutes consécutives.
Le règlement ne s'appliquerait toutefois pas aux véhicules occupés lorsque la
température à l'extérieur est supérieure à vingt-sept degrés Celcius (27°C)
avec le facteur humidex, ou inférieure à cinq degrés Celcius (5°C) avec le facteur
éolien, selon les données fournies par Environnement Canada. Le règlement
projeté prévoira des exceptions pour certains véhicules et certaines
situations.
Répercussions financières :
La mise en oeuvre de la recommandation n'a
aucune incidence budgétaire, étant donné que les budgets de fonctionnement de
base des directions de la Santé publique et des Services des règlements
municipaux permettent de financer la campagne de sensibilisation à la santé
publique et l'application du règlement.
Consultation publique / commentaires
:
Le Comité consultatif sur l'environnement a
examiné le projet de règlement sur la marche au ralenti des véhicules le 16
janvier 2007 et l'a appuyé pleinement, comme le montre le Document 4.
Santé publique Ottawa a été consulté et appuie
également le projet de règlement sur la marche au ralenti des véhicules.
La Direction des services du parc automobile a
été consultée. Elle accepte le règlement projeté.
La Division de la durabilité de
l'environnement, Service de l'urbanisme, du transport en commun et de
l'environnement, possède depuis 2003 un programme d'intervention portant sur la
marche au ralenti des véhicules. Ce programme a donné lieu à des interventions
dans plus de 15 écoles, à la diffusion d'au-delà de 30 000 brochures au sein de
la population et à l'installation de plus de 600 enseignes sur la marche au
ralenti des véhicules dans les centres communautaires, les arénas, les
bibliothèques et les centres du service à la clientèle.
En se dotant d’un règlement
visant à limiter la marche au ralenti inutile des véhicules, la Ville
améliorera la qualité de l’air et aidera à protéger la santé des résidents.
L’adoption du règlement sur la marche au ralenti des véhicules contribuerait à
la réalisation de l’objectif que s’est fixé la Ville de réduire de
20 p. cent ses gaz à effet de serre d’ici 2012, conformément à ce qui
avait été approuvé par le Conseil dans le cadre de son Plan de gestion de la
qualité de l’air et des changements climatiques. Au titre des actions soutenues
pour réduire les gaz à effet de serre et le smog, le Plan comprend également
des campagnes visant à enrayer la marche au ralenti inutile des véhicules.
À l’heure actuelle, il existe sur le marché plusieurs
types de véhicules munis d’un système rechargeable de stockage de l’énergie qui
contribue à éliminer ou à réduire les émissions de gaz à effet de serre et des
principaux contaminants atmosphériques. L’un d’entre eux est le Petroleum
Electric Hybrid Vehicle qui utilise l’électricité en remplacement d’une
autre forme de carburant et qui, pendant la phase de marche au ralenti de son
activité, permet d’arrêter la combustion interne du moteur.
En 2007, plusieurs fabricants ont annoncé que
les véhicules tireraient désormais avantage des divers aspects de la
technologie hybride pour réduire leur consommation d’essence sans qu’on ait
recours aux moteurs électriques.
Le freinage par récupération peut être utilisé
pour capter l’énergie et l’emmagasiner pour activer certains accessoires
électriques, tels que le système de climatisation. Cela permettra également
d’arrêter la combustion interne lorsque le moteur tourne au ralenti.
Campagne pour l’éducation du public
Le public sera informé de l’arrivée
du nouveau règlement. Des annonces de journaux seront publiées à cet effet et
on diffusera de brefs messages publicitaires sur les chaînes de radio
françaises et anglaises. Selon la stratégie recommandée, les agents
responsables de l’application du nouveau règlement auraient recours jusqu’à la
fin de 2007 à des brochures afin de renseigner le public sur les bienfaits
associés à la réduction de la marche au ralenti inutile des véhicules. Des
petits écriteaux métalliques seront installés aux endroits qui ont déjà un
problème avec ce phénomène et seront disponibles sur demande (p.
ex., demande d’un groupe de parents dans une école).
La campagne d’éducation comprendra
aussi la distribution de CD contenant de l’information sur la marche au ralenti
des véhicules et pouvant être annexé au programme d’études de 6e année
(affiches, brochures). Ces supports d’information ont été mis au point en 2003
en collaboration avec l’organisme Les Amis de la Terre dans le cadre d’une
campagne visant à contrer la marche au ralenti des véhicules pour laquelle
Ressources naturelles Canada avait assuré une partie du financement.
De plus, le personnel de la Ville se mettra à la disposition des écoles
pour la prestation d’exposés s’appuyant sur les outils contenus dans la trousse
CD. Dans de tels cas, les professeurs se verront remettre d’avance une copie
des CD afin d’être en mesure d’intégrer les activités qui s’y trouvent à leur
programme normal et de permettre ainsi une certaine interaction entre les
élèves et les agents d’application au moment de la présentation.
Le Règlement municipal 2004-253 sur le bruit comporte
actuellement, tel qu’il a été modifié, un article sur le bruit provenant des
véhicules tournant à vide. Advenant l’adoption du règlement proposé, l’article
10 du Règlement sur le bruit devra être modifié pour donner des précisions sur
le bruit des véhicules tournant au ralenti lorsque la
température est supérieure à 27 °C, avec le facteur humidex, ou inférieure
à 5 °C, avec le facteur éolien. Ainsi, en vertu du
règlement sur la marche au ralenti des véhicules, un véhicule serait autorisé à
fonctionner au ralenti dans de telles conditions. Toutefois, si le niveau de
bruit devenait un problème, cette modification aurait préséance lorsque le
règlement sur la marche au ralenti des véhicules ne s’appliquerait pas au bruit
provenant de la marche au ralenti des véhicules.
L’adoption d’un règlement
visant à restreindre la marche au ralenti des véhicules contribuerait à
améliorer la qualité de l’air de la zone urbaine et à protéger la santé des
résidents. Ledit règlement favoriserait également la réalisation de l’objectif
que s’est fixé la Ville de réduire de 20 p. cent ses gaz à effet de serre d’ici
2012. Le Plan de gestion de la qualité de l’air et des changements climatiques
de la Ville prévoit que des campagnes visant à contrer la marche au ralenti des
véhicules feront partie des moyens d’action continus qui devront être mis en
œuvre pour réduire les gaz à effet de serre et le smog.
IMPLICATIONS FINANCIÈRES
IDLING CONTROL BY-LAW
LA MARCHE AU RALENTI DES VÉHICULES
ACS2007-PTE-POL-0021 CITY-WIDE
Messrs Charles Caccia and William Pugsley and Ms.
Meaghan McGarrity, of the City of
Ottawa Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) presented the report. Mr. Pugsley made the following points in
support of the recommendations:
·
The Ontario Medical
Association states that 7% of all deaths are caused by air pollution,
accounting for 340 deaths each year;
·
There are 400,000
registered vehicles in Ottawa used by 80% of commuters and that generate a
significant amount of pollutants;
·
Another significant
source of air pollution comes from the heating and cooling of buildings in the
city:
·
The average driver
spends approximately 11 minutes idling each day (this number is from the old
City of Ottawa and has likely increased with population growth);
·
Part of idling is the
result of uncontrollable traffic conditions but the other part is attributable
to motorists’ habits;
·
Natural Resources
Canada leads the national effort to reduce idling: this federal department
recently compared idling by-laws in 30 cities across Canada and found them to
be a way of using non-renewable energy resources more efficiently and producing
cleaner air:
·
Ottawa was one of the
few cities without a standalone by-law, with enforcement done on a complaint
basis and with no impact on reducing air pollution;
·
In comparison, Montreal
has had a by-law in place since 1988 and Toronto since 1990: in those cities,
the use of anti-idling blitzes was found to be very effective in enforcing the
by-laws and educating the public;
·
The EAC strongly
supports the revised by-law and considers it to be a major improvement over the
existing by-law;
·
The list of exemptions
contained in the by-law has also been improved and appears to strike a
reasonable balance;
·
This also fits in with
the Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan approved by Council three
years ago.
Mr. Pugsley concluded his presentation by calling
unnecessary idling “the low-hanging fruit” in terms of air pollution, just
waiting to be picked.
Councillor Gord Hunter wanted to know whether there
are were any studies to illustrate that anti-idling by-laws contribute to less
gasoline being sold in municipalities that have them.
Mr. Pugsley said he was not aware of any such studies
but he posited a conclusion could be drawn by using the anti-idling by-law
reduction target of 5 minutes per day, per vehicle and multiplying that number
by the emission rate of idling cars which is 3.5 litres per hour. When asked by Councillor Hunter if he could
provide any example of the by-law’s success in other municipalities, Mr.
Pugsley said there are 27 cities with standalone by-laws and they all report
success in terms of public awareness and compliance.
Mr. Jeff Polowin appeared in support of the by-law.
Chair Peter Hume suggested that the language in
Section 3, subsection “l” of the General Provisions be amended to include the
term “hybrid cars” and that this be done prior to the by-law coming before
Council for approval.
Councillor Jan Harder said that, in recognition of
the fact that By-law Services already have an extensive number of matters to
investigate, City Council approved hiring seventeen additional by-law
enforcement officers during the 2007 budget deliberations. She wanted to know whether there was any
proof that having staff work at educating the public wouldn’t have the same
effect as trying to catch someone countermanding the provisions of the
by-law. Mr. Dennis Jacobs, Director,
Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Policy, said the general observation
is that a combination of education and regulatory measures give the best
results. Councillor Harder expressed
the view that common sense cannot be legislated. She said her preference would be that the 17 newly hired by-law
officers be engaged in enforcing matters about which she and the residents of
her community have greater concern.
Councillor Bob Monette asked whether the new by-law
officers would all be engaged in enforcing this by-law. Ms. Jones indicated that six out of the
seventeen new hires would be assigned to parking enforcement and this would be
part of their duties. The Councillor
wanted to know how many public meetings had been held on this by-law. Mr. Jacobs stated there were no formal
public meetings, however staff have been actively engaged in disseminating
information by speaking at public events and appearing in various
facilities. Councillor Monette
suggested that more public consultation is required before the by-law is
approved. He also inquired as to why
By-law Services was moving away from enforcement on a complaint basis, as is
done for other regulations. Ms. Jones
responded by saying this approach was suggested by the EAC and supported by the
Planning and Environment Committee when it directed staff to prepare a by-law. Councillor Monette expressed the view that
the proposed by-law was completely ridiculous and he asked why Council believes
it should decree what people can do on their properties. The Councillor felt the approach should
always be education as opposed to legislation, and he urged his colleagues not
to support the by-law.
Responding to a question from Councillor Steve
Desroches, Mr. Jacobs advised that staff did not undertake a specific
cost/benefit analysis related to the by-law.
He went on to say it does fall under the umbrella of the City’s
Environmental Strategy and the Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan,
two of the many initiatives that will help move the City towards cleaner air
and a cleaner environment. Councillor
Desroches said he believes in protecting the environment but he felt that the
city’s residents are capable of regulating their own behaviour. He also did not want to take by-law
enforcement officers away from more important activities and investigations. Councillor Desroches added that the City
should be looking at making significant investments in public transit to reduce
the number of vehicles using public roads.
Councillor Shad Qadri had questions about the
percentage of contested tickets and the success rate of the appellants. Ms. Jones stated that very few were challenged,
noting that approximately 95% of complaints are settled through education,
prevention and compliance: the remaining 5% might result in enforcement
action. She also indicated that the
revenue generated did not come close to the cost of enforcement. Councillor Qadri asked for examples of the
kinds of complaints against idling coming from the core of the City compared to
those in Suburbia. Ms. Jones advised
that about 95% of complaints originate from the core of the City and include
complaints about tour buses that are idling and people that pick up other
people in front of office buildings at the end of their working day. Complaints from suburban areas relate to
parents dropping off or picking up their children at schools, and from people
on neighbouring properties.
Councillor Qadri expressed the view there were still
a few loopholes in the by-law in terms of enforcement and until these are
closed, it would not be very successful.
He also cautioned that the public would be questioning Council’ s judgement
based on its approval of the by-law. It
was for these reasons that the Councillor did not support approving it.
Councillor Clive Doucet quoted passages from the Air
Quality and Climate Management Plan that illustrate that these and other
initiatives relate to collective rights and the quality of the air people
breathe. He felt an anti-idling by-law
was one of the easiest and cheapest things that could be done. The Councillor also called it a statement of
intent on the part of City Council, as the steward of the community’s health,
to demonstrate that it took this responsibility seriously. Councillor Doucet pointed out that Council
spent three years educating people about the use of pesticides and then blamed
the educator because it wasn’t very effective.
He added he was not confident that people could be educated about
turning off their engines when they go into a restaurant or other facility.
Councillor Hunter asked what specific situations
staff were trying to address through the by-law and whether they are confidant
that the science behind the theory is solid, specifically whether stopping and
re-starting vehicles, as opposed to idling, puts more contaminants in the
air. Ms. Jones said the focus was to
reduce or eliminate unnecessary idling. Mr. Jacob added that the by-law was formulated on the basis of the
research staff reviewed which showed that anti-idling by-law could be effective
in reducing air pollutants. He agreed
with Councillor Hunter’s comment about new vehicles emitting less pollution,
however he pointed out that the majority of vehicles now on the roads are more
than ten years old.
Vice Chair Peggy Feltmate echoed some of the comments
made by Councillor Doucet. She
continued by saying that this might not be her highest priority, but it behoved
Council to make a decision at this time.
Councillor Feltmate pointed out that, as individuals, and as humans,
people are resistant to change and to accepting new ideas. She said Councillors have a responsibility
to think about other things than what they want as individuals at this moment
in time. She stated that people would
have to work hard in order to get ticketed under this by-law because it
contains so many exemptions. She called
the by-law is a tool to help staff address a difficult situation and to educate
people about the disastrous effects they are having on themselves and on their
planet. Councillor Feltmate opined this
was about the collective good and the future of all residents, not about what
makes someone feel good at the moment.
The Committee Chair, Peter Hume, began by
complimenting staff for bringing forward a by-law in pursuance of the
Committee’s directive. He went on to
say that, while he did not agree with the EAC’s assessment of an anti-idling
by-law as the “silver bullet” to air quality in Ottawa, he did believe it was
part of the solution. He also expressed
the view that bringing this matter forward at this time would damage the
Committee on the environmental front.
Advancing an agenda that is a bit controversial affects both the
Committee’s and the EAC’s credibility and may have an adverse impact when the
more difficult environmental issues come forward.
Chair Hume said he feared that the committee could
lose public support because of initiatives it approved in the past. He reiterated that the by-law is part of the
solution, and he indicated he would be supporting it: sending it back would
give the wrong message to the citizens of Ottawa.
Councillor P. Feltmate moved the following technical
amendment as requested by staff:
WHEREAS the City’s proposed anti-idling control
by-law provides for exemptions for “public transit vehicles”;
AND WHEREAS taxis and limousines are engaged in the
business of private transit services;
BE IT RESOLVED that the definition of “private
transit vehicles” be amended to include the words “taxis and limousines”.
CARRIED
(J.
Harder dissented)
Moved by C. Doucet
That Recommendation 2 be amended to reflect that O
degrees Celsius be the low-end cut-off for enforcement of the idling by-law.
LOST
(
(C.
Doucet in favour)
The Committee then considered the report
recommendations, as amended.
That the Planning and Environment Committee recommend
that Council:
1.
Enact the draft Idling Control By-law, attached as
Document 1, with an effective date of September 1, 2007;
2.
Amend section 10 of
Noise By-law 2004-253 to clarify that this section will only apply to
noise-related idling of motor vehicles where the temperature exceeds 27 degrees
Celsius with the humidex or where the temperature is less than five degrees
Celsius including the windchill value;
LOST
NAYS (4):S. Desroches,
J. Harder, B. Monette, S. Qadri
YEAS (4): C. Doucet,
P. Feltmate, G. Hunter, P. Hume