This consultation was open from:
February 6, 2019
to March 8, 2019
Decision summary
We are amending Ontario’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Requirements under the Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Quantification, Reporting and Verification regulation (O. Reg. 390/18) and the incorporated Guideline. The amendments will reduce unnecessary costs and regulatory burden for affected reporters.
Decision details
We are amending the Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Quantification, Reporting and Verification regulation (O. Reg. 390/18) and the incorporated Guideline.
The amendments will:
- remove mandatory reporting and verification requirements for petroleum product supply and natural gas distribution for the emissions from fuel they sell effective immediately
- remove third party verification of annual emissions reports for some reporters (i.e., voluntary participants as defined in O. Reg. 390/18) effective immediately*
- update the Global Warming Potentials (GWP) to the most recent international standards by adopting the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) GWPs for all emissions reporting methods starting with the 2019 annual emissions report due in 2020.
* It is intended that voluntary participants that opt in to the proposed Emissions Performance Standards (EPS) program would need to undertake third party verification of annual emissions reports.
Effects of consultation
Feedback summary
We received comments from a wide range of interested stakeholders including:
- members of the public
- industries
- associations
- consulting firms
- government bodies.
We received comments on regulatory amendments and responses to these questions:
- Should Ontario harmonize with the federal reporting requirements under the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) (e.g., mandatory methods, Global Warming Potentials)?
- Should Ontario continue to require reporting of fuel distribution/supply reporting?
- Should third-party verification of emissions requirements be maintained for the voluntary participants as defined in O. Reg. 390/18?
In total, we received 76 comments that are grouped into the following three themes:
- reporting and verification requirements for fuel distribution/supply
- third party verification for voluntary participants
- harmonization and alignment with federal government’s reporting requirements.
1. Reporting and verification requirements for fuel distribution/supply
Some comments supported removing reporting and verification requirements for petroleum product supply and natural gas distribution.
Other comments expressed concerns that such actions may:
- negatively impact GHG reduction actions
- have potential compliance or enforcement implications with the removal of certain reporting and verification requirements.
We also received requests to continue tracking and collecting all greenhouse gas emissions for a better understanding of trends and impacts on the environment, especially any unique provincial data that could help make decisions to address climate change in the future.
Response
These amendments will have no impact on how we track emissions from these sources. Our emissions inventory has always used data from the federal National Inventory Report for these emission sources and this data will continue to be used for tracking progress to Ontario’s 2030 emission target.
The proposed Emissions Performance Standards, and other actions in our proposed Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan, would help Ontario to:
- reduce emissions
- meet its greenhouse gas reduction target
- recognize the unique circumstances of Ontario’s economy and its manufacturing sector.
2. Third-party verification for voluntary participants
Some comments supported removing verification for some reporters (i.e., voluntary participants as defined in O. Reg. 390/18) as it reduces:
- unnecessary costs
- administrative burden for these facilities.
Other comments expressed concern that verification is an important function and should be required for all participants. Having a baseline of accurate and verified emission data would ensure integrity of the information.
Response
This reporting program is intended to support determination of compliance obligations for greenhouse gas regulatory programs. Imposing verification costs on companies that will have no regulatory obligation is an unnecessary expense. The ministry uses data from the National Inventory Report to track greenhouse gas emissions, which is prepared in accordance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change reporting guidelines. It is intended that any voluntary participants that opts-in to the proposed Emissions Performance Standards program would retrigger the requirement to verify their annual emissions reports.
3. Harmonization and alignment with the federal government’s reporting requirements
In general, comments supported:
- harmonizing and aligning with the federal government’s reporting requirements
- reducing cost and reporting duplication as much as possible.
Response
Ensuring we are reducing regulatory burden while maintaining strong environmental protection is part of the government’s commitment to balancing a healthy environment and a healthy economy.
We are anticipating posting a new proposal to harmonize with the federal reporting methods for consultation later this fall.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
40 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 8
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1M2
Canada
Connect with us
Contact
Vicky La
40 St Clair Ave W
8th Floor
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1M2
Canada
Original proposal
Proposal details
Proposed greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting amendments
We are proposing to streamline reporting requirements for petroleum product suppliers, natural gas distributors and other large emitters to reduce unnecessary costs and regulatory burden.
Changes for fuel suppliers/distributors
We are proposing to:
- remove mandatory reporting and verification for petroleum product supply and natural gas distribution for the emissions from fuel they sell.
- these proposed changes would have no impact on how the government tracks emissions from these sources. The provincial emissions inventory has always used data from the federal National Inventory Report for these emission sources and this data will continue to be used for tracking progress to Ontario’s 2030 emission target
- these reporters will still have to report on direct emissions (refining facilities and pipeline emissions) but would not have to continue reporting on emissions resulting from the consumption of the fuels they supply or distribute.
Changes for other large emitters
We are proposing to:
- require third party verification of emissions reports to those reporters that may have compliance obligations under the Emissions Performance Standards program. This would include removing verification for some reporters, i.e, voluntary participants as defined in O. Reg. 390/18 for annual emissions reports
- update the global warming potentials to the most recent international standards by adopting the IPCC AR4 Global Warming Potentials (GWP) for all emissions reporting methods.
Questions for discussion
- Should Ontario harmonize with the federal reporting requirements under the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) (e.g., mandatory methods, Global Warming)?
- Should Ontario continue to require reporting of fuel distribution/supply reporting?
- Should third party verification of emissions requirement be maintained for the voluntary participants as defined in O. Reg. 390/18?
Ontario is also considering adopting federal quantification methods to reduce reporting burden, i.e., not requiring reporting of duplicate or unnecessary data. In some cases, Ontario may still need to collect supplemental information in order to support a proposed Emissions Performance Standard program.
Actual proposed changes to quantification methods will be proposed later this fall for consultation.
Purpose of regulation
Amendments are proposed to streamline the GHG Reporting Regulation (O.Reg. 390/18) to reduce unnecessary costs and regulatory burden for reporters.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
40 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 8
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1M2
Canada
Comment
Commenting is now closed.
This consultation was open from February 6, 2019
to March 8, 2019
Connect with us
Contact
Vicky La
40 St Clair Ave W
8th Floor
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1M2
Canada
Comments received
Through the registry
67By email
9By mail
0