Responsible Care® Leadership Groups East & West

An Ontario Regional Update By

Norm Huebel February 5/6, 2014

Triennial Triennial Plan focuses on increasing opportunity for investment and

competitiveness Strategies and strategy teams are focused on the federal, Quebec

Ontario and Alberta governments Ontario has been very active and the one page strategy document

has bas been effective in repositioning our sector and getting the focus of Government and opposition

Ontario Strategy Key messages of the Ontario strategy have been: Chemistry industry is important to the economy of the province, to

jobs and to tackling fiscal problems We are investing We can invest even more if we get the policy environment right The policy environment can be improved in the following areas:

Feedstock Regulatory reform Certificates of Approval Electricity Workforce and training Buffer Zones

2012 Accomplishments Modernization of Approvals MOE has a high priority project looking at the use of Qualified

Persons that could lead to a third Tier in the Approvals Process- a CIAC initiative

Buffer Zones Have met with Minister of MAAH & had a plant tour of CCC to

illustrate and discuss need for Buffer Zone Regulation Have obtained most of Thursday Group members’ support for a regToxics Through a multi-stakeholder process have developed a Living List

Process for adding and deleting substances from the toxics list – awaiting internal process within MOE to move forward

Reg 419 Have initiated the process ( 2 meetings) to develop a technical

standard for the petrochemical industry

2012 Accomplishments Thursday Group Have established the Thursday Group as a credible voice of the

manufacturing industry in Ontario. Have had requests from ADMs, DMs and politicians (including the

Leader of the Opposition) to appear before it DM of Environment spoke off the record on his priorities for 2014 at it

because of inclusiveness of the group and the “in camera” nature of the session

Thursday Group has formed the nucleus for a number of major initiatives with the government, namely GHG push back on Ontario’s direction in not recognizing competitiveness

and not having a proper consultation process in place Industrial Exception pushback Input prior to tabling of Great Lakes Protection Actw3 

Political Environment Over the past year CIAC has spent a lot of time advocating with all 3

parties the importance of the manufacturing sector to the province and the importance of competitiveness in driving investment and job creation

Although all appear to have been listening the prime political focus today is all about a pending election that could be triggered by the spring budget

The probability of an election will be strongly influenced by the outcome of 2 by-elections scheduled for Thornhill (was a PC seat ) and Niagara Falls (was a Liberal seat) on February 13, 2014

Outcome will not trigger a change in government because current seat standing in the legislature is: Liberals 49 seats, the Tories 36 and the NDP 20.

The fate of the government continues to rest in the hands of the NDP continuing to support the Liberals

All parties are aggressively seeking monetary support

Path Forward After the budget uncertainty has been resolved CIAC will have to

focus its advocacy on whatever government is in power at that time If there is an election the parties’ platforms will give a good indication of

coming priorities It is highly likely that it will be a minority government so efforts will

have to be focussed on the priorities of the parties that form and support the minority with a requirement to continue to maintain relationships with the 3rd party

CIAC political advocacy will be cranked up after the budget uncertainty is resolved

In the meantime advocacy continues on numerous files with the bureaucracy such as GHGs, water, waste, toxics, Reg 419, Approvals, Buffer Zones, Accessibility Act regulations, Financial Assurances, MOL Prevention priorities, electricity Reminder: the legislation sets the broad framework but the regulatory

details (developed by the bureaucracy) determine the burden for companies

Path Forward Last year CIAC asked:

Member Engagement How can members be engaged?

Plant visits/tours with local MPPs and Ministers

Participation in meetings with CIAC

Path Forward Questions to Ponder

How do we get the major players such as IOL, Shell, NOVA, etc. that sit on the Western Leadership Groups engaged in the Ontario advocacy with CIAC?

What do you feel should be the advocacy priorities for 2014?

Should CIAC form a Company Advisory Committee to determine strategic direction and advocacy priorities for Ontario?