A provincial airshed planning framework

The Environmental Management Act (EMA) provides the provincial government with the authority to develop standards, objectives and guidelines for the protection of air quality, and to regulate industrial point sources through site-specific permits, regulations and codes of practice. [...] In addition to this, there are a range of initiatives and programs supporting airshed planning, as well as the ongoing conduct of scientific research and the use of both regulatory and non-regulatory tools. [...] With increasing interest in airshed planning across the province, there have been concerns about consistency in practice and ensuring the most efficient use of both available funds and the time and energy of the people involved. [...] One of the ways in which the Ministry has responded is to lead the establishment of a provincial airshed planning framework (“framework”). [...] The results of these consultations were provided to the Ministry, and form the foundation for advancing the discussions on a provincial framework.