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ARTICLE · 29 MAY 2013

Modernization Of Approvals A Big Step In The Right Direction

Siskinds LLP
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The Ministry of the Environment’s Modernization of Approvals process is starting to make a real difference: kudos to Marcia Wallace, Doris Dumais and the others involved.

CanadaEnvironment
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The Ministry of the Environment's Modernization of Approvals process is starting to make a real difference: kudos to Marcia Wallace, Doris Dumais and the others involved. It still takes far too long to get many kinds of Environmental Compliance Approvals (often well over a year), but the backlog is decreasing, and some upcoming changes should really help. This is essential: the inordinate delays in obtaining approvals force many organizations to incur significant economic damage or break the law, every year. The more law-abiding organizations are, the more stressful they find these long approvals delays, and the more they detract from potential investment in Ontario.

About 2400 registrations have already occurred on the Environmental Activities and Sector Registry, the instant, permit-by-rule system for low risk, routine activities. (The registry has the additional benefit of creating a level playing field, by assuring consistent conditions for similar

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