Omnibus Open for Business Act Would Replace much of the Existing Environmental Approvals Process with a Streamlined Compliance Approval and Online Registry System

On May 17, 2010, the Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade introduced Bill 68, the Open for Business Act, 2010. The omnibus Bill is intended to transform the government-to-business relationship by streamlining government services and cutting so-called red tape. That red tape includes a number of environment-related provisions.

Bill 68 includes over 100 proposed revisions to some 50 pieces of provincial legislation administered by 10 different ministries. Those that may be of most interest to the environmental community include the following .

• Amendments to the EPA and OWRA to adopt a risk-based approach for approvals that focuses resources on activities that pose the greatest risk to the environment; establishing a searchable online registry for low-risk activities; and creating an electronic submission process.