Navigating Ontario’s Environmental Regulations

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For most industrial leaders, an air quality permit is a complex hurdle—a "cost of business" that often lacks clear value. At SRJ, we change that narrative. We recognize that while permits are mandatory in Ontario, the process shouldn't be painful.

Leveraging over 25 years of industry insight and 100s of successful MECP applications, we’ve refined a client-centric approach that prioritizes focused communication with upper management and creative engineering solutions. Through our "Insight–Strategy–Approval" process, we don't just file paperwork; we ensure your leadership understands the implications and your operations remain uninterrupted.

As environmental regulations in Ontario become increasingly complex, SRJ provides cost-effective compliance solutions tailored to the industrial, manufacturing, municipal, and renewable energy sectors.

The Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) for any facility emitting compounds into the air or generating noise, an ECA from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) is more than just a permit—it is your license to operate. Whether you are establishing a new site or amending an existing approval due to process changes, we ensure your application is technically sound and strategically filed.

Stay agile with the ECA Limited Operational Flexibility (ECAwLOF), market demands change fast. SRJ specializes in securing ECAs with LOF. This unique approval allows your facility to make predefined modifications or equipment upgrades without the delay of a standard amendment, typically providing a 10-year window of operational agility.":

The following tasks are required to complete the ECA application;

• Complete a site visit;
• Review your current Emission Summary and Dispersion Modelling (ESDM) Report, if available, and update to include any changes;
• Complete dispersion modelling and compare results to MECP Point-of-Impingement (POI) limits;
• Complete primary or secondary noise screening and coordinate an Acoustic Assessment Report (AAR), if required;
• Assemble the ECA application, including the ESDM Report, required MECP forms and supporting information;
• Regularly follow up with the MECP to check the status of the application;
• Assist in answering any questions the MECP review engineer may have; and
• Review the draft ECA application.

After the ECA has been issued for your facility, SRJ can assist maintaining compliance with the new permit by providing the following services (if applicable):

• Assist in preparing an operating manual;
• Complete source testing and/or odour testing;
• Prepare and maintain a modification log;
• Coordinate Maximum Concentration Level Assessments;
• Update the ESDM Report, as required, to maintain an ESDM Report which reflects the current operations; and
• Prepare the Annual Written Summary Forms and supporting documentation.

• Hot-Mix Asphalt Plants
• Standby Power Generation
• Welding Operations
• Laboratory Fume Hoods
• Machine Shops
• Metal Product Manufacturing (including plasma, laser, and flame cutting)
• Natural Gas Distribution & Storage
• Paint Spray Booths and Paint Dip StationsCement Batch Plants
• Portable Crushing, Grinding & Screening Equipment
• Chemical & Petrochemical Product Manufacturing
• Electronic Component Manufacturing (including hand, wave, and selective soldering and SMD ovens)
• Plastics Product Manufacturing (including rotational moulding, extrusion, vacuum forming, injection moulding, and blow moulding)
• Pollution Control Devices (including thermal processors and dust collectors)
• Cooling Towers
• Process Combustion Equipment (including turbines, reciprocating engines, industrial boilers, and heaters)

We also provide streamlined EASR Registrations for eligible sectors, offering a faster, online pathway to compliance. For many facilities in Ontario, a full ECA application is not required. Instead, certain low-risk or routine activities can be registered through the EASR - a web-based "permit-by-rule" system that allows you to register and begin operations immediately.

Is Your Facility Eligible?

The EASR is designed for sectors with well-understood environmental impacts. Common eligible activities include:

• General Manufacturing: Facilities with routine air and noise emissions.
• Automotive Refinishing: Specialized registrations for spray booth operations.
• Commercial Printing: Fast-tracked approvals for lithographic and screen printing.
• Waste Management: Systems for non-hazardous waste transportation.
• HVAC & Standby Power: Systems exceeding specific nameplate capacities.

The SRJ Advantage: Self-Permitting with Certainty

While the EASR process is faster, the technical requirements are often more rigorous. Registrants must "self-certify" that they meet strict Ministry standards for air, noise, dust and odour.

SRJ ensures your registration is audit-ready by providing:

• Eligibility Assessments: We determine if your operating NAICS code and facility activities qualify for the EASR pathway.
• Mandatory Technical Reports: We prepare the required ESDM Reports, Acoustic Assessment Reports, and Odour Screening Reports as mandated by O. Reg. 1/17.
• Operational Best Practices: We develop the necessary maintenance and complaint-tracking procedures to keep you in compliance for the long term.

Contact us today, let SRJ get you compliant.