Get a preview of what’s on tap at our fast approaching 2018 Convention and Expo taking place Sunday, April 15th- Tuesday 17th in Huntsville at the Deerhurst Resort.
This year’s Convention theme leans towards ensuring safe, affordable and sustainable wastewater servicing for rural Ontario and is reflected in this edition’s content.
On Friday, February 23rd, OOWA submitted a Request for Review to the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario in collaboration with the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations. The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO) is an independent officer of the provincial legislature who reports to the government and to the public on progress regarding a number of environmental issues. Under the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR), individual citizens, organizations and corporations can ask the Ontario government for a new environmental policy, act or regulation, or for changes to existing ones.
OOWA’s and FOCA’s joint submission to the ECO requests that the Ministry of Municipal Affairs review the efficacy of the provisions in the Building Code that deal with Maintenance and Management of onsite sewage systems (Reg 332/12, Building Code, Division B, Part 8, Section 8.9 -Operation and Maintenance). In addition, the submission also requests that the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change consider the need for new provisions and/or Regulation under the Ontario Water Resources Act to govern the operation and maintenance of onsite septic systems. Read more →
Over the course of 2017 representatives from OOWA provided expert comment to the Ministry of Municipal Affair’s Technical Advisory Committee on proposed changes to Part 8 of the Ontario Building Code. Check out the minutes (below) from the meetings to see what changes were discussed and OOWA’s position on them.
Building Code Technical Committee Part 8, Meeting Minutes, February 13th (PDF).
Building Code Technical Committee Part 8, Meeting Minutes, May 1st (PDF).
Kathryn Stasiuk, EIT, WSP Canada
What got you started in the onsite and decentralized wastewater industry?
I completed my undergrad in Water Resources Engineering at the University of Guelph and was originally introduced to the industry through a co-op program. I completed an 8-month co-op placement with the WSP Aurora office and have been involved ever since. The onsite sewage industry interested me initially due to the troubling statistic that 2.5 billion people in the world do not have adequate access to sanitation. I’ve also grown to understand the local human health and environmental significance here in Ontario. Read more →
On September 21st, OOWA partnered with WaterTAP Ontario to deliver an event that addressed the challenges faced by producers of high strength wastewater. Case studies about innovative system designs were shared and a panel comprised of both industry and government representatives explored ways of improving the environmental approvals process. Read more →
OOWA’s Fall/Winter newsletter is now available! Get up to speed on what’s happening in your industry and meet some of the professionals who are driving it forward.
Download the Fall/Winter Edition of Onsite desktop version (PDF).
Download the Fall/Winter Edition of Onsite mobile version (PDF)
OOWA was recently invited to attend an information session held by the Ministry of the Environment & Climate Change (MOECC) to provide information regarding changes to the Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) process, as well as a planned Ministry reorganization (effective December 5, 2017). Of note for many of our OOWA members, the new MOECC structure includes a consolidated Environmental Assessment & Permissions Division, which will be responsible for all approvals, licenses, permissions, certificates, etc. Additional information about the new MOECC divisions can be found here. Read more →
OOWA’s Communications Committee is proud to release the summer edition of Onsite, OOWA’s association newsletter and the only publication in Ontario that covers the onsite and decentralized industry.
Download your digital copy of Onsite.(PDF).
