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Bill 224, No Time to Waste Act (Plan for Climate Action and Jobs), 2020

Tabuns, Peter

Karpoche, Bhutila

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Original

Bill 224 Original (PDF)

EXPLANATORY

NOTE

Schedule

Climate Crisis Health Action Plan Act, 2020

The

Schedule enacts the Climate Crisis Health Action Plan Act,

2020 , which requires the Minister of Health to do the following:

1. Develop

and publish a strategic action plan that aims to ensure that Ontario’s public

health and health care systems are prepared for the health risks caused by the

impacts of the climate crisis.

2. Establish

the Climate Crisis and Health Secretariat whose responsibilities include

assisting the Minister with the development, revision and implementation of the

strategic action plan.

3. Establish

a science advisory board to advise the Minister with respect to climate change

science and health sciences and the impacts of the climate crisis on public

health.

The

Act requires that the strategic action plan be reviewed and, if necessary,

updated at least every four years.

Schedule

Ontario Climate Crisis Strategy for the Public Sector Act, 2020

The

Schedule enacts the Ontario Climate Crisis Strategy for

the Public Sector Act, 2020 , which requires the Lieutenant Governor in

Council to establish the Ontario Climate Crisis Strategy for the Public

Sector. The Minister responsible for the administration of the Act is also

required to prepare reports with respect to energy consumption by the public

sector and other related matters.

schedule

Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Act, 2020

The

Schedule enacts the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis

Act, 2020 , which establishes a select committee of the Legislative

Assembly to be known as the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. The Select

Committee’s mandate is to develop a comprehensive proposal to address

climate-change related threats facing the society, environment and economy of

the province of Ontario.

Bill 224 2020

Act to enact the Climate Crisis Health Action Plan Act, 2020, the Ontario

Climate Crisis Strategy for the Public Sector Act, 2020 and the

Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Act, 2020

CONTENTS

Contents

of this Act

Commencement

Short

title

Schedule 1

Climate

Crisis Health Action Plan, 2020

Schedule 2

Ontario

Climate Crisis Strategy for the Public Sector Act, 2020

Schedule 3

Select

Committee on the Climate Crisis Act, 2020

Her

Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the

Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Contents

of this Act

1 This Act consists of this section, sections 2 and 3 and

the Schedules to this Act.

Commencement

(1) Subject to subsection (2), this Act comes

into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

(2) The

Schedules to this Act come into force as provided in each Schedule.

Short

title

3 The

short title of this Act is the No

Time to Waste Act (Plan for Climate Action and Jobs), 2020 .

Schedule 1

Climate Crisis Health Action Plan, 2020

Preamble

is increasingly clear that the climate crisis will have a substantial impact on

human health and that health crises can be profoundly debilitating for our

society, as evidenced by the impact of COVID-19.

Health

care and public health planning have so far been based on an assumption that

tomorrow will be much like today. It is increasingly apparent that this

assumption is false. In order to protect human life and property and to provide

as much stability for our society as possible it will be important to

understand and plan for the changes that are expected. The appearance of novel

diseases or the destruction of homes by extreme weather events are examples of

risks to human life. Now is the time to develop our understanding of and our

plans to minimize the damage caused by these kinds of risks.

Definition

this Act,

“Minister”

means the Minister of Health or such other member of the Executive Council as

may be assigned the administration of this Act under the Executive

Council Act .

Climate

crisis and health initiatives

(1) The

Minister shall,

(

a) on

or before the second anniversary of the day on which the No

Time to Waste Act (Plan for Climate Action and Jobs), 2020 receives

Royal Assent, develop and publish a strategic action plan that aims to ensure

that Ontario’s public health and health care systems are prepared for the

health risks, including those relating to mental health, to Ontarians caused by

the impacts of the climate crisis, including a significant rise in extreme heat

incidents, an increase in vector-borne diseases, the appearance of novel

contagious diseases, negative impacts on air quality due to increased heat,

forest fires and other causes, escalating ice, wind and other storm-related

activity, flooding and negative impacts on water quality;

(

b) establish

the Climate Crisis and Health Secretariat to perform the functions assigned to

the Secretariat by this Act; and

(

c) establish

a science advisory board, consisting of public health professionals and climate

scientists, to perform the functions assigned to the board by this Act.

Review

of strategic action plan

(2) On

or before the fourth anniversary of the day the No Time to

Waste Act (Plan for Climate Action and Jobs), 2020 receives Royal Assent

and every four years after that, the Minister shall review the strategic action

plan and make any changes to the plan that the Minister considers necessary to

ensure that the plan best meets its stated aims.

Strategic

action plan to be public

(3) The

Minister shall ensure that the strategic action plan and any amended plan are

published on a website of the Government of Ontario.

Contents

of strategic action plan

(1) The

strategic action plan shall,

(

a) identify

key health risks to Ontarians caused by the impacts of the climate crisis;

(

b) identify

communities and populations vulnerable to the identified health risks;

(

c) set

out a plan to communicate to public health organizations, community health

organizations, health care facilities, health professionals and the public

strategies to mitigate the negative effects of the climate crisis on health;

(

d) establish

government programs that aim to advance research on the impacts of the climate

crisis on mental and physical health;

(

e) identify

and assess existing strategies to prepare for and deal with the risks and impacts

of the climate crisis on health;

(

f) identify

health care infrastructure projects that are of critical priority for

addressing the impacts of the climate crisis on health;

(

g) prepare

a plan to provide funding and guidance to public health units and health care

facilities to enable them to assess their vulnerabilities and develop climate

adaptation plans;

(

h) set

out modelling and forecasting tools to be used to assess the impacts of the

climate crisis on health; and

(

i) provide

for measures to support the development of academic and regional centres of

excellence that will be capable of identifying, assessing and improving best

practices for assuring the wellbeing of Ontarians in the face of the climate

crisis, as well as providing input to the Minister on related issues of public

policy.

Strategic

action plan to include monitoring

(2) The

strategic action shall also provide for the development, continual improvement

and integration of systems to monitor the impacts of the climate crisis on

health and the capacity to respond to those impacts.

Same

(3) Without

limiting the generality of subsection (2), the systems shall provide for the

monitoring of the following matters:

1. Water-borne,

food-borne and vector-borne infectious diseases.

2. The

appearance of a novel contagious disease.

3. Respiratory

and cardiovascular health, including responses to aeroallergens, air pollution

and toxic exposures.

4. The

impacts of extreme temperatures on health, including premature deaths, hospital

admissions and morbidity.

5. The

health effects of air pollution, including heightened sensitivity to air

pollution.

6. Mental

and behavioural health related to extreme weather events and incremental

changes in climate.

7. The

health of Indigenous people, Black and racialized people, migrants, refugees,

displaced persons, members of low-income communities and members of any other

communities vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis on health.

8. Harmful

algal blooms.

9. Extreme

heat and weather events, including drought, storms and flooding events.

10. Food

insecurity resulting from shrinking access to food, potential disruptions to

food supplies and decreasing agricultural output, as well as any decreased

nutritional value of crops.

11. Disruptions

in access to routine and acute medical care.

12. Any

other prescribed matter.

Mandate

of the Climate Crisis and Health Secretariat

(1) As

directed by the Minister and the Environment Minister, the members of the

Climate Crisis and Health Secretariat shall,

(

a) assist

with the development, revision and implementation of the strategic action plan;

(

b) gather

and disseminate information on the physical, mental and behavioural health

consequences of the climate crisis in Ontario;

(

c) track

data on environmental conditions that are indicators of health risks related to

the climate crisis;

(

d) expand

capacity for modelling and forecasting health effects that may be climate

related;

(

e) perform

research on the relationship between the climate crisis and health outcomes;

(

f) identify

locations and population groups at greatest risk for specific health threats,

such as increased heat stress, degraded air and water quality, food- or

water-related illnesses, vector-borne illnesses, threats to pulmonary or

cardiovascular health or to mental and behavioural health and food, water and

nutrient insecurity;

(

g) communicate

the health-related impacts of the climate crisis, including risks and costs

associated with the climate crisis and ways to reduce them, to the public;

(

h) develop

partnerships with other levels of government, the private sector,

non-governmental organizations, organizations representing health care

professionals and those representing health care providers, universities and

international organizations in order to more effectively address domestic and

global health aspects of the climate crisis;

(

i) provide

advice, data or information to any of the organizations referred to in clause

(

h) relevant to the development and implementation of preparedness measures

related to the health effects of the climate crisis;

(

j) provide

technical assistance and support to municipalities and First Nations, Inuit and

Métis communities in assessing preparedness to deal with the negative risks and

impacts of the climate crisis on health and strategies to respond to those

risks and impacts;

(

k) develop

and implement preparedness response plans for health-related threats, such as

heat waves, severe weather events and infectious diseases;

(

l) develop

training programs for public health and health care professionals to better

enable them to respond to the health threats posed by the climate crisis and

communicate health risks to the public; and

(

m) perform

any other function that the Minister or the Environment Minister considers

advisable.

Definition

(2) In

this section,

“Environment

Minister” means the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks or such

other member of the Executive Council as may be assigned the administration of

the Environmental Protection Act .

Functions

of the science advisory board

(1) The

science advisory board shall,

(

a) provide

scientific and technical advice to the Minister on the domestic and international

impacts of the climate crisis on public health, including populations and

regions particularly vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis, and

strategies to prepare for and respond to the impacts of the climate crisis on

public health; and

(

b) advise

the Minister on the most recent scientific developments in climate change

science and health sciences for the purposes of developing and revising the

strategic action plan.

Composition

(2) The

science advisory board shall be composed of not less than 10 and no more than

20 members appointed by the Minister.

Members

(3) Members

of the board shall have expertise in public health or the provision of health

care services or expertise in climate science.

Development

and revision of strategic action plan

(1) In

developing or revising the strategic action plan, the Minister shall,

(

a) have

regard to the most recent scientific developments in climate change science and

health sciences as identified by the science advisory board; and

(

b) ensure

that the persons and organizations referred to in subsection (2) are consulted

with.

Consultation

(2) The

following are the persons and organizations referred to in clause (1) (b):

1. Other

members of the Executive Council as the Minister considers appropriate.

2. Representatives

of First Nations, Inuit, Métis and Black communities.

3. Municipalities

and other organizations responsible for public health.

4. Members

of the scientific community.

5. Representatives

of communities most at risk of experiencing negative health outcomes as a

result of the climate crisis.

6. Organizations

representing health care professionals and those representing health care

providers.

7. Any

other person or organization that, in the view of the Minister, should be

consulted.

Regulations

The

Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations respecting any matter

necessary or advisable to carry out effectively the intent and purpose of this

Act, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, may make

regulations,

(

a) governing

the implementation of the strategic action plan;

(

b) prescribing

matters for the purposes of paragraph 12 of subsection 3 (3);

(

c) governing

the procedures of the science advisory board, including procedures for making

any recommendations to the Minister as well as the duties and responsibilities

of members of the board.

Commencement

The Act set out in this

Schedule comes into force on the day the No Time to Waste Act (Plan for Climate Action and Jobs), 2020

receives Royal Assent.

Short

title

The

short title of the Act set out in this

Schedule is the Climate Crisis Health Action Plan Act, 2020 .

Schedule 2

Ontario Climate Crisis Strategy for the Public Sector Act, 2020

Preamble

The

public sector in Ontario can play a leadership role with regard to action on

the climate crisis. Developing a climate crisis strategy for the public sector

will encourage action on the climate crisis in society at large. By putting its

own house in order, the Government of Ontario will establish a commitment to encouraging

the use of innovative technologies and techniques throughout Ontario.

Implementation of the strategy will demonstrate the advantages of early action

and result in the development of solutions that can be broadly shared. It is

important to establish objectives that reflect the urgency of taking action on

the climate crisis.

Definitions

this Act,

“public

sector” means the public sector within the meaning of the Public

Sector Salary Disclosure Act, 1996 ; (“secteur public”)

“regulations”

means the regulations made under this Act; (“règlements”)

“Strategy”

means the Ontario Climate Crisis Strategy for the Public Sector established

under subsection 2 (1). (“stratégie”)

Strategy

(1) The

Lieutenant Governor in Council shall, on or before the first anniversary of the

day the No Time to Waste Act (Plan for Climate Action and Jobs), 2020

receives Royal Assent, establish the Ontario Climate Crisis Strategy for the

Public Sector.

Effective

date

(2) The

Strategy takes effect on the date specified in the Strategy, which shall be no

later than one year after the day the No Time to Waste Act (Plan for Climate

Action and Jobs), 2020 receives Royal Assent.

Contents

(3) The

Strategy shall set out a plan for achieving the following goals:

1. Capping,

within 12 months after the Strategy takes effect, emissions of greenhouse gases

from activities engaged in by the public sector, including activities engaged

in that relate to the following:

i. Facilities

leased, owned, operated or primarily funded by the public sector, including

housing facilities.

ii. Vehicles

owned by the public sector.

iii. The

integrated power system within the meaning of the Electricity

Act, 1998 .

2. Reducing

the emissions mentioned in paragraph 1 by a minimum of 5 per cent annually until

they reach net zero.

3. Reducing

the energy consumed at every new facility mentioned in subparagraph 1 i that is

constructed such that,

i. for

every facility for which construction commences on or after the second

anniversary of the day the No Time to Waste Act (Plan for Climate Action and

Jobs), 2020 receives Royal Assent, energy consumption is, as determined in

accordance with the regulations, at least 50 per cent less than the energy

consumption of an average comparable new private sector facility in operation

in the year the construction of the public sector facility commences, and

ii. for

every facility for which construction commences on or after the fifth

anniversary of the day the No Time to Waste Act (Plan for Climate Action and

Jobs), 2020 received Royal Assent, net energy consumption is zero.

4. Achieving

such other goals as may be prescribed by the regulations.

Same

(4) The

Strategy shall provide for the following initiatives:

1. The

establishment of programs through which the Government of Ontario encourages

retrofitting facilities mentioned in subparagraph 1 i of subsection (3) and

making vehicles owned by the public sector more environmentally friendly.

2. The

development of purchasing guidelines for use by the public sector that,

i. promote

the provision of services by the public sector, including purchases made by the

public sector, in a manner that eliminates or substantially reduces greenhouse

gas emissions,

ii. establish,

as an evaluation criteria for a proposal, the amount of greenhouse gas

emissions that will result from a given proposal, as determined in accordance

with the regulations, and

iii. provide

that a proposal that will result in the emission of a given percentage of

greenhouse gases more than other proposals be disqualified.

3. Such

other initiatives as may be prescribed by the regulations.

Percentage

(5) The

percentage mentioned in subparagraph 2 iii of subsection (4) shall not exceed

10 per cent.

Legislation

Act, 2006

(6) Part

III (Regulations) of the Legislation Act, 2006 does

not apply to the Strategy.

Reporting

(1) The

Minister responsible for the administration of this Act shall annually prepare

and make available to the public reports respecting,

(

a) the

consumption of energy by the public sector;

(

b) reductions

in the consumption of energy by the public sector;

(

c) the

energy consumption at new or retrofitted facilities mentioned in subparagraph 1

i of subsection 2 (3); and

(

d) such

other matters as may be prescribed by the regulations.

Same

(2) A

report prepared under this

section shall be prepared and made available to the

public in accordance with the regulations.

Audit

(3) Each

report prepared under this

section shall be audited in accordance with the

regulations.

Regulations

The

Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations,

(

a) prescribing

the method for making a determination under subparagraph 3 i of subsection 2

(3);

(

b) prescribing

goals for the purposes of paragraph 4 of subsection 2 (3);

(

c) prescribing

the manner of determining the amount of greenhouse gases that will result from

a proposal referred to subparagraph 2 ii of subsection 2 (4);

(

d) prescribing

initiatives for the purposes of paragraph 3 of subsection 2 (4);

(

e) governing

amendments and updates to the Strategy;

(

f) prescribing

the manner in which notice of the Strategy and any amendments and updates to

the Strategy must be made available to the public;

(

g) governing

audits of reports prepared under

section 3;

(

h) respecting

any matter that it considers necessary or advisable to carry out the purpose of

this Act.

Commencement

The Act set out in this

Schedule comes into force on the day the No Time to Waste Act (Plan for Climate Action and Jobs), 2020

receives Royal Assent.

Short

title

The

short title of the Act set out in this

Schedule is the Ontario Climate Crisis Strategy for the Public Sector Act, 2020 .

schedule 3

Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Act, 2020

Select

committee established

(1) A

select committee of the Legislative Assembly is established to be known as the

l’action relative à la crise climatique in French.

Members

(2) The

Select Committee shall consist of no more than nine members and, despite

Standing Order 116 (a), shall consist of an equal number of members from each

of the recognized parties in the House and a number of independent members

equivalent to the number of members from each recognized party.

Mandate

(1) The

Select Committee on the Climate Crisis shall develop a comprehensive proposal

to address climate-change related threats facing the society, environment and

economy of the province of Ontario.

Same

(2) Without

limiting the generality of subsection (1), the proposal shall address the

particular threats facing Indigenous, racialized and low-income Ontarians.

Report

back

The

Select Committee on the Climate Crisis shall prepare a report setting out its

proposal no later than six months after the day on which the No Time to Waste Act (Plan for Climate Action and Jobs), 2020

receives Royal Assent.

Commencement

The Act set out in this

Schedule comes into force on the day the No Time to Waste Act (Plan for Climate Action and Jobs), 2020

receives Royal Assent.

Short

title

The

short title of the Act set out in this

Schedule is the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Act, 2020 .

Date Bill stage Event Outcome Committee

December 1, 2020

Second Reading

Vote

Lost on division

November 30, 2020

Second Reading

Deferred vote

November 30, 2020

Second Reading

Debated

October 27, 2020

First Reading

Vote

Carried

Debates and Progress

First Reading

October 27, 2020

Committee

Second Reading

November 30, 2020

Mr. Peter Tabuns, Ms. Bhutila Karpoche, Ms. Marit Stiles, Mr. Kaleed Rasheed, Ms. Jessica Bell, Mr. Michael Parsa, Mme France Gélinas, Mr. Mike Schreiner, Ms. Andrea Khanjin, Mr. Stephen Blais

Vote deferred.

December 1, 2020

Lost on recorded division.

Committee

Third Reading

Royal Assent

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