Health Protection and Air Quality

Fine particulate matter

Negligible quantity requiring submission: 1 kilogram per year

Potential emission sources: 

• Combustion from stationary and vehicular sources
• Unpaved roads
• Processes generating dust
• Chemical formation from precursors

Oxides of nitrogen

Negligible quantity requiring submission: 10 kilograms per year

Potential emission sources: 

• Combustion from transportation sector
• Utilities
• Other industrial processes

Sulphur dioxides

Negligible quantity requiring submission: 10 kilograms per year

Potential emission sources: 

• Combustion from transportation sector and utilities
• Industrial processes such as petroleum refining, cement and concrete manufacturing

Ammonia

Negligible quantity requiring submission: 10 kilograms per year

Potential emission sources: 

• Nitrogen or oxides of nitrogen reduction processes for wastewater treatment plant or power plant
• Other industrial processes
• Agricultural activities

Volatile organic compounds

Negligible quantity requiring submission: 10 kilograms per year

Potential emission sources: 

• Combustion from stationary and vehicular sources
• Fuel refilling
• General solvent use
• Industrial processes such as paint/coating application
• Petroleum refining
• Plastics manufacturing
• Food processing
• Agricultural activities
• Wood processing and burning

Reporting

Under the by-law, if a facility emits at least one health-risk air pollutant in a non-negligible quantity, its owner or operator needs to report the emission to the town.

Information reported will be maintained in a database of health-risk emissions from across Oakville. Facilities only need to report their emissions once unless they change. 

Approval by Council

The second level of requirement is an approval from Council of facilities that cause a “major emission” of a health-risk air pollutant. A major emission is an emission of one or more health risk air pollutants that exceed the levels established under the HPAQB.

Under the by-law, proposed or existing facilities that produce a major emission are required to submit to an approval process. The process involves assessment of health impacts from emissions and implementation of regulatory controls where necessary.

Facilities receiving approval under the HPAQB are required to submit a report of the actual emissions of health risk air pollutants from their facility to the town. They must submit a report annually for three years following approval and then for an additional period of time, determined by the town.

The reporting and approval requirements under the HPAQB apply to existing and proposed facilities. A fee of $25,000 is assessed to facilities submitting approval applications for major emissions for the administrative and peer review costs associated with these applications. There is no fee for facilities addressing only the reporting requirement. 

Applications and information

For more information about the by-law, emissions calculation and approval requirements, or to receive reporting forms, please email healthprotection@oakville.ca.