Other Items Considered by the Committee

 (a)Deep Lake Water Cooling Project.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having:

(1)received the following report;

(2)requested Councillor Dennis Fotinos, as Council=s representative on the Toronto District Heating Corporation, and Councillor Jack Layton, as Council=s representative on the Toronto-Hydro Electric Commission, to report periodically to the Works and Utilities Committee on the development and integration of the district cooling program within the new City, and that the aforementioned Councillors also consider strategies to involve the broader public; and

(3)requested the Environmental Task Force to develop options and recommendations which would phase out the use of the coal-fired facility at the Lakeview Generating Station to be replaced with sustainable energy strategies for the new City, and submit a report thereon to the Works and Utilities Committee:

(April 7, 1998) from the Interim Functional Lead for Water and Wastewater providing an update on the status of the Deep Lake Water Cooling Project; advising that the innovative project is expected to have environmental and economic benefits to the City; further advising that a pre-design study and Class Environmental Assessment is underway to allow public input and confirm project viability while maintaining the security and integrity of the water supply system; and recommending that this report be received for information.

The following persons appeared before the Works and Utilities Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

 -Mr. Tony O=Donohue, President, Environmental Probe Ltd.;

-Mr. Greg Allen, Allen Kani & Associates, and submitted material with respect thereto;

-Ms. Lois Corbett, Toronto Atmospheric Fund, and submitted material with respect thereto;

-Mr. Alex Bystrin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto District Heating Corporation; and

-Mr. Todd Wilcox, Vice-President - Sales, Toronto Hydro, and General Manager, Northwind Toronto.

(b)Ontario Clean Air Alliance.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having endorsed, in principle, the recommendations embodied in the following communication from the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, and having requested that the recommendations and membership be referred to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services for a report to the Works and Utilities Committee, in a timely fashion, in conjunction with the report being prepared on anti-smog initiatives:

(i)(April 30, 1998) from Mr. Jack Gibbons, Chair, Ontario Clean Air Alliance, recommending that the City endorse the recommendation of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance that the Government of Ontario implement the following regulations with respect to all electricity generated or imported into Ontario:

A(1)greenhouse gas emission caps which stabilize, at 1990 levels, the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production or sale of electricity in Ontario by the year 2000, and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production or sale of electricity in Ontario by more than 10 percent, relative to 1990 levels, by 2005;

(2)sulphur dioxide emission caps which reduce the sulphur dioxide emissions associated with the production or sale of electricity in Ontario below 175 kilotonnes per year;

(3)nitrogen oxide emission caps which reduce the nitrogen oxide emissions associated with the production or sale of electricity in Ontario below 38 kilotonnes per year; and

(4)air toxic emission caps which reduce the air toxic emissions associated with the production or sale of electricity in Ontario;@

further recommending that the City join the Alliance; and forwarding a copy of the Alliance=s report entitled AElectricity Competition and Clean Air@.

(ii)(December 23, 1997) from the former Metropolitan Clerk advising that the former Metropolitan Council at its meeting held on December 10 and 18, 1997, had before it a Motion by Councillor Layton, seconded by Councillor Chow, respecting the creation by the Government of Ontario of a competitive electricity market and endorsement of the recommendations of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance as outlined therein; and advising that Council referred the aforementioned Motion, together with a communication dated October 6, 1997, from the Chair, Ontario Clean Air Alliance, to the appropriate Standing Committee of the new City of Toronto Council, with a request that the Ontario Clean Air Alliance be invited to make a deputation to such Committee when this matter is considered.

Mr. Jack Gibbons, Chair, Ontario Clean Air Alliance, appeared before the Works and Utilities Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.

(c)Beneficial Use of Main Treatment Plant=s Processed Biosolids and Termination of Incineration.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having:

(1)referred the following report dated May 15, 1998, back to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services for revision in light of submissions and comments presented at the Works and Utilities Committee, with the following directions:

(i)that the report be revised to include optional recommendations for a one-year and a two-year phase-out of incineration;

(ii)that the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services be requested to report to the Committee at its next meeting, scheduled to be held on June 17, 1998, on:

(a)expanded/new biosolids facilities at the Main and Humber Treatment Plants;

(b)the timing of a proposal call for such facilities this summer;

(c)including in the proposal call a one-to-two-year maximum build-out for the full operation of 100 percent beneficial use of biosolids;

(d) a cost/benefit analysis of odour containment on a long and short-term basis for the settlement tanks at the Main Treatment Plant;

(e)discussions with Consumers Gas respecting the matter of boiler capacity; and

(f)the utilization of the Humber and Highland Creek Treatment Plants;

(iii)that the results of equipment testing at the Harbour Remediation & Transfer Inc. site be presented at the next meeting of the Committee;

(iv)that the Biosolids Multi-stakeholder Committee referred to in Recommendation No. (10) of the aforementioned report be developed in consultation with the Ward Councillors for the area and the Chair of the Works and Utilities Committee, for consideration by the Committee at its next meeting;

(v)that the installation of digesters be reassessed in light of alternative strategies for biosolids management, and that a cost/benefit analysis be conducted in this regard;

(vi)that a solids train audit be conducted as recommended by Mr. Len Yust in his deputation, and that the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services be requested to report further to the Committee on the implementation of such an audit;

(vii)that the consultant to provide peer review for the Biosolids Multi-stakeholder Committee be selected to the satisfaction of the Committee as well as the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services and the Chief Administrative Officer; and

(viii)that the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services be requested to provide to the Committee the additional information requested by Councillor Bossons;

(2)recommended to the Budget Committee that funding be provided in the amount of $400,000.00 for the retention of consultants or staff respecting the preparation of a Request for Proposals for the direct land application of biosolids from the Main Treatment Plant, and to provide peer review of the 100 percent biosolids beneficial reuse implementation program, as recommended in Recommendations Nos. (9) and (11) of the report dated May 15, 1998, from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services;

(3)further requested the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to submit a report on the following motion submitted by Ms. Karey Shinn, Chair, Safe Sewage Committee:

AThat Toronto Council, as the proponent of the Main Treatment Plant Environmental Assessment, submitted to the Ministry of the Environment in December 1997, under the old Metropolitan Council, submit the following amendment to the Main Treatment Plant Environmental Assessment:

 >That plans to implement the >preferred alternative= of 100 percent beneficial reuse of biosolids be understood to not request approval for replacement of existing incinerators with state-of-the-art equipment, either as a >contingency= or for the day-to-day disposal of sludges at the Main Treatment Plant.=@; and

(4)referred all communications and submissions to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services for consideration and report thereon to the Committee:

(i)(March 12, 1998) from the City Clerk forwarding for information and any attention deemed necessary, Clause No. 1 contained in Report No. 2 of The Works and Utilities Committee, headed ABeneficial Use of Biosolids; Odour Containment and Termination of Incineration at Main Treatment Plant@, which was adopted, as amended, by the Council of the City of Toronto at its meeting held on March 4, 5 and 6, 1998, wherein City Council amended this Clause, in part, by striking out and referring Recommendation No. (1) of the Works and Utilities Committee back to the Committee for further consideration and resubmission to the next regular meeting of Council to be held on Thursday, April 16, 1998, viz.:

A(1)incineration at the Main Treatment Plant be stopped no later than January 1, 1999, and that the Interim Functional Lead for Water/Wastewater Operations be requested to report to the next meeting of the Committee, scheduled to be held on March 25, 1998, on the feasibility of such date;@.

(ii)(May 15, 1998) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services recommending that:

(1)the Works and Utilities Committee endorse the preliminary three-year Water Pollution Control capital works budget, within the five-year capital works plan to be initiated in late summer or early fall 1998, in order to provide the necessary capital resources to provide capital funding through the municipal water rate, for the 100 percent biosolids beneficial re-use program and the ceasing of incineration at the Main Treatment Plant;

and further recommending that authority be given to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to:

(2)request proposals for the direct land application of up to 26,000 tonnes per year of biosolids from the Main Treatment Plant, over a five-year duration, with a program start date no later than 24 months following the contract(s) award. The request for proposals will require suppliers to identify winter storage needs and associated costs;

(3)expand the Harbour Remediation & Transfer Inc. contract, subject to successful demonstration of their plant=s operating capability related to odour control;

(4)request proposals for back-up capacity at landfills currently licensed to receive and dispose of sewage sludge in order to avoid the need to use incineration as a back-up method;

(5)bring forward a recommendation to the Works and Utilities Committee for the award of a design/build contract for a permanent truck loading facility capable of handling 53,000 dry tonnes of biosolids per year at the Main Treatment Plant, to allow shipping of the plant=s total biosolids production (in sludge cake form) within 24 months following the contract award;

(6)bring forward a recommendation to the Works and Utilities Committee for the award of a design/build contract for an odour control facility at the Main Treatment Plant, that is operational within 24 months of the contract award;

(7)bring forward a recommendation to the Works and Utilities Committee for the award of a design/build contract for a thermal drying facility at the Main Treatment Plant, sized to process up to 10,000 dry tonnes per year, and to award a five-year contract for the marketing of the production of the thermal drying facility;

(8)report on the associated business cases to replace the heat previously provided through incineration of sewage sludge through: (i) construction of a stand-alone boiler design and installation program; (ii) construction of co-generation facilities; (iii) participation in a co-operative district heating and electrical generation proposal with community partners that will meet the facility=s heating requirements; and (iv) fire the existing incinerators with digester gas and/or natural gas to provide heat to the waste heat boilers;

(9)retain a consultant(s), satisfactory to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services and the Chief Administrative Officer, to prepare the necessary Terms of Reference for Request for Proposals and design/build contracts listed above in Recommendations Nos. (2), (4), (5), (6), and (7), including the evaluation of Request for Proposals and design/build contract submissions, and to prepare business cases for the four options for the Main Treatment Plant=s heating requirements, identified above in Recommendation No. (8), at a cost not to exceed $300,000.00 net after GST rebate;

(10)establish the Biosolids Multi-stakeholder Committee to facilitate ongoing involvement of citizens and other stakeholders in the development of a 100 percent biosolids beneficial reuse program, to be chaired by an external public participation practitioner, at a cost not to exceed $50,000.00 net after GST rebate;

(11)retain a consulting firm, satisfactory to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services and the Chief Administrative Officer in consultation with representatives of the Biosolids Multi-stakeholder Committee, to provide peer review of the 100 percent biosolids beneficial reuse implementation program, at a cost not to exceed $100,000.00 net after GST rebate; and

(12)the appropriate officials be authorized to give effect thereto.

(iii)(March 16, 1998) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services providing information on the feasibility of initiating 100 percent beneficial reuse of biosolids processed at the Main Treatment Plant (MTP) by January 1, 1999, as recommended by the Committee at its meeting on February 11, 1998, and outlining the related plan of action; and recommending continuation of a staged biosolids beneficial reuse program presently being developed, which has as its goal full beneficial implementation by the year 2005, as stated in the approved MTP Environmental Assessment document.

(iv)(April 6, 1998) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services respecting the status of the beneficial utilization of the Main Treatment Plant=s processed biosolids, as requested by the Committee at its meeting held on February 11, 1998.

(v)(April 7, 1998) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services respecting measures being taken to ensure that odours are monitored and reduced, as requested by the Committee at its meeting on February 11, 1998, and reviewing the history and operational information related to the biosolids loading building at the Main Treatment Plant.

(vi)(April 6, 1998) from the Co-Chairs, Main Treatment Plant Neighbourhood Liaison Committee, advising that the Main Treatment Plant Liaison Committee met on March 27, 1998; and expressing the Committee=s full support for the implementation of the most expeditious plan possible to achieve 100 percent beneficial reuse of biosolids from the Main Treatment Plant, ending incineration.

(vii)(April 17, 1998) from Mr. Colin Lambert, National Director, Health & Safety Branch, Canadian Union of Public Employees, respecting the termination of incineration of sewage sludge at the Main Treatment Plant; and requesting the Committee to consider two main factors in its deliberations on this issue: firstly, that the Committee must be absolutely certain that the sewage sludge is not a hazardous waste; and secondly, that once the City=s sewage is of sufficient quantity and can be considered for beneficial use, the Committee insist that the management of sewage sludge must be carried out by the public sector.

(viii)(April 20, 1998, and May 20, 1998) from Ms. Karey Shinn, Chair, Safe Sewage Committee, submitting the following draft motion:

AThat Toronto Council, as the proponent of the Main Treatment Plant Environmental Assessment, submitted to the Ministry of the Environment in December 1997, under the old Metropolitan Council, submit the following amendment to the Main Treatment Plant Environmental Assessment.

>That plans to implement the >preferred alternative= of 100 percent beneficial reuse of biosolids be understood to not request approval for replacement of existing incinerators with state-of-the-art equipment, either as a >contingency= or for the day-to-day disposal of sludges at the Main Treatment Plant.=@

(ix)(April 21, 1998) from Ms. Margaret Blair, Lakeside Area Neighbourhoods Association, requesting that the Committee and Council adopt a 100 percent beneficial use plan which does not involve incineration, and the striking of a multi-stakeholder committee; and recommending as a long-term measure that staff be retrained in the latest technology for beneficial uses.

(x)(May 13, 1998) from Mr. Denis Casey, Acting President, Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 79, forwarding a submission by Mr. Jim Chisholm, Chair, Environment Committee, CUPE Local 79, and CUPE Local 79 Works Best Practices Program Coordinator, entitled APrecaution is Needed for Sewage Sludge Applications to Agricultural Land@.

(xi)(May 19, 1998) from Dr. Stephen Connell, Toronto, Ontario, forwarding material with respect to the implementation of a 100 percent biosolids beneficial reuse program, including an article entitled AUse of Reclaimed Water and Sludge in Food Crop Production@.

(xii)(May 19, 1998) from Dr. Stephen Connell, Toronto, Ontario, raising questions with respect to the implementation of a 100 percent biosolids beneficial reuse program at the Main Treatment Plant; and requesting that written answers be given to his questions.

(xii)(May 20, 1998) from Mr. Jody P. Amblard, President, Associated Industrial Controls Ltd., recommending that the Committee entertain proposals for the independent funding of a thermal drying facility by means of a project financing structure.

(xiii)(May 20, 1998) from Ms. Karen Buck, Co-Chair, Main Treatment Plant Neighbourhood Liaison Committee, submitting the comments and concerns of the Main Treatment Plant Neighbourhood Liaison Committee with respect to the report dated May 15, 1998, from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services.

The following persons gave a presentation to the Works and Utilities Committee in connection with the foregoing matter, and filed a copy of such presentation:

 -Mr. Lawson Oates, Manager, EA Co-ordination, Works and Emergency Services;

-Mr. Dick Kuchenrither, Black & Veatch; and

-Mr. R.M. Pickett, Director, Water Pollution Control Division, Works and Emergency Services.

The following persons also gave presentations to the Committee in response to the invitation of the Committee at its meeting on March 25, 1998:

 -Mr. Len Yust, Consultant, and submitted material with respect thereto;

-Mr. Phil Sidhwa, President and Chief Executive Officer, Terratec Environmental Ltd., and submitted material with respect thereto;

-Mr. Peter T. Commerford, Manager, Dryer Systems, Andritz-Ruthner, Inc.;

-Mr. R. Laird Smith, Senior Vice President, Engineering Services, Philip Utilities Management Corporation, and Mr. Lyle Brenzil, Braemar Acres, and submitted material with respect thereto;

-Mr. Grant Mills, Vice President - Technology, and Mr. Ray Wallin, President, N-Viro Systems Canada Inc., and submitted material with respect thereto;

-Mr. Don Hoekstra, Prism Resource Management Limited;

-Mr. Ed Kroeker, Marketing Director, Thermo Tech Technologies Inc., and submitted material with respect thereto;

-Ms. Virginia Grace, New England Fertilizer Company, and submitted material with respect thereto; and

-Mr. Daniel Boulanger, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Berlie Technologies Inc., and submitted material with respect thereto.

The following persons also appeared before the Works and Utilities Committee in connection with the foregoing matters:

 -Dr. Stephen Connell, Toronto, Ontario;

-Ms. Elizabeth Borek, Lakeside Area Neighbourhoods Association (LANA), and filed a submission with respect thereto; and

-Ms. Debra Kyles, Kleinburg, Ontario, and filed a submission with respect thereto.

(d)Legal Matter Respecting Waste Transport and Disposal Contract with Browning-Ferris Industries Group of Companies.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having received the following confidential report:

(March 18, 1998) from the City Solicitor respecting the waste transport and disposal contract with the Browning-Ferris Industries (BFI) group of companies.

(e)Industrial Waste Surcharge Agreement.

The Works and Utilities Committee reports having deferred consideration of the following report until its next meeting, scheduled to be held on June 17, 1998, with a request that the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services submit a report to such meeting on whether a clause can be inserted in Industrial Waste Surcharge Agreements to permit the City to request companies to suspend discharging overstrength effluents at particular times:

(May 6, 1998) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services recommending that staff be authorized to enter into an Industrial Waste Surcharge Agreement with Canada Custom Slaughtering Inc., 2306 St. Clair Avenue West, under terms and conditions satisfactory to the City Solicitor and the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services.