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A. Introduction

A permanent process for modifying the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) was developed through consultations with Canadian stakeholders and with the assistance of members of the 1998 multi-stakeholder Ad Hoc Work Group on Substances. To obtain this document, please contact the NPRI: npri@ec.gc.ca

The permanent process provides for the establishment of a NPRI Multi-stakeholder Work Group on Substances (WG) to address complex or multiple requests for future modifications to the NPRI .

The WG will operate as a part of the broader NPRI consultation process. Draft WG reports will be posted on the NPRI Web site, and individuals can also request to receive the reports by regular or electronic mail. Thus, all interested Canadian stakeholders will have an opportunity to comment on the draft recommendations of the WG . Written comments can be submitted to the WG via the Web site, or by email, fax or post. WG members will fully consider input received from other stakeholders before finalizing their recommendations.

Stakeholders may also, during the WG process, submit information that they feel should be considered in relation to the issues to be addressed by the WG .

B. Objectives of the NPRI Multi-stakeholder Work Group on Substances

Important Note: The issues identified below may be modified by Environment Canada at any time during the consultation period, either as a result of the consultation process or because of emerging priorities.

The objectives of the 2007-2008 NPRIWG are to develop recommendations to Environment Canada on the following issues:

1. Complete Sub-group Work *
   1. Criteria Air Contaminants - Thresholds
   2. Criteria Air contaminants - VOCs
   3. Challenge and Opportunities
   4. Dioxins & Furans and HCB
   5. Alternative Threshold
   
   
2. Change facility definition to include mobile sources at a facility that are not licensed for travel on road or as specified in the notice on GHGs - transportation machinery integral to the production process carried on at the facility
   
   
3. Include reporting of emissions by fuel combustion and process for CACs

* Refer to the 2007 WG workplan for more details on the tasks of each Sub-group

C. Elements of the WG Process

In accordance with the requirements of the permanent process for modifying the NPRI , the WG process will include the following elements:

1. The WG with membership drawn from industry, federal and provincial government, aboriginal governments and organizations, and non-government organizations (health, environment, labour). Members sought are those who are familiar with the NPRI , have a scientific background, represent a broad constituency, and have experience in participating, on behalf of their constituency, in multi-stakeholder discussions. WG will participate in a series of facilitated meetings and conference calls, and undertake other tasks as necessary between meetings.
2. The Workplan identifies the issues to be addressed, together with key milestones. This plan will be developed by Environment Canada, in cooperation with theWG facilitator, for review and consideration by the WGmembers.
3. Opportunities for other stakeholdersto be made aware of the progress of the WG through regular information updates by mail or electronic media. The draft recommendations from theWG 's February meeting will be circulated by these means, and comments from all stakeholders will be provided to the WGmembers. The NPRI office will also accept unsolicited briefs from stakeholders and forward them to the WG for consideration.
4. The background technical work will be the responsibility of Environment Canada and, if applicable, specific Technical Sub-groups.
5. Technical Sub-groups may be established to address specific issues. These technical sub-groups may include representation from industry/government/NGO organizations that are not WG members.
6. The final recommendations of the WG for each objective will be submitted to Environment Canada through a Work Group Report. Should the WG fail to reach agreement on recommendations, differing positions will be captured in the report as unresolved issues. WG reports will be public documents.

D. Timeline

If recommendations are made by the WG on proposed modifications affecting the 2008 reporting year, the second Draft 2007-2008 report of the WG will be posted on the NPRI website by April 15, 2008 and recommendations affecting the 2009 reporting year will be captured in the Final WG Report by June 2008. The 2007-2008 WG report will be submitted to Environment Canada by August 31, 2008.

E. Membership

Membership of the WG will be divided amongst the following groups:

• Industry
• Non-government organizations (health, environment, labour)
• aboriginal governments and organizations.
• Federal and provincial governments

Each of these groups will be allocated seats on the WG . Nominations for membership will be sought from:

• Associations for industry representatives (max: 10 members);
• The Canadian Environmental Network for NGO representatives (max: 6 members);
• Health and labour organizations for NGO representatives (max. 2 members);
• Aboriginal governments and organizations for aboriginal representatives (max. 3 members);
• Provincial governments and federal government departments for government representatives (max. 12 members)
• Two invitees to be determined based on the needs and issues tabled. Invitees can be drawn from the larger community, even if they do not meet the profile described in Section C.

Nominations from other sources will also be considered, as long as the nominated individual fits the profile described in Section C.

The Chief of the NPRI , as well as staff from the NPRI office, will also attend WG meetings; and other Environment Canada staff may attend as "expert advisors". A key role of these advisors will be to ensure that WG members are fully apprised of the conditions necessary to support the needs of Environment Canada in formulating their recommendations.

Interested stakeholders who are not members may attend WG meetings as observers. The number of observers will be limited by space availability, so requests for attendance must be made in advance, with priority given to local stakeholders or stakeholders with broadly relevant views or interests that may not be fully represented by WG members.

F. Mandate of the WG

The WG is responsible for preparing recommendations to Environment Canada. In doing so, it will consider the opinions and concerns expressed by all stakeholders through briefs and letters.

More specifically the mandate of the WG is to:

1. Discuss the issues related to the objectives of the consultation, including the proposals made by Environment Canada, with a view to:
   • identifying the areas of agreement
   • resolving disagreements
   • identifying the differing views on any remaining areas of disagreement, and
   • identifying potential implementation issues that may arise from proposed modifications and proposing ways to mitigate the impact
2. Advise on further technical work and analysis that Environment Canada should undertake to support informed discussion and recommendations.
3. Advise and assist the consultation facilitator in ensuring that the consultation process and its outputs (the WG reports) meet the needs and expectations of the stakeholders and that the process is run in a cost-effective manner.
4. Provide a communications link between the consultation process and their constituency.
5. Make recommendations relating to each of the issues. This will be done through WG reports, which will contain the recommendations on matters where consensus has been achieved, explanations of any disagreements among stakeholders, and the description of any additional issues, which need to be resolved.

Members of the WG will be expected to make every effort to ensure that the views which they express reflect those of their constituency of interest and not only their personal views or those of their organization. It is also expected that they will communicate the fact of their participation and the positions they will be taking on various issues to interested members of their respective constituencies. In recognition of the time necessary for participants to get feedback from their constituencies, Environment Canada and the consultation facilitator will endeavor to provide discussion materials 3 weeks prior to the meetings.

It is recognized that, due to financial and/or organizational constraints, not all participants have the means to communicate regularly with all members of their constituency. Environment Canada will assist participants facing such constraints to develop appropriate means of communication to their constituency.

G. The Role of the Facilitator

The WG will be facilitated by an independent facilitator to be chosen by Environment Canada. He/she will be responsible for matters related to the organization and facilitation of the work of the WG including preparing the agendas, running the meetings, and preparing the draft and final reports of the WG for approval by the WG . The facilitator will have an assistant, who will be responsible for the preparation of minutes of the meetings.

The facilitator will also serve as a point of contact for any persons or organizations, participant or non-participant, who has concerns or questions about the consultation process.

H. Expenses

Funds will be made available by Environment Canada, as per Treasury Board guidelines to cover travel, accommodation and other reasonable out-of-pocket expenses for those participants from the voluntary sector who require financial assistance to participate in the WG .

I. Conclusion of WG Mandate

Upon the conclusion of the WG mandate, Environment Canada will notify the WG of its published response to their recommendations prior to the publication of the final WG report.

J. Contact for Additional Information

Please use the Contact NPRI link.