2011 PROJECT ACTIVITIES IN CANADA
Strategic Planning Session
On December 13, 2011 the CEC sponsored a Strategic Planning
Session at the offices of the Automotive
Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) to begin
identifying key issues and approaches for the Canadian portion
of the CEC Auto Industry Supply Chain project. The meeting
was designed to establish the groundwork for a larger project
launch meeting in the first Quarter of 2012 that would include
a broader range of participants including OEMs, suppliers
and government representatives in Canada to continue discussion
of the identified topics.
The meeting continued discussions from two preceding meetings
held in Toronto with automotive OEMs and suppliers in November
2010 and January 2011 with the support of Environment Canada.
As the Canadian Government’s programs on Chemical Issues
Management had been raised as a potential area of interest
for the manufacturing sector during these meetings, Environment
Canada was requested to give a presentation on the program
during this meeting.
The meeting provided an overview of the Canadian
Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999) which provides
authorities for managing substances that are found to be harmful
to human health and/or the environment and is jointly administered
by Environment Canada and Health Canada. In addition, it provided
a technical overview of planned CEPA risk assessment and management
related activities in the next phase of the Chemicals
Management Plan (CMP), including the “Groupings”
Initiative.
The meeting provided an overview of the CEC North American
Automotive Industry Supply Chain Project and the opportunity
to develop a new supply chain organization that would address
environmental and economic sustainability projects and activities
in the automotive supply chain in Canada. The participants
discussed the Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP)
in the United States and the key Work Group activities the
organization is currently addressing, as well as activities
presently underway in Canada through organizations such as
the Association of International
Automobile Manufacturers of Canada (AIAMC), the Automotive
Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) and the
Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers'
Association (CVMA).
Participants identified potential opportunities that a new
automotive supply chain organization could address to improve
the economic and environmental performance of the automotive
industry supply chain in Canada, including:
- Sharing tools / resources related to Chemicals Management.
However, a challenge for the project in Canada would be
to identify a Chemicals Management project deliverable that
would be unique and more advanced than what Environment
Canada is already doing with the Chemicals Management Plan.
- On a North American basis, the CEC project could be a
valuable networking tool for companies; a resource to share
global best practices and solve environmental challenges
in the auto supply chain; tool on how companies can help
a supplier to be more sustainable, respond faster to challenges,
connect to local resources and do their jobs better.
- Develop a forum of subject matter experts in each country
that can drive solutions to environmental challenges
- Regulatory burdens on manufacturers in Canada are increasing,
including: advanced greenhouse gas verification and reporting
requirements, ongoing air standards reviews, compliance
certificate reviews and toxics reductions requirements.
Recommend a focus on outcomes based projects
- There is a concern for U.S. based businesses regarding
import of record vs. non-resident importer issues in Canada
- Addressing creative approaches to toxics reductions challenges;
e.g. guidance documents.
- Increasing harmonization of federal and provincial environmental
regulations
- Building on existing systems / processes and models that
have demonstrated success
- Working with government entities to highlight regulatory
challenges that if addressed would lead to increased economic
development in the Canadian automotive manufacturing sector
- Developing case studies on North American environmental
technology implementation challenges, and strategies to
progress forward. Companies have encountered challenges
introducing new technologies in Canada because of increased
complexity and cost of doing business.
- Sharing approaches and best practices that have worked
well in one country and adopting / adjusting them for use
in other countries
- It is important that the project address unique issues
that are not already being addressed by existing organizations
– for example, there are a number of organizations
in Canada that have as their mission advocacy for the automotive
industry.
At the close of the meeting, a draft concept paper had been
reviewed for a new automotive supply chain organization in
Canada, the Suppliers Partnership for the Environment –
Canada (SP Canada). The concept paper includes the following
vision, mission and proposed key issues for the new organization:
Vision: Create a member driven organization
that will provide automobile original equipment manufacturers
and their suppliers the opportunity to address new, innovative
and voluntary environmental sustainability projects and
activities that will improve environmental performance while
providing value throughout the automobile supply chain in
Canada with the Government of Canada in a technical resource
and departmental liaison capacity.
Mission: Create and provide tools, identify
and support synergies through collaboration and cooperation,
and provide competitive advantage through projects and activities
that will provide economic and environmental value throughout
the automobile supply chain for issues identified by participants
within SP Canada.
Potential Key Issues:
- Energy Efficiency
- Technology and Innovation
- Waste Management and Resource Creation
- Water Sustainability
A follow up meeting of the SP Canada organization that would
include a broad range of OEMs, suppliers and government representatives
is planned for the first quarter of 2012. Next steps for the
organization will include finalizing the vision, mission and
key focus issues at the first quarter meeting, and organizing
Work Groups to address the issues identified.
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