Toronto Region Sustainability Program e-Announcement - May 2009

Increasing the competitiveness of your business through sustainable business practices: Markham Manufacturers Sustainability Program

The economic challenges facing manufacturers in today's marketplace are abundant and varied. Manufacturers that overcome such challenges to maintain or achieve industry leadership will be those that proactively seek new ways to continually improve their business practices. Those that integrate environmental sustainability into their daily operations are even better positioned to compete more effectively in the global economy.

Markham, one of the fastest growing municipalities in Ontario with almost 300,000 people, is defined by its strong and diverse economy. Small and medium-sized businesses have contributed significantly to Markham's economic growth. Markham is also recognized for its environmental leadership. Protecting the environment is one of Markham's strategic priorities and the Town is committed to creating a healthy and sustainable community for both residents and businesses.

As part of this commitment, the Town of Markham has partnered with the Ontario Centre for Environmental Technology Advancement (OCETA) to launch the Markham Manufacturers Sustainability Program (MMSP). The program promotes and encourages sustainable behaviour among businesses and provides small-to-medium sized (SME) manufacturers in Markham with technical and financial assistance to reduce their environmental footprint.

Manufacturers in Markham with fewer than 500 employees at the facility level may be eligible for a 50 per cent cost-share subsidy on a multi-media pollution prevention assessment.

OCETA utilizes a formidable roster of pollution prevention experts with experience spanning an array of industry sectors, and can match a facility with a best-fit consultant. This consultant will identify opportunities for pollution prevention, energy efficiency, waste reduction and process optimization specific to a facility, and provide the company with high, medium, and low-cost options to realize these opportunities. The result is improved environmental performance, reduced regulatory exposure, and money saved.

Since 2000, 60 manufacturers participating in the GTA-wide Toronto Region Sustainability Program have shown substantial improvement in environmental performance and collectively saved $4.8 million annually with an average return on investment of less than one year. The same opportunity for tangible improvement is now here for Markham manufacturers.

For more information on OCETA and the Markham Manufacturers Sustainability Program, please visit
http://www.oceta.on.ca/TORSUS/mmsp.htm, or contact Fred Granek, Vice President Sustainability, OCETA,
fgranek (at) oceta.on.ca.

You have received this e-mail as a subscriber to the TRSP²OST, e-Newsletter of the Toronto Region Sustainability Program. The TRSP²OST provides a forum for sharing program activities with our stakeholders, including funding partners, program clients and consultants, and for recognizing the pollution prevention accomplishments of our manufacturing clients.