In Ontario, if a facility discharges or emits any contaminants to the environment, the facility is required, according to the Environmental Protection Act, to operate under either an Environmental Compliance Approval, or, Environmental Activity and Sector Registry.
As an environmental compliance consultancy, we have helped clients obtain these approvals for over 20 years. Currently, ECA permits (previously Certificates of Approval or CofAs), are approvals that cover activities that affect air, waste and noise and are required for facilities with specific NAICS codes. ECAs can either be site-wide or have limited operational flexibility within a prescribed operational envelope. We are the foremost environmental compliance consultants in Ontario
If a facility does not have a NAICS code that requires an ECA, the facility will have to register their air and noise emissions with an EASR permit approval.
Note that generators, cooling towers and comfort heating systems (among a number of activities) may be exempt from any approval if they meet certain specifications.