Metro Vancouver is seeking feedback on a proposed alternative approach to regulating emissions from open-air burning of vegetative debris, as part of initial consultation from November 2019 to February 2020.
Metro Vancouver is seeking feedback on a proposed alternative approach to regulating emissions from open-air burning of vegetative debris, as part of initial consultation from November 2019 to February 2020.
Several thousand open-air burning events of vegetative debris occur in various sizes across the region each year. Smoke emissions from open-air burning of vegetative debris contain fine particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and other harmful compounds, some of which are associated with health and environmental issues and climate change.
Metro Vancouver currently authorizes emissions from open-air burning of vegetative debris through site-specific approvals. The region currently does not have an emission regulation for open-air burning; this proposed regulation is intended to provide a streamlined, more efficient way to authorize open-air burning of vegetative debris in cases where specified requirements are met.
The provincial Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation was amended in September 2019. As Metro Vancouver has the authority to regulate air emissions to address regional needs, a new emission regulation for the Metro Vancouver region cannot be less restrictive than what is required by the provincial regulation.
A two-phase consultation with the public, Indigenous communities, businesses, member jurisdictions, provincial government and other interested parties is intended to provide any person who may be affected by a potential emission regulation with sufficient opportunity to learn about the proposals and provide feedback. The feedback will be presented to the Metro Vancouver Board, which will make the final decision on the potential emission regulation.
