The Ontario government is not against regulations per se. In fact, as you'll see in a moment when I talk about Bill 57, we are proposing to create some new ones. This focus on results is, I believe, what has been lacking in much of Ontario's environmental protection system. This gets to the core of this government's approach to environmental protection. With its provision for standardized approvals, Bill 57 provides an excellent example of how the ministry is approaching its new role.
Standardized approvals represent an updated approach to the certificate of approvals process.
The Environmental Protection Act currently states that anyone proposing an activity that would result in discharges of contaminants to the environment requires a certificate of approval from the ministry. A similar provision exists in the Ontario Water Resources Act for water and sewage works. Minister Sterling has said in the past that, whether you are a big steel company or a street corner hot dog vendor, you need formal approval from the ministry. The guiding philosophy is that government knows best. That's not the view of this government.