residential construction dust mitigation report highlights.
Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards recommends that:
New By-law
1. Council establish a Toronto Municipal Code Chapter for dust that is applicable to residential construction.
2. City Council direct that every person engaging in, permitting, or directing construction activities on residential properties shall comply with the provisions of the Chapter, as set out in the recommendations of this report.
3. Council mandate that the Dust By-law does not apply to necessary municipal work City, work occurring on commercial and industrial properties, and construction of a multi-residential building, subdivision, or mixed-use development.
4. City Council mandate that the Dust By-law does not apply to residential demolition projects that have approved demolition permits.
Preventative Measures
5. City Council direct that the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter for dust include the following:
a. no person shall cause or permit dust , or direct or cause a person to make dust, occurring as a result of residential construction activities that escapes from a residential property where the construction activity occurs and enters another premises;
b. it is an offence for any person to take any action or fail to take any action that would result in dust under 5a; and
c. the above does not apply where reasonable preventative measures were taken to prevent dust from escaping a residential property including one, or a combination of, the following dust control measures to the satisfaction of the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards:
i. wetting the construction material;
ii. using a wet saw;
iii. using dustless saw technology;
iv. tarping or otherwise containing the source of dust;
v. installing wind fencing or a fence filter;
vi. using a vacuum attachment when cutting; or
vii. any other preventative measure deemed by the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, to be adequate in the mitigation of dust escaping a residential property based on the nature of the activity.
[bmtextbox]As directed by City Council in PG10.1: Strategy for Minimizing the Negative Impacts of Residential Infill Construction Activity, this report recommends the creation of a bylaw to aid in the mitigation of dust created by residential construction activities.The proposed bylaw would make it mandatory for every person engaging, directing, or permitting residential construction activities to take reasonable measures to mitigate the creation of dust and its impact on neighbouring properties. The bylaw would require that specific actions be taken in order to minimize the generation and distribution of dust. These measures may include using a wet saw, dustless saw technology, a vacuum attachment when cutting, and/or tarping to contain dust. Other measures include wetting construction material and installing wind fencing.
The proposed bylaw would apply to residential properties only. It would not apply to necessary municipal work, large-scale construction projects such as the construction of multi-residential buildings, subdivisions, or mixed use developments, and commercial and industrial properties. It would also exclude residential demolition projects that have an approved demolition permit.
The construction industry plays a key role in the maintenance and revitalization of residential neighbourhoods. However, residential construction has the potential to generate frequent and high levels of dust. The aim of the proposed bylaw is to aid in the mitigation of dust from construction on residential properties. Dust that may have a health or environmental impact will not be regulated by the proposed bylaw, as this type of dust is already regulated by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and the Ministry of Labour. Toronto Public Health also responds to complaints about dust, if there are health concerns[/bmtextbox]
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You can share your views on the report with the Committee on July 6th, either in-person or through a written deposition. To provide input at Licensing and Standards Committee, please email lsc@toronto.ca or call 416.397.4592. You can find more information about how to provide feedback by following this link.
Licensing and Standards Committee
July 6th, 2018, Committee Room 1, City Hall
Meeting starts at 9:30am
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