Environmental Performance

Since 1997 there have been significant improvements made by member companies in the area of environmental protection. In 2019, HIEA's collective environmental performance continued this positive trend.

Major financial contributions to the economic well being and environmental protection of the City of Hamilton and its residents has been on-going. Collectively, HIEA member companies have invested over 1.1 billion on environmental capital improvements since 1997.

In 2019 HIEA member companies provided almost 7,300 direct manufacturing jobs as well as an estimated 56,000 indirect jobs. HIEA members have also paid approximately $718 million in municipal taxes since 1997 and occupy approximately 720 hectares of land.

HIEA has also invested over $1 million and many volunteer hours to community programs and educational initiatives in the Hamilton community since 1997.

In 2019 HIEA supported many local organizations and programs including:

• The Royal Botanical Gardens - Green Angels Program
• Bay Area Restoration Council - Yellow Fish Road Program
• McQuesten Urban Farm project
• The City of Hamilton Neighbourhood Development - Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan (SNAP) Program
• Hamilton Conservation Foundation Outdoor Environmental Education Program
• Hamilton Naturalist Club Trees from Seeds initiative

HIEA is dedicated to reducing its environmental footprint to protect Hamilton’s air, water and land. By fostering a connection between industries, we promote economic and environmental improvement using the principles of circular economy, and specifically, industrial ecology. This in turn generates employment, fulfills environmental improvements, meets legislation, sustains businesses and grows the overall local and regional economy.

HIEA and its members not only work together to support each other but also work with other local environmental groups to encourage improvement in the Hamilton community. An active member at Clean Air Hamilton (CAH), HIEA participates in several committees including:

• The Dust and Particulate Matter Committee
• The Community Energy and Emissions (CEEP) Planning
• Bay Area Climate Change Council (BACCC) - a partnership between the cities of Hamilton and Burlington - working together to address climate action in the bay area.

The following charts summarize the aggregated results from the environmental survey of HIEA companies for the years 2015 through 2019. The data in this report represents 2019 information provided by HIEA member companies who responded to the electronic survey. The charts are prepared based on the compiled data and uses 1997 as the base year and 2009 as reference to evaluate current environmental trends. Data from new members is only collected and included in the survey from the date they joined.

Many HIEA members operate their own waste water treatment facilities.  Ongoing improvements and updates to these treatment facilities ensure that their discharges are in compliance with the current requirements of the City of Hamilton’s Sanitary Sewer By-Laws and provincial regulations and permits.

Some HIEA members discharge treated water to the municipal sanitary sewer system while others discharge treated water to Hamilton Harbour. Some sites also discharge untreated rain water into the system. Water entering the sewer system is directed to a Hamilton Wastewater Treatment Plant where it undergoes further treatment before being discharged to the Harbour. 

Hamilton is an important recycling centre and HIEA companies are major participants. This category is comprised of waste streams sent to landfill and/or off-site for treatment/destruction and includes subject waste, commercial/domestic waste and non-hazardous industrial waste. Total off-site disposal levels fluctuate as a result of changes in year to year production.

HIEA member companies purchase each others' by-products and waste providing each other with raw materials and feed stock to be recycled or manufactured into other usable products.

Beginning in 2011 the Environmental Performance Reports are no longer published separately and are now part of our Newsletter/Report to the Community