Clean Production

The CVMA members, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), Ford and General Motors, operate assembly and components plants across Ontario as well as a number of research facilities, offices and distribution centers across Canada. Each company has a strong and longstanding commitment to environmental protection supported by overarching principles and best practice guidelines on how they should operate their facilities.

All the Canadian facilities have robust Environmental Management Systems in place and are ISO 14001 certified. A holistic view is taken to environmental performance beginning with the materials entering the manufacturing operations, how they are used, applied and managed throughout the manufacturing process. CVMA members have sophisticated systems in place to track, monitor and continuously improve environmental performance using key performance indicators for energy and greenhouse gas emissions, water management, and material waste management.

Human capital is also recognized as a critical driver to environmental performance. A variety of methods are used to spread environmental know-how amongst all employees, promoting awareness through strategic and specialized training, and through guidance to company environmental professionals to assist them in keeping pace with evolving environmental issues and best practices.

Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

CVMA member companies have historically been leaders in Reducing the Carbon Footprint in Vehicle Manufacturing and Assembly Operations by adopting goals to reduce facility carbon-dioxide emissions and energy use.

Water Management

Water scarcity is a crosscutting factor that presents challenges globally and the companies have developed principles and strategies for sustainable management of the entire water use cycle in their operations and by optimizing wastewater treatment processes.

Material and Waste Management

The companies have and continue to reduce the hazard characteristics of their manufacturing-related wastes whereby by-products are viewed as useful and marketable. All the companies have targets and plans in place to reduce waste sent to landfill. What materials cannot be reused is recycled, when generated waste cannot be recycled, it is disposed of seeking the use of technologies with minimal environmental impact. The shipment of waste materials to landfills as a last resort. As a result, many facilities are tracking towards zero waste to landfill or have achieved this objective.

Environmental Leadership Examples

Material and Waste Management

The Ford Oakville Assembly Plant in Canada was the first Ford North American vehicle assembly plant to achieve zero waste to landfill status. Joining Windsor Engine Plant and Essex Engine Plant, now all Ford Manufacturing operations in Canada send zero waste to landfill.

Water Management

The General Motors St. Catharines’ powertrain plant reduced its water consumption by nearly 43,000 cubic meters by converting its water cooling system from city water supply to a new chiller water system, which is cooled by gravity-fed well and canal water.

Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Fiat Chrysler’s Brampton Assembly plan was the first automotive assembly plant to achieve ISO 50001: 2011 “Energy Management” standard certification. The plant served as the pilot plant for this certification for all of the North American plants and won the Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation’s Corporate Stewardship Award. The energy management systems and project resulted in approximately $2 million savings in annual electricity and natural gas costs.