Code of Practice for the Environmental Management of Road Salts

Overview of data reported for 2014-2020 in the context of national targets

Overview

In December 2014, Environment and Climate Change Canada set seven Performance Indicators and National Targets in order to monitor the effectiveness of the Code of Practice for the Environmental Management of Road Salts (the Code).

The following results (Figure A) have been reported by federal, provincial, municipal and private road organizations that adopted the Code and are compared with the National Targets (#1-6) set for 2019 (Target #7 is set for 2024). Data submitted in annual reports are compiled and analyzed for a winter period, which is generally from November of one year to April of the next year. Throughout the report, a reporting year is represented by the final year of that winter (e.g. 2020 represents the winter starting in 2019 and ending in 2020). Note that some year-to-year variation in results exists due to variance in the number of reports submitted annually.

Figure A: Summary results for performance and comparison to national targets

Summary results for performance and comparison to national targets
Long description 

This horizontal bar graph presents the seven national targets and the results against those targets for years 2014 to 2020. There are eight groups of horizontal bars, one for each national target (Target #6 has two indicators). Targets #1 to #7 are shown from top to bottom. For each group of horizontal bars (i.e., each target) eight bars are presented, one showing the target (bottom bar) and seven representing the results for 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Result of the most recent year (2020) is represented by the top bar.

  • Target #1: Number of submissions (% of 220)
    The target of 100% by 2019 was reached in 2017. The latest result is 99% in 2020. Previous results were 98% in 2019, 96% in 2018, 90% in 2016, 95% in 2015 and 92% in 2014.
  • Target #2: Annual review of salt management plans
    The target is set at 100% for 2019. Results were 56%, 62%, 58%, 57% and 63% for 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016 respectively. For both 2015 and 2014, the result was 60%.
  • Target #3: Salt storage – Road salts
    The target of 100% by 2019 had been reached in 2014. Since then, the result has been steady at 99% with the exception of 2019 where it was 97% and 2020 where the target was met again.
  • Target #4: Salt storage – Treated abrasives
    The target is 75% for 2019. Results are 69%, 72%, 72%, 61%, 64%, 68% and 67% from 2020 to 2014.
  • Target #5: Salt application – Electronic controllers
    The target is 95% for 2019. Results have been relatively steady with 94% in 2015, 2017 and 2018. It was at 96% in 2016, 93% in 2014 and 2019, and 95% in 2020.
  • Target #6a: Salt application – Organizations using pre-wetting or pre-treated salt
    The target is 95% for 2019. Results are 69%, 65%, 67%, 61%, 65%, 68% and 65% from 2020 to 2014.
  • Target #6b: Salt application – Vehicles equipped for pre-wetting
    Target is 75% for 2019. Results are 66% for 2020, 65% for 2019, 64% for 2018, 62% for 2017, 60% for 2016, 64% for 2015 and 67% for 2014.
  • Target #7: Salt vulnerable areas identified and action plan
    The last target is set at 95% for 2024. Results are 32% for 2020, 35% for 2019, 31% for 2018, 24% for 2017 and 2016, and 22% for 2015 and 2014.

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