Toronto Businesses Save Money with Smart Water Reduction Programs

The City of Toronto is one of Canada’s mega-hotbeds of economic activity and is home to some of the nation’s most driven, successful companies. Both large and small, businesses within Toronto are constantly looking for ways to improve their operations to become more efficient, innovative, and grow into the future. To assist with these business objectives, the city of Toronto has implemented three water efficiency programs for commercial, industrial, and institutional users. Reducing water and energy consumption is not only an environmental issue, but one that impacts a business’ profitability and chance to thrive. This article will explain the city’s three water use reduction programs, and will help identify a program for your Toronto-based business to save money with.

City of Toronto Water Efficiency Programs

Toronto’s three water programs cater to the unique needs of several different businesses and industries across the city. Included in these programs are:

Capacity Buy Back Program

The capacity buy back program is positioned to reduce the amount of water commercial and institutional organizations use. The city will provide businesses a free water consumption audit and give rebates to organizations who implement water reduction strategies. Based on the changes made, businesses will save money on a monthly basis due to a decreased draw on the water supply. An organization which reduces their water use by 10,000 litres would receive a $3,000 rebate and save nearly $12,000 on their water bill in the first year.

Industrial Water Rate

Manufacturing businesses within the City of Toronto have access to alternate water rates which can reduce expenses. When manufacturers consume more than 6,000m³ (6,000,000 litres) of water in a year and implement a water conservation plan, they are eligible to apply for the industrial water rate. This rate ($2.2361/1,000 litres) is 30% cheaper than the general consumer rate of $3.1945/1,000 litres and may be used after the business has surpassed 6,000,000 litres. Manufacturers who consume 100,000,000 litres of water in one year may be eligible to save over $90,000 on their water bills annually.

Sewer Surcharge Rebate

The city’s Sewer Surcharge Rebate is applied when businesses use water but do not deposit it back into the sewer system. This happens often with manufacturers when water is evaporated through cooling towers or used to make a variety of products. The rebate amounts are calculated by measuring how much water is charged through water bills, but is not returned to the sewer. For example, a business which consumes 100,000,000 litres of water and diverts 20% to uses other than sewer disposal would save 11% on their water bill, reducing the annual cost of water supply from $319,450 to $283,033.

Find Business Resources and Canadian Government Funding for your Projects

Canadian government funding is also available to assist your business’ project financing. Projects which enable greater efficiency, such as technological innovation which leads to reduced water consumption, may also be eligible to receive Canadian government grants and loans. To learn more about government grant funding, browse our list of business funding programs or register for one of our free small business funding webinars where we’ll help you identify which program is best for you. You can also browse Mentor Works’ list of educational resources to learn how to get started with the government funding process. Have a question about a Canadian government grant or loan? Contact Mentor Works and our team of Canadian Government Funding Experts will be in touch with you soon.