CANADIAN PAINT AND COATINGS ASSOCIATION Strategic plan addresses regulatory and members' challenges as association grows, enhances services Canadian Design and Construction Report staff writer The Canadian Paint and Coatings Association (CPCA) is moving forward with its new strategic plan, helping mem- bers transition to new legislative requirements, with a key publication to address member concerns and industry is- sues. CPCA president Gary LeRoux says the association’s new strategic plan addresses six vital priorities. “First, there is a need to ensure the association gets ahead and stays ahead of the curve on regulations being considered and developed by all levels of government and at important lev- els of government in the United States as they often influ- ence and dictate the actions of governments in Canada.” He says CPCA will continue its work to maintain the pro- file and positive working relationship it has with appropri- ate government departments so there is a seat at the table from the beginning. LeRoux says the strategic plan also includes an under- standing of the need for greater harmonization of steward- ship programs across Canada to reduce the regulatory burden and costs for members with respect to payment for post-consumer paint recycling for architectural coatings particularly. “Third, the plan calls for a greater harmonization of reg- ulations between Canada and the United States to reduce the regulatory burden and costs for members. The U.S.- Canada Joint Regulatory Co-operation Council (RCC) is now the main vehicle that works on bilateral harmonization of regulations on both sides of the border.” He says this route was used in the ongoing work on the GHS (Globally Harmonized System) legislation in 2014. The RCC he says has now tabled its action plan of priorities for the next several years and there will be opportunities for CPCA to advocate for more regulatory alignment. “How- ever, there continues to be actions taken at the state level, not covered by this action plan, which could impact mem- bers in Canada, such as California’s proposed regulations on aerosols.” While there has been success in recovering post-con- sumer paint across Canada, the strategic plan recognizes 40 – July-August 2015 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report the ongoing challenges to find markets for recycled paint. LeRoux says this situation may eventually erode the sup- port for post-consumer paint recovery if governments and NGOs begin questioning the success based on the inability to re-use leftover paint by exporting to other markets. “Cur- rently it is estimated that more than 80 per cent of the re- covered paint is exported elsewhere. Better ways must be found to get more value from recovered paint and better is defined as responsible and effective use of leftover paint.”