Community Outreach
LANXESS believes in an open dialogue with the communities in which we live and work. Providing information to, and gathering feedback from residents and stakeholders about our operations is of prime importance to us. This can be accomplished, for example, through public newsletters, by holding open houses and through meetings with local community groups.
West Hill Community Advisory Panel
The West Hill Community Advisory Panel (CAP) is made up of members of the local community and industry, including the City of Toronto’s nearby water filtration and waste water treatment facilities. The purpose of the CAP is to discuss current and potential future concerns regarding the operations of the member facilities, and to provide information to the broader community about these risks and the efforts to reduce them.
Toronto East CAER Association
The West Hill facility is a founding member of the Toronto East CAER (Community Awareness & Emergency Response) Association and benefits not only from the CAER group’s relationship with the community, but its multiple facility membership. The CAER Association was formed in 1988 and has grown to include chemical manufacturing companies, local government agencies such as fire, police, water filtration, wastewater treatment and other emergency services that have operations in the east part of Toronto. The CAER group actively seeks out community's feedback and works with the members to address concerns related to odour, noise traffic and any other concerns raised by the local residents.
Toronto East CAER also maintains and operates an emergency siren system that is used to warn residents of an emergency at any one of the association members’ facilities.
At least annually, Toronto East CAER hosts a public meeting where member discuss information about events and changes at their facilities and residents have the opportunity to raise their concerns and get feedback on those concerns.
Giving back to the community
LANXESS takes pride in being able to also give back to the communities in which we live and work. Over the years the West Hill facility has either provided funding to support national, provincial and local organizations or worked together with the community on a number of different causes.
The West Hill facility has supported the implementation and maintenance of the community siren and its activation tests as a member of the Toronto East CAER Association. In addition, it has supported and participated in the annual community meetings and the former Family Fun Day, events that helped bring the local community and industry together.