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Toronto businesses will have until 2010 to start cataloguing and publicly reporting their use and release of 25 hazardous substances, if Toronto Council goes along with a proposed bylaw recommended this week by the Toronto Board of Health.

The bylaw is the core of a new Environmental Reporting, Disclosure and Innovation program proposed by Toronto's Health Department. The aim, according to Medical Officer of Health Dr. David McKeown, is to provide the public with a searchable database online, to let residents easily determine what emissions if any they're dealing with from factories, dry cleaners and other businesses near their homes.

The database would fill a gap in emission reporting. Currently the federal government requires large industrial users to report - those that use more than 10,000 kilograms of various identified substances - but exempt smaller facilities.

The Toronto bylaw would provide those using smaller amounts to also file reports.

On Monday, the Toronto Board of Health heard from a plethora of businesses and other representatives, worried that requiring disclosure would put an unreasonable burden on business in a tough economy.

Andrew Judge, of the Toronto Industry Network, said his group estimated it would cost businesses $4,000 a year to comply.

"There's an obvious need for a cost-benefit analysis to make the business case," Judge told the board. "We're not opposed to measures that reduce a facility's environmental footprint but we have serious concerns that the proposed environmental exposure bylaw will not be doing work toward reducing pollution. We regard it as a mechanism for other special interest groups to clamour for the banning of substances whether or not there is any rationale to do so."

Plamen Petrov, of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, worried the bylaw would require duplicate reporting to the federal and provincial governments.

"In Ontario, it costs businesses $13 million a year to comply with all three levels of government," he said. "Why are all three in the same policy area? Why does there have to be duplication?"

But board staff estimated the cost of compliance with the bylaw would be considerably lower than those estimates. And environmentalists said the bylaw is essential to allow ordinary citizens to deal with the risks they might face.

Rowena Pinto, of the Canadian Cancer Society, came forward in support of the bylaw.

"We're pleased that this will reduce 25 toxic substances," she said. "The society believes that the public should not be exposed to known or probable cancer causing substances at home or in their environment. Wherever possible, exposure to substances that are believed to cause cancer should be identified."

Katrina Miller, of the Toronto Environmental Alliance, a group which has been central in promoting the bylaw, said it could ultimately help business.

"That's what's so important about these bylaws - is starting an informed discussion in our communities with our industries, that will help them sustain themselves over time," she said.