Landfill Environmental Assessment

General Overview

The Town of St. Marys landfill site's design and operations are approved and monitored by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.  The Town has been operating under interim approvals in result of reaching the capacity outlined in their initial approval in September of 2016.  Landfill operations since this time have required numerous permit amendments to allow for continued operation (disposal capacity) of the landfill while completing the Environmental Assessment process.

The Town initiated the Future Solid Waste Disposal Needs Environmental Assessment (EA) process in 2014 to provide a long-term waste solution for the community.  This EA will identify and select a preferred solution for the Town's solid waste disposal over the 40-year planning period.

Progress to Date

The following outlines the steps taken to date:

Development of Terms of Reference (TOR)

• Public Open House No. 1 - October 30, 2006;

• Public Open House No. 2 - December 3, 2009; 

• Town put TOR on hold to resolve land ownership issues; 

• September 25, 2012 - Council Approves draft TOR and Record of Consultation and directs staff to submit documents to the Ministry for approval; 

• Agencies identify concerns with draft TOR; Town / consultant's take "Time-Outs" to address;

• R.J. Burnside & Associates Limited retained in March 2013 to manage project moving forward;

• Consultant and Town amended the TOR, addressing outstanding Ministry concerns; 

• Additional First Nation notification and consultation required by the Ministry was undertaken in July and August 2013. 

• In November 2013, the Proposed Terms of Reference (Amended) was made available for review by the public, Indigenous communities and agencies. 

• Submitted Proposed Terms of Reference (Amended) to the Ministry on January 3, 2014;

• Errata letter submitted to Ministry on February 25, 2014, modifying (Amended) Terms of Reference

• Terms of Reference - Notice of Approval, dated December 29, 2014, was received by the Town on January 9, 2015.

Environmental Assessment (EA) Work Program

• Notice of EA Commencement issued February 9, 2015
• In order to meet seasonal requirements, the draft Ecological Work Plan was issued for public, Indigenous and agency comment on April 24, 2015.  Related field work began in May 2015.
• Evaluated the Alternative Methods per the TOR, namely exporting the waste to a disposal facility outside Town, or expanding the existing landfill.  Preliminary evaluation preferred landfill expansion.
• Based on the preferred alternative, the Town and our consultants prepared and distributed the draft Air Quality, Noise and Vibration Work Plan, Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Work Plan, Hydrogeological Work Plan and Socio-Economic Work Plan for public, Indigenous and agency comment on July 29, 2015.  Comments received were incorporated into the execution of these draft Work Plans.
• Notice of Public Information Centre issued on July 29, 2015.  Notices sent by several methods including directly with issuance of the draft Work Plans, as well as advertisements in local newspapers.
• Conducted Public Information Centre (PIC) on August 26, 2015 at the Town Operations Centre.  Detailed evaluation of alternatives and preference for landfill expansion, discussed draft Work Plans (above), and accepted feedback for consideration.  Stakeholders were encouraged to provide feedback before, during and in the weeks that followed the PIC.
• Conducted Public Information Centre (PIC) No. 2 on June 23, 2016 at the Town Operations Centre. Detailed options for consideration of landfill expansion and accepted feedback for consideration. Stakeholders were encouraged to provide feedback before, during and in the weeks that followed the PIC.
• Notice of Future Solid Waste Disposal Needs Environmental Assessment Draft Report for Review - Town of St. Marys issued on July 5, 2017.
• Revisions were made to the Draft Environmental Assessment and associated reporting based upon input received from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and other stakeholder groups.  The revised Draft Environmental Assessment text was submitted for further Ministry review in November 2019.  Revised supporting documents to the Environmental Assessment were submitted in December 2020.

• The (Dec. 2020) revised Draft Environmental Assessment and supporting documents were subject to additional technical review from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.  Based upon received comments, a revised Final Report has been developed and submitted to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks in July 2021, now available for public comment.
• The Notice of Submission of Environmental Assessment Final Report for Review was issued for public review and comment (August 13 to October 1, 2021).

Next Steps

The Town and our consultants have completed revisions to the Environmental Assessment and associated reporting based upon consultation with the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, agencies, Indigenous communities, and members of the public.

As required under the Environmental Assessment Act, the environmental assessment will be available for public review and comment from August 13, 2021 to October 1, 2021. 

You may review the environmental assessment using the downloads below or in person at the following locations:

1. Town of St. Marys, Municipal Operations Centre
   408 James Street South, St. Marys, ON N4X 1B6
   519-284-2340
   Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
2. St. Marys Public Library
   15 Church St. N., St. Marys, ON, N4X 1B4
   519-284-3346
   Monday to Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
   Friday, 10:30 am. to 5:00 p.m.
   Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Please call numbers provided to confirm any COVID‑19 capacity restrictions before arriving.
Pre-arranged appointments are recommended.

Anyone wishing to provide comments on the environmental assessment must submit their comments to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks by October 1, 2021. All comments must be submitted to:

Kendrick Doll, Special Project Officer (A)
Environmental Assessment Branch
135 St Clair Ave W, Toronto, ON M4V 1P5
Phone: 289-980-0466
Email: kendrick.doll@ontario.ca

A copy of all comments will be forwarded to the Town of St. Marys for its consideration.

If you have any questions or need further information about this project, please contact one of the members of the project team shown in the Contact Us section of this page.

As the Environmental Assessment progresses, information will be posted to this web page. Please check back for future updates.

Downloads

December 2013: Terms of Reference – St. Marys Future Solid Waste Disposal Needs

August 5, 2021:  Notice of Final Environmental Assessment Submission

July 27, 2021 Volume I:  

• Environmental Assessment Report (Full)
• Environmental Assessment Report Executive Summary (Included in Full)

July 27, 2021: Download all of the following documents (Volume I through IV) here. 

• Volume II - Environmental Assessment Report Work Plans
  • Appendix A - Air Quality, Noise and Vibration Work Plan
  • Appendix B - Hydrogeological Work Plan
  • Appendix C - Ecological Work Plan
  • Appendix D - Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Work Plan
  • Appendix E - Socio-Economic Work Plan
• Volume III - Technical Reports 
  
  • Appendix A - Expansion Emission Summary and Dispersion Modelling Report
  • Appendix B - Noise Impact Assessment
  • Appendix C - Hydrogeology Study
  • Appendix D - Natural Heritage Assessment
  • Appendix E - Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment 
  • Appendix F - Stage One Archaeological Assessment
  • Appendix G - Socio-Economic Impact Assessment
  • Appendix H - Traffic Impact Study
  • Appendix I - Leachate Treatment and Disposal Report 
• Volume IV: Record of Consultation
  

For those requiring alternative access formats to all documents please contact Dave Blake directly, contact info listed above.