On October 17, 2023, the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks (MECP) proposed amendments to the Excess Soil Regulations, Ontario Regulation 406/19. These proposed changes to the excess soil regulations are part of the “Less Red Tape, More Common Sense Act 2023,” which includes 32 new measures. These measures “will improve services for people and reduce costs for businesses, while making it easier to work with government.” The Ontario Government estimates...
Read MoreSeven Questions Regarding Excess Soil Management in Ontario
With the key phase of the excess soil regulation in Ontario now in place (as of January 1, 2023), preparing for and managing excess soil has become of vital importance for construction-related projects in 2023. For an overview of the Excess Soil Regulations, see our December 22, 2022, blog “Ontario Excess Soil Requirements for 2023.” Below are some common questions we have seen regarding Excess Soil. This is not comprehensive. We encourage you to read the regulations...
Read MoreOntario Excess Soil Requirements for 2023
Environmental regulatory requirements for managing excess soil in Ontario have been on a government seesaw over the past year (O. Reg. 406/19: On-Site and Excess Soil Regulation or “Excess Soil Regulation”). In January 2022, contractors were scrambling to comply with the more-stringent soil management requirements. By April 21, 2022, these new requirements were officially paused by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP). This temporary pause was...
Read MoreManaging Excess Soils in Ontario: Requirements for 2022
Some people were hoping that there might be a reprieve or delay on the next phase of Ontario’s Excess Soils Regulation (O. Reg. 406/19: On-Site and Excess Soil Management). However, as the New Year opened, the Resource Productivity & Recovery Authority (RPRA) announced that “From January 1, 2022, construction and development Project Leaders and Operators/Owners of soil Reuse Sites, and Residential Development Soil Depot sites must file notices about how they reuse and...
Read MoreManaging Excess Soils at Aggregates and Quarries in Ontario
Funded, but not endorsed by the Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks (MECP), was a recent report “Best Management Practices for Aggregate Pit and Quarry Rehabilitation in Ontario.” The document was developed in March 2021 by the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers. BMP for Excess Soils The purpose of the document is stated as “The BMPs are intended to assist Qualified Persons (QPs), municipalities, aggregate licensees, and operators in evaluating...
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