Contaminated Sites Risk Assessment in Canada
Providing science-based risk assessment solutions for contaminated sites across Canada
Risk assessment is a formal, science-based process used to evaluate potential risks posed by contaminants in environmental media (e.g., soil and groundwater) to human health and the environment and plays a critical role in managing contaminated sites (e.g., brownfields) and supporting property transactions in Canada.
When to consider doing a risk assessment of a contaminated site
Risk assessment is an effective tool for assessing and managing sites where contaminant concentrations in environmental media, such as soil, groundwater, sediment and surface water, exceed their applicable provincial or federal standards or guidelines protective of human health and the environment. They are typically conducted when:
- Environmental contamination is expected to remain in place
- A property is being converted to a more sensitive land use (e.g., industrial to residential)
- Completing brownfield redevelopment
- Soil and/or groundwater remediation is not financially or physically feasible
- A risk assessment is required to support development or financing
- Evaluating potential health risks to property users and the surrounding community due to existing contamination in environmental media
- Addressing legal liabilities and compensation issues between property owners and other stakeholders
The benefits of contaminated site risk assessment
The risk assessment process allows property owners and developers to manage contamination on their properties without full remediation to the applicable standards or guidelines through the implementation of risk management measures (RMMs) to mitigate risks while leaving contamination in place. As a result, the risk assessment process can:
- Reduce excavation and disposal costs
- Minimize project delays
- Allow contamination to remain in place safely
- Enable complex urban redevelopment
Risk assessment still offers the same level of environmental protection as standard contaminated sites management options, like full remediation, but at a fraction of the cost.
For many contaminated sites in Canada, risk assessment is the most economically and technically viable solution to facilitate property transactions, redevelopments and achieve regulatory compliance and approval while ensuring that on-site contamination does not pose a health or environmental risk.
How Intrinsik can help
Intrinsik is one of the leading environmental consulting firms specializing in contaminated site risk assessment across Canada, including Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. Our extensive experience and understanding of the regulatory framework and processes governing risk assessments for contaminated sites enable us to identify the most effective solutions for our clients. Supported by our robust company systems and proactive communication with our clients and partners, we help facilitate regulatory compliance and approval, supporting financing or the purchase or sale of properties in a cost and time effective manner. Our process includes a thorough review of all relevant data and reports and the completion of a data gap analysis to ensure that all necessary documentation is available to move the project forward and meet regulatory compliance and client deadlines.
Our clients and partners include government agencies, environmental consultants and engineering firms, property owners, developers, contractors, municipalities, lenders and lawyers.
Intrinsik’s contaminated site risk assessment services
Intrinsik provides a full suite of risk assessment and technical support services for contaminated sites in Canada for public and private sector clients, including:
- Preparation of contaminated site risk assessments for regulatory review
- Preparation of due diligence and screening-level risk assessments
- Alberta Tier 1 and Tier 2 risk assessments
- Completion of excess soil risk assessments
- Vapour intrusion assessments
- Support for brownfield redevelopment
- Development of risk-based cleanup levels/risk-based target levels
- Development of conceptual site models and exposure pathway analysis
- Uncertainty analysis and weight-of-evidence evaluations
- Technical support during regulatory risk assessment review and stakeholder engagement
- Reviews of environmental field data to support risk assessment and remediation plans
- Peer reviews
- Consulting services and data gap analysis for the following:
- Soil and groundwater sampling plans to ensure proper delineation of contamination
- Risk management plans and recommended risk management measures
- Risk assessment administrative and technical documentation requirements