Environmental risk management plan for 1 and 19 Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway

Petition: 487

Issue(s): Environmental assessment; Governance; Human/environmental health; Toxic substances

Petitioner(s): A Canadian organization

Petitioner location(s): Ottawa, Ontario

Date received: 9 June 2023

Status: Completed - Response(s) to petition received

Summary: The petition raises concerns about potential exposure to contaminated soil because of construction activities on a property owned by the National Capital Commission. The petition states that the site was converted from a green space to a future embassy precinct following a recent application to the City of Ottawa by the commission. The petition indicates that the application included 2 phases of environmental assessments, which concluded that large quantities of contaminated soil were imported and spread over the site following the commission’s expropriation of the land in the 1960s. Furthermore, the petition indicates that 2019 laboratory soil-quality testing showed that the imported soil across the site contained several metals and high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, resulting in the site not meeting the site condition standards of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

According to the petition, the contaminants are located under the topsoil, resulting in windblown or surface runoffs potentially dispersing them during excavation and construction activities. The petition alleges that those who are at risk of contamination include park visitors, maintenance workers, utility workers, construction workers, and future commercial-site users. Furthermore, mammals, birds, soil invertebrates, and plants could also be exposed to the contaminants. According to the petition, in all cases, the primary route of exposure would be through direct contact, including dust inhalation, soil ingestion, ingestion of plants, and dermal soil absorption.

Given these concerns, the petition asks whether a risk management program is in place on this site and whether it includes regular monitoring to ensure that off-site residents and users of the park are not exposed to the contaminated soil. The petition also inquires whether a provision is in place to ensure that the sod is watered in case of dry hot weather because this would increase the risk of exposure to the toxic soil. In addition, the petition asks whether there is a plan to replace the mature trees that were removed during excavation activities.

Federal departments/organizations responsible for reply: National Capital Commission