Violet Solar Farm
Approvals for Atlantic Canada's first utility-scale solar farm
Environmental engineering
Through the regulatory maze, to permit closure.
Environmental site assessments, impact assessments, permitting and compliance, remediation, habitat and wetland work, GHG and air reporting.
Overview
The environmental questions on a project change every few years; the goal does not.
Our environmental engineers, geoscientists and technologists guide clients through the regulatory landscape in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador, with one objective: get to approval and file closure efficiently, with the fewest surprises and the lowest risk of non-compliance.
Tools we use: ArcGIS · GPS field mapping · groundwater monitoring · side-scan sonar
Assessment & approvals
- Phase I, II and III Environmental Site Assessments (CSA Z768 and Z769)
- Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and permitting roadmaps
- Environmental permitting, monitoring and compliance
- Watercourse and Wetland Alteration (WAWA) permits
- Fisheries Act authorizations and habitat offsetting
- Risk assessments and jurisdictional analyses
Field science
- Habitat assessments and ecological surveys (flora and fauna)
- Watercourse and wetland classification and delineation
- Fish rescues and fish passage surveys
- Water supply source assessments and groundwater monitoring
- Sound monitoring and indoor air quality investigations
Remediation & reporting
- Site remediation and risk management, through to regulatory file closure
- Groundwater sampling, interpretation and remediation
- Greenhouse gas emissions assessments
- National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) reporting
- Environmental protection and management plans
Environmental in the field
Projects where this discipline led.
Burchill Wind Farm
Ground-truthing 1,658 hectares for a 42 MW wind project
Decommissioning the Saint John YMCA-YWCA
A safe, clean exit for a community landmark, and a clean site for what came next
Ritchie Lake Assessment & Management Plan
A baseline and a plan for a lake the whole town uses
Ghost Fishing by Derelict Lobster Traps in LFA 36
Turning habitat compensation into 540 retrieved traps and a saved livelihood
Salmon Aquaculture GHG Emissions Assessment
Carbon accounting across a seven-facility supply chain for ASC certification
Saint John Energy Headquarters
From former brewery brownfield to a utility's new home
Common questions
Things clients ask our environmental team.
Does my project need an EIA in New Brunswick?
If it appears on Schedule A of the EIA Regulation (for example electricity generation above 3 MW, large land developments or wetland disturbance above the threshold), it must be registered. We prepare registrations and manage the review.
How long does a Phase I ESA take?
Typically a few weeks, depending on records access and site visit scheduling. A Phase II, with drilling and lab analysis, adds several weeks.
Can you take a contaminated site all the way to file closure?
Yes. We have taken brownfield sites, including a former auto salvage yard and a decommissioned YMCA, from assessment through remediation or risk management to regulatory file closure and redevelopment.
Insights
Read before you call.
6 min readPhase I vs. Phase II Environmental Site Assessment: what buyers, sellers and lenders in Atlantic Canada need to know
Phase I vs Phase II environmental site assessment explained for Atlantic Canada: what each involves, when lenders require one, and how to avoid closing delays.
7 min readDoes my project need an Environmental Impact Assessment in New Brunswick? Triggers, registration, timelines and what reviewers look for
Environmental Impact Assessment in New Brunswick explained: Schedule A triggers, registration steps, fees, timelines and what reviewers want to see.
7 min readBrownfield redevelopment: how contaminated sites become buildable again (remediation vs. risk management, and getting to file closure)
Brownfield redevelopment in New Brunswick explained: remediation vs. risk management under Atlantic RBCA, the Site Professional's role, and reaching closure.