Review Period of Environmental Assessment Report extended until 5:00 p.m. on May 7, 2021
The Need
Based on current waste generation projections, it is predicted that the Biggars Lane Landfill site (the County's only operating waste disposal facility) will reach capacity in 2023/2024. As the County plans for the future, it is looking to ensure that its solid waste disposal needs will be met for an estimated 30-year planning period following the closure of the existing approved landfilling area.
Previous Studies
Solid Waste Disposal Future Needs Study (2010)
The County undertook a Solid Waste Disposal Future Needs Study in 2010 to identify solid waste disposal options that would enable the County to dispose of solid waste generated within the County after the Biggars Lane Landfill reached its currently approved capacity. The study examined various alternatives and concluded that the preferred alternative to address future solid waste disposal needs was to develop new disposal capacity at the Biggars Lane Landfill site property.
Solid Waste Future Needs Study - Executive Summary
Solid Waste Future Needs Study (Body Only)
The Project Initiation (2012)
In mid-2012 the County commenced an Environmental Assessment (EA) to explore alternative ways to expand the Biggars Lane Landfill site.
Terms of Reference (2015)
The first step in the project was to prepare and submit a Terms of Reference (ToR) for the EA. The ToR identifies the process the County would follow to undertake the EA under the Environmental Assessment Act. The County received approval of the ToR from the then Minister of Environment and Climate Change in May 2015.
Ministers Approval of Terms of Reference, dated May 15, 2015
Environmental Assessment
In August 2015 the County commenced the work to fulfill the requirements of the approved ToR, for the preparation and submission of an EA Study to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) for approval. The EA Study has examined alternative methods to expand the Biggars Lane Landfill, identified the preferred alternative and determined the net environmental effects of the expansion.
Draft Environmental Assessment Report (2018)
On November 9, 2018 the Draft EA Report was made available to the public, Indigenous communities and agencies, requesting their input on the report’s conclusions. This comment period lasted five weeks, until December 14, 2018. The comments received were assessed and, if necessary, incorporated in the Final EA Report.
Final Environmental Assessment Report (2021)
The Final EA Report has been prepared based on the comments received from public, Indigenous communities and agencies on the Draft EA Report. The Final EA Report has been submitted to the MECP for review and approval. Members of the public, agencies and other interested persons are encouraged to review the Final EA Report and submit comments regarding the report's findings from February 15, 2021 until 5:00pm on May 7, 2021.. The EA report will be posted on this webpage on February 15, 2021.
The County is seeking EAA approval to increase the Biggars Lane Landfill disposal capacity by 1,130,000 cubic metres to meet the County’s disposal requirements for the estimated 30-year planning period following the closure of the existing approved landfilling area. Biggars Lane Landfill is located on 128 Biggars Lane in the County of Brant, Ontario. The landfill site property is 91.18 hectares in size. The preferred method of landfill expansion as identified in the Environmental Assessment (EA) report is to construct and maintain a new landfilling area west of the existing (current approved) landfilling area. The proposed new landfilling area has a total footprint of approximately 14.3 hectares and will be constructed with an engineered base (liner) system. A leachate collection system will gather leachate draining from the liner system. The leachate will be taken by tanker truck to the Paris Water Pollution Control Plan (WPCP) for treatment, which was identified as the preferred method of treatment in the EA. A landfill gas collection system will also be required for the expansion area. A vertical collection well network was identified as the preferred method of landfill gas collection. Gas collected by the system is proposed to be sent to a flare for destruction of the methane – a significant greenhouse gas. The site will attempt to capture 70% of the landfill gas generated from the expansion area during the planning period (operating life) and the post-closure care period (i.e., following closure).
As required under the Environmental Assessment Act, the Final EA Report will be available for government and public review and comment from February 15, 2021 until 5:00pm on May 7, 2021.
Anyone wishing to provide comments on the Final EA Report must submit their comments in writing by mail or email to the MECP Project Officer (noted below) by 5:00pm on May 7, 2021.
Adam Sanzo, Project Officer
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
135 St. Clair Ave West
Toronto ON M4V 1P5
Telephone: 437-244-9402
email: adam.sanzo@ontario.ca
Volume I - Final Environmental Assessment Report
Volume II – Supporting Studies
- Appendix A - Geology and Hydrogeology Considerations Report
- Appendix B - Stormwater Management Assessment
- Appendix C - Natural Environmental Report
- Appendix D - Air Quality Impact Assessment Report
- Appendix E - Noise Impact Assessment Report
- Appendix F - Transportation Impact Study Report
- Appendix G - Land Use / Agricultural Study Report
- Appendix H - Visibility Impact Analysis Report
- Appendix I - Economic Assessment Report
- Appendix J - Technical and Operational Considerations Report
- Appendix K - Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment Memorandum
- Appendix L - Stage 1 Archaeological Assessment Report
- Appendix M - Stage 2 Archeological Assessment Report
- Appendix N - Leachate Treatment and Disposal Study Report
- Appendix O - Climate Change Considerations Report
- Appendix P – Compliance Monitoring Plan
Volume III – Solid Waste Disposal Future Needs Study
Volume IV – Environmental Assessment Terms of Reference
Volume V - Report on Phase 2 Activities
Volume VI - Record of Consultation
If you have any questions or if you or someone you know has any issues accessing the environmental assessment from the County’s web site, please contact:
Matthew D’Hondt, C.E.T.
Corporation of the County of Brant
26 Park Avenue, P.O. Box 160
Burford, Ontario NOE 1AO
Tel: 519-449-2451
Fax: 519-449-3382
Email: SolidWasteEA@Brant.ca
Public Consultation
Consultation during EA Study has involved a variety of activities including the following:
- Public Notices in the local newspapers and on the County website.
- Public Information Centres - (To date, 4 Public Information Centres have been held, information presented can be viewed on the Project Public Notices page.)
- PIC #1 and #2 were held during the preparation of the Terms of Reference. Information presented can be found in the 2014 Terms of Reference document noted above.
- PIC #3 was held in March 2016 to present the proposed landfill expansion alternative methods, scope of the individual assessment studies and the proposed evaluation criteria.
- PIC #4 held in May 2018 presented the findings of the individual assessment studies, evaluation of the 4 landfill expansion alternatives and the preliminary preferred landfill expansion alternative.
- The draft EA was made available for the public / agencies to comment in November 2018.
- The finalized EA available for the public / agencies to comment from February 15, 2021 to April 4, 2021
- Mailings to members on the Communications List
- Updated information posted on the Project webpage
Project Public Notices
Notice of Commencement Notice of PIC #3 PIC #3 Slides Public Information Centre #4 PIC #4 Slides Notice of Draft Report for Review
Notice of Submission of Environmental Assessment
Biggars Lane Landfill Location in the County of Brant
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