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Environmental Site Assessments
A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is a survey of known and suspected negative environmental impacts to a property. Impacts, in this context of this type of survey, generally refer to contamination on the property from one or more chemicals. The impacts can be to the soil, underlying groundwater, and if present, surface water on a property. The source of the impacts can originate on the property (such as on-site dumping of hazardous wastes) or from surrounding properties (such as a leaking fuel tank buried on a adjacent property).
What we do?
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We prepare Phase I ESA reports for residential, commercial and industrial properties.
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The reports summarize existing and potential environmental impacts to the property and offer recommendations for further actions, if needed.
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Our reports are prepared based on the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Z768-01) or the Ontario regulation 153/04 for Records of Site Condition.
When do you need a Phase I ESA?
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A Phase I ESA is often requested during a property transaction. If a purchaser is buying a property, their lender or insurer may ask them to have a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment performed on the property to help determine to true value of the property.
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Another common reason to have a Phase I ESA is if the land use of a property changes to a more sensitive land use. For instance, if an industrial property will be converted to a residential housing development, a Phase I ESA must be performed. In the case where a Phase I ESA is performed for a change of land use to a more sensitive land use, the assessment must be performed in accordance with Ontario Regulation 153/04.
A Phase II Environmental Site Assessment is an assessment to determine the concentrations of chemical contaminants affecting the soil, groundwater, or surface water on a property. The distribution, both vertically and laterally of the contaminant/s, is also determined, to the extent possible. To determine the location and distribution of the contaminant/s, sample collection and analysis of soil and groundwater are performed. Heavy equipment, such as a drill rig, is generally needed to obtain soil and groundwater samples.
What we do?
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We prepare a Phase II ESA plan for a property.
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Retain a drilling contractor to aid in sample collection and analysis
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Prepare a Phase II ESA report summarizing the site conditions of a property, including the vertical and lateral distributions of identified contamination.
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File a Record of Site Condition with the Ministry of the Environment, if needed.
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Our assessments are conducted based on the requirements outlined in the Ontario regulation 153/04 for Records of Site Condition.

When do you need a Phase II ESA?
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A property owner can conduct a Phase II ESA when they discover or suspect chemical contamination on their property. The assessment can be performed to simply gain knowledge of the property, or to provide guidance for cleanup (i.e., site remediation).
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In some cases, a property owner will need to report to the Ministry of the Environmental the site conditions of their property (i.e., the concentrations of various chemicals in soil and water on the property). This report is called a Record of Site Condition. The Ontario regulation 153/04 for Records of Site Condition specifies the circumstances when a Phase II ESA is required in order to file a Record of Site Condition.
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