Introduction

Proponent

Regional Municipality of Niagara

Location

Mountain Road in the City of Niagara Falls, Regional Municipality of Niagara

Type

Waste

Reference Number

99017

Contact

Environmental Approvals Branch, 416-314-8001
Toll free 1-800-461-6290

Current Status

Environmental assessment: approved, May 3, 2000

Project Summary

The purpose of the undertaking is to expand the service area from which the Mountain Road Landfill Site accepts residential waste and solid, non-hazardous industrial, commercial and institutional waste (IC&I) to the entire Province of Ontario.

Project History

  • Environmental assessment: approved
    • Date submitted:  September 17, 1999
    • Expiry of public comment period: November 5, 1999
    • Expiry of public comment period for Ministry Review: February 14, 2000
    • Decision date: May 3, 2000
  • Terms of reference: approved
    • Date submitted:  May 11, 1999 (PD 17/05/99)
    • Expiry of public comment period:  June 21, 1999
    • Decision date: August 17, 1999

Environmental Assessment

The Regional Municipality of Niagara submitted an environmental assessment to the Ministry of the Environment on September 17, 1999 to expand the service area from which the Mountain Road Landfill Site accepts residential waste and solid, non-hazardous industrial, commercial and institutional waste (IC&I) to the entire Province of Ontario. A Terms of Reference for this undertaking was approved on August 17, 1999. The Mountain Road Landfill, which is located within Part of Lots 6, 7, 14, 15 and 26 and the unopened road allowance between lots 15 and 26, and Part of Road Allowance between Lots 15/6 and 14/7 on Mountain Road in the City of Niagara Falls, Regional Municipality of Niagara, is scheduled for closure on October 29, 2000. However, at that current rate of fill, the landfill will still have approximately 40,000 tonnes of approved waste disposal capacity that will remain unused, and the approved design contours will not be met. Therefore, in order to ensure that the approved closure design contours are reached, the proponent seeks to expand the area from which municipal waste and solid, non-hazardous industrial, commercial and institutional waste can be collected from the entire province of Ontario. The undertaking does not propose any changes to the currently approved rate of fill of 550 tonnes per day, types of waste allowed to be disposed at the site, total capacity of the landfill or the approved final contours.

The government review of this EA was completed on January 12, 2000, at which time the review was released for public comment. Following the evaluation of the public comments on the EA Review, the Ministry forwarded a recommendation to the Minister. This project was approved on May 3, 2000.

Terms of Reference

The proposed undertaking is to amend the service area of the Mountain Road Landfill to include the Province of Ontario for the disposal of solid non-hazardous residential and industrial, commercial and institutional (IC&I) wastes. The undertaking does not propose any changes to the currently approved rate of fill of 550 tonnes per day, types of waste allowed to be disposed at the site, total capacity of the Landfill or the approved final contours.

A Condition in the Certificate of Approval (C of A No. 120201) requires that the Landfill close on October 29, 2000. It is Regional Niagara’s intent, through it’s Interim Capacity Plan (March 1997), that, as a high priority, approved waste disposal capacity at landfills with closure dates be fully utilized. To this end, in September 1998, Regional Niagara expanded the service area to direct other wastes generated in Niagara Region to the Landfill including residential wastes collected through Regional contracts and IC&I waste directed through a waste broker. To accommodate this, the rate of fill was also increased from 200 tonnes per day to 550 tonnes per day. Based on current fill rates and recent capacity surveys it is estimated that approximately 40,000 tonnes of disposal capacity could go unused, within approved final design contours when the Landfill closes on October 29, 2000. Therefore, Regional Niagara is seeking this service area expansion to ensure full utilization of the site.