Current status

On October 20, 2020, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks approved the environmental assessment for this project.

Get details on the notice of approval.

Project summary

Waste Connections of Canada is proposing to expand the Ridge Landfill by 30 million cubic metres. The new expansion will allow Chatham-Kent residents and the industrial, commercial and institutional sector in southern/central Ontario to continue using the landfill from 2021 to 2041.

Waste Connections of Canada is carrying out an environmental assessment for this project. This assessment looks at how the landfill expansion could impact the environment.

The Ridge Landfill has been operating since 1966 and was last expanded in 1999. The landfill will be at capacity by 2021 based on the current fill rate of 1.3 million tonnes per year.

The proposed project involves:

  • vertical expansion of the old landfill area
  • horizontal expansion of the south and west landfill areas

The existing waste fill area will increase by 55 hectares to a total future waste fill area of 186 hectares.

The Ridge Landfill currently has an approved capacity of 21 million cubic metres. The proposed expansion would allow for an additional 28.9 million cubic metres of waste disposal capacity, plus 1.3 million cubic metres of final cover material. The landfill will continue receiving waste at an annual rate of 1.3 million tonnes over the 20-year expansion period.

Learn more on the Ridge Landfill project website.

Proponent

Waste Connections of Canada

Location

20262 Erieau Road, Blenheim, Municipality of Chatham-Kent

Type

Waste management

Reference number

16019

Contact

Carolyn Lee, Environmental Assessment Branch

Project history

Environmental assessment: approved
Date submitted: January 24, 2020
Expiry of public comment period: March 13, 2020
Expiry of public comment period for ministry review: June 26, 2020
Decision date: October 20, 2020

Terms of reference: approved
Date submitted: January 5, 2018
Expiry of public comment period: February 4, 2018
Decision date: May 1, 2018

Environmental assessment

Waste Connections of Canada submitted the Ridge Landfill expansion environmental assessment (EA) for review and decision under the Environmental Assessment Act.

After considering the EA, comments received and the proponent’s responses, the Minister with Cabinet concurrence approved the EA, subject to conditions, on October 20, 2020.

Waste Connections of Canada may proceed with implementing the project as described in the EA, subject to obtaining other permits and approvals.

Read the Order in Council and notice of approval.

Read the ministry review.

Notice of completion of ministry review

Environmental Assessment Act section 7.1 notice of completion of ministry review.

An invitation to comment on the ministry review of the environmental assessment for the proposed Ridge Landfill expansion.

An environmental assessment (EA) has been submitted to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks by Waste Connections of Canada for the proposed Ridge Landfill expansion undertaking near Blenheim in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks has prepared a review of the EA for public, Indigenous community and agency comment. The review of the EA does not make a decision on the EA. That decision is made by the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks after the review comment period is over and the consideration of all submissions.

You can submit comments on the undertaking, the EA, and the ministry’s review. You may also request a hearing by the Environmental Review Tribunal. If you request a hearing you must state in your submission, whether you are requesting a hearing on the whole EA application or only on specified matters related to the EA.

How to get the information you need

You can inspect the review on the Government of Ontario webpage for this EA. The EA is available for reference on the proponent’s project website.

Please ensure your written comments are received by June 26, 2020.

Send written comments to:

Director
Environmental Assessment Branch
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Attention: Carolyn Lee, Special Project Officer
Email: carolyn.lee@ontario.ca

We apologize that we are only able to accept electronic submissions at this time.

Be sure to express your views

If you make a submission or request a hearing before the above date, you will be notified of the decision on this EA. Otherwise, the undertaking may proceed without further notice to you.

If no submissions or requests for a hearing are received, the undertaking may be approved with no further public notice. This will allow the undertaking to proceed.

Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Environmental Assessment Act, unless otherwise stated in the submission, any personal information such as name, address, telephone number and property location included in all submissions become part of the public record files for this matter and can be released, if requested, to any person.

Terms of reference

The Minister of the Environment and Climate Change has approved the terms of reference (ToR) for this project, with amendments.

The ToR:

  • serves as a framework for the preparation and review of an environmental assessment
  • outlines how Waste Connections of Canada will develop and evaluate alternative methods of implementing the expansion
  • includes a commitment from Waste Connections of Canada to examine opportunities to enhance its existing waste diversion activities at source, at the Ridge Landfill or elsewhere in the company’s integrated system

Government agencies, Indigenous communities and the public were able to comment on the ToR for 30 days (January 5–February 4, 2018).

The minister considered all comments when making his decision on the ToR.

Notice of approval—terms of reference

Environmental Assessment Act subsection 6(4) approval of terms of reference for the preparation of an environmental assessment

Proponent: Waste Connections of Canada Ltd. ("Waste Connections")
Terms of reference: Ridge Landfill expansion environmental assessment
Undertaking: The expansion of the Ridge Landfill site to increase its waste disposal capacity in order to continue operating from 2022 to 2041
EA file number: EA 03-08-02
EAIMS number: 16019

As provided for by subsection 6(4) of the Environmental Assessment Act, the terms of reference, as submitted for approval to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change on January 5, 2018, is hereby approved with the following amendments. Wording changes are denoted in bold text.

  1. Point number five on page ix of the Executive Summary shall be replaced with the following:
    1. Specific system-wide alternative methods to enhance waste diversion will not be considered in detail as part of the EA; however, Waste Connections has committed to assisting the province in meeting its diversion goals, and opportunities for Waste Connections to enhance its existing waste diversion activities, either at source, at the Ridge or elsewhere in Waste Connections' integrated system will be examined further in the environmental assessment as an activity concurrent to the evaluation of alternative methods for landfill site expansion. Waste Connections will examine and evaluate the feasibility and viability of implementing an on-site diversion program as part of the preferred landfill expansion method. This will include the consideration and assessment of a reasonable number of ways in which to divert the types of waste materials received at site. The assessment of an on-site diversion program will be carried out in accordance with best management practices, in consideration of new and emerging technologies, and in recognition of the goals and expectations set forth in the Waste-Free Ontario Act.
  2. The second paragraph in subsection 2.2 (Alignment with Provincial Legislation, Plans and Strategies) shall be replaced with the following:
    Climate change: The province released its Climate Change Action Plan on June 8, 2016 as one of the mandates of the Climate Change Mitigation and Low-carbon Economy Act. The purpose of the Act is to reduce greenhouse gas in order to respond to climate change, to protect the environment and to assist Ontarians to transition to a low-carbon economy and to enable Ontario to collaborate and coordinate its actions with similar actions in other jurisdictions…. Waste Connections is committed to minimizing the release of greenhouse gases from the Ridge Landfill with its landfill gas management system that collects landfill gas (approximately 50% methane) and flares it; Waste Connections is currently evaluating the potential for a biogas facility that would use landfill gas from the Ridge (section 5.2). Waste Connections will include an assessment on how the preferred project may contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Waste Connections will develop a detailed work plan outlining how greenhouse gas emissions will be considered in the environmental assessment for site development activities including woodlot removal, on-site vehicles, the waste haul route as defined in the terms of reference, and landfill gas management for the preferred undertaking in consultation with Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change staff. Waste Connections will also consider greenhouse gas emissions as an evaluation criterion for alternative methods.

    The EA will also consider how changing climate has the potential to impact the project and how adaptive measures can be incorporated into site design. This will be explored, specifically as it relates to the potential for extreme weather events to impact waste management infrastructure through power outages, physical damage, stormwater management systems and reduced access to the site. Waste Connections will assess the potential effects of climate change on infrastructure components for the preferred undertaking and related potential risks to the environment resulting from these effects. The environmental assessment will include a consideration of climate change adaptation measures to reduce and manage such potential effects during the operation, construction, closure and post-closure phases of the undertaking. Waste Connections will use climate change assessment guidance documents that include, but are not limited to those issued by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change in the environmental assessment. The EA will include studies related to odour and greenhouse gas emissions when considering the preferred site development alternative. This work is summarized in Appendix A.
  3. The following paragraph shall be added to subsection 3.3 (Rationale for the Project):
    Waste Connections will revisit the purpose and opportunity outlined in the terms of reference. Waste Connections will reconfirm the data and methods used to develop the rationale for the undertaking that considers the available disposal volume at existing landfill sites, anticipated capacity from proposed landfill facilities, and waste export to the United States. Waste Connections will prepare a comprehensive market analysis to quantify the industrial, commercial and institutional waste that the Ridge Landfill can reasonably expect to receive over the 20-year planning period to support the identified opportunity.
  4. The last paragraph of subsection 4.3 (Study Areas) shall be replaced with the following:
    Waste Connections will determine study areas as part of the development of detailed work plans in consultation with government agencies, Indigenous communities and interested members of the public at the beginning of the environmental assessment process, and document the rationale for study area boundary selections in the environmental assessment.
  5. The paragraph in subsection 5.2.1.2 (Comparative Evaluation of Landfill Site Development Alternatives) shall be replaced with the following:
    Table 1 in Appendix B outlines the preliminary draft evaluation criteria for the comparison of alternative methods for landfill site development, leachate management, and landfill gas management. These criteria and indicators will be further developed in consultation with agency stakeholders, Indigenous communities, and members of the public during the environmental assessment process.
  6. The first paragraph of subsection 5.3 (Impact Assessment of the Preferred Alternative Method) shall be replaced with the following:
    The EA will determine the potential effects from all phases of the Project (construction, operation, closure, and post-closure) on the natural, cultural, social, economic and built environments within the study areas developed in consultation with government agencies, Indigenous communities, and interested members of the public. Potential effects can be short-term or long-term, direct or indirect, and positive or negative. The EA will also identify ways to reduce or mitigate potential negative effects on the environment and consider the effects of the undertaking on climate change. This work will involve the following steps, which will be finalized subject to consultation activities.
  7. Steps one and two of subsection 5.3 (Impact Assessment of the Preferred Alternative Method) shall be replaced with the following:
    Step 1—Develop Design and Operation Facility Characteristics: The design and operations facility characteristics of the preferred alternative method will be determined. Characteristics could include: modifying site contours; moving existing features such as drains or landfill facilities; constructing new landfill cells; modifying leachate, stormwater and landfill gas management systems; and ongoing operation of the facility. Closure and post-closure characteristics will also be developed. Facility design will also consider potential extreme weather effects on landfill infrastructure components.

    Step 2—Assessment of Potential Effects and Development of Mitigation Measures: The proposed impact assessment criteria outlined in Table 4 to predict the potential effects of the project and associated activities on the environment are preliminary, and will be further developed in consultation with government agencies, Indigenous communities and interested members of the public. The impact assessment will also consider the potential effects of greenhouse gases from waste hauling activities and site activities from all phases of the project including post-closure, and proposed mitigation measures.
  8. The fifth paragraph of subsection 5.3 (Impact Assessment of the Preferred Alternative Method) shall be replaced with the following:
    A summary of the technical work to be undertaken as part of the EA is included in Appendix A. These work plans are preliminary and will be finalized based on input from interested government agencies, Indigenous communities and the public. Waste Connections will consult with the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change prior to the finalization of air quality, hydrogeology, and surface water quality work plans to ensure that the proposed studies will adequately characterize the existing environment as well as allow for the accurate prediction of impacts during the entire life cycle of the proposed landfill. Waste Connections will consult with the Ministry of Transportation on the preparation of a traffic impact study that considers of the impacts of the existing waste haul route, as defined in the terms of reference, on the Highway 401/Highway 40 interchange.
  9. The first paragraph of subsection 7.0 (commitments and monitoring) shall be replaced with the following:
    The EA report will include a comprehensive list of commitments made by Waste Connections by way of interactive consultation throughout the EA process. Commitments made during the ToR will also be documented in the EA including commentary on how they were addressed in the EA process. Waste Connections will develop a tracking table of commitments made during the terms of reference that will be carried forward into the environmental assessment. The table will outline the commitments made during the terms of reference and in what section they are addressed in the environmental assessment. The main body of the environmental assessment report will include a summary of issues and concerns raised during consultation which will be described in greater detail in the record of consultation. The commitments may include, but are not limited to the following:

Pursuant to subsection 6.1(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act, any environmental assessment for the above-noted undertaking, submitted to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change pursuant to subsection 6.2(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act, must be prepared in accordance with the terms of reference as hereby approved.

Reasons

I am satisfied that an environmental assessment prepared in accordance with the terms of reference, as amended, will be consistent with the purpose of the Environmental Assessment Act and the public interest for the following reasons:

  1. The terms of reference and amendments provide a framework to ensure that the environmental assessment will be completed using a comprehensive public, Indigenous community and government agency consultation process that is open and transparent;
  2. The terms of reference and amendments provide sufficient direction to ensure that the completed environmental assessment will contain a sufficient level of detail to accurately assess the environmental effects of all alternatives and the preferred undertaking in addition to its advantages and disadvantages; and,
  3. The terms of reference and amendments set out a planning process that will ensure that the completed environmental assessment will be consistent with the purpose of the Environmental Assessment Act and the public interest.
  4. The requirement to consult at the initial stages of the environmental assessment on the proposed work plans and environmental criteria will provide government reviewers, Indigenous communities, and interested members of the public an early opportunity to provide input into the design of environmental assessment studies.
  5. There are no outstanding issues that cannot be addressed during the preparation of the environmental assessment.

Dated the 1st day of May, 2018 at Toronto.

Original signed by:
Minister of the Environment and Climate Change
77 Wellesley Street West, 11th floor, Ferguson Block
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 2T5