Follow Lakeridge Citizens:
Earthworx Site, Township of Scugog
BRIEF HISTORY
Soil and fill, some of it contaminated with heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons from old industrial sites in Toronto, was dumped into a former gravel pit at 13471 Lakeridge Road at the height of the Oak Ridges Moraine. The groundwater under this site is particularly vulnerable to actions taking place on the land above. The company Earthworx Industries obtained a permit to dump fill on this land in May 2010 from the Township of Scugog. Scugog later revoked the permit after soil tests revealed evidence of contamination. Earthworx then claimed they were building an airstrip and were therefore exempt from following Township by-laws. They continued to dump fill for several months despite permit revocation until being ordered to stop by Ontario Courts in early 2011. The contaminated fill remains on site.
STATUS (as of March 2014)
-Site remains closed
18104887 LET 30Aug2018 GW Quality Monitoring FINAL
Letter to Gordon Churchill re 2017 Groundwater Monitoring Reports Hydrogeological Review
–2017-04-11 MOECC Comments on 2014- 2015 Groundwater Monitoring Reports – Earthworx-1
-Lakeridge_2015-annual-GW Report-1
-Lakeridge_2014 Annual GW report
–October 2, 2014 LCCW letter to the MOE re the Eathworx site
–MOE Minister Response to LCCW re Earthworx Site June 16th 2014
–May 23, LCCW Letter to Minister re MOE letter to GFL March 28-2014
-May 23, LCCW Review of March 28th 2014 letter from MOE to GFL regarding 13471 Lakeridge Road
-The Ministry of the Environment reveals its position regarding the Earthworx site: MOE letter to GFL re the Earthworx Site March 28, 2014
-MOE sends their assessment of the DLS 2013 Groundwater Report: April 1, 2014 MOE Reviews Earthworx Groundwater Assessment Report dated September 2013
–2013-09-19 Earthworx Groundwater Assessment Report
-A recently released Environmental Assessment Report indicates significant contamination on site
-Green for Life, a soil remediation facility, has offered to clean the site on the condition that it be given a permit to continue to fill it
-LCCW rejects the proposal by GFL as detailed in our August 2013 submission to the Ministry of the Environment
-LCCW received a response from the MOE Letter from MOE to LCCW Nov 26, 2013
LCCW believes the owners should be responsible for cleaning up the site.
The March 2013 News Article in the Standard provides a good summary of the current situation at the Earthworx site as well as a brief history.
RELEVANT REPORTS AND DOCUMENTS
• Letter from MOE to LCCW Nov 26, 2013
• LCCW’s October 2013 Letter to the Ministry of the Environment regarding the Status of the Earthworx Site
• LCCW’s August 2013 Response to the Ministry of the Environment regarding the Green for Life proposal to clean and fill the Earthworx Property
• LCCW’s March 2013 deputation regarding the Earthworx site (power point presentation and speaking notes)
• GFL Proposal Letter – January 2013
• Work Remedial Plan – January 2013 Excavation Plan – Earthworx Site)
• Phase 2 Environmental Assessment – February 2012
• MOE Tribunal Decision – October 2011
• LCCW Tribunal Submission – June 2011
• Court Decision regarding jurisdiction over Aerodromes and applicability of municipal by-laws – May 2011
• Ministry of the Environment Provincial Officer’s Order 1, Order Amendment 1, Order Amendment 2, Order Amendment 3 and Director’s Order and Amended Director’s Order
Submissions by MPP John O’Toole
November 2013 Submission to the Minister of the Environment
August 2013 Submission to the Minister of the Environment Jim Bradley
July 2011 MPP O’Toole Letter to the Minister of the Environment
January 2011 Federal Minister Letter to MPP O’Toole re Aeronautics Legislation and Earthworx
2010 MPP O’Toole Fill Moratorium Petition for Presentation to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
December 2010 MPP O’Toole Letter to Jim Wilkinson Regarding the Earthworx Site