Certificate of Property Use

The Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) identifies Areas of Potential Environmental Concern (APEC) based on Potentially Contaminating Activities (PCA), such as landfills, industrial operations, or automotive repair garages. The Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) then quantifies the contamination throughout the Site by analyzing soil and groundwater samples in each Area of Potential Environmental Concern (APEC). The Risk Assessment is an extension of the Phase 2, identifying the extents of contamination, pathways to human and environmental receptors, and risk posed to both human health and the environment.

The information provided to the Ministry as part of the Phase 1 and 2 Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) and Risk Assessment (RA) is reviewed. Based on this review, the Ministry’s Engineers determine the appropriate Risk Management Measures, such as Air Monitoring, Groundwater Monitoring, Vapour Monitoring, Record-Keeping, and Notification to the Director. These measures often follow periodic schedules, such as monthly, semi-annually, or annually monitoring environmental parameters, which then require submission to the Ministry, specified in the Certificate of Property Use (CPU)

Verification that the activity meets the EASR eligibility requirements as set out in the regulation is the first step in the EASR process. If it is determined that the activity is eligible, then the activity can be registered online. Registering equipment takes places through the Ontario government’s Service Ontario portal. Once completed, an electronic confirmation is issued.

Air and Vapour Monitoring is a common requirement of Certificates of Property Use (CPU) for Sites that produce hazardous gases, such as decommissioned landfills that produce methane from decomposing materials. Hazardous gas may pose explosion and flammability risk, such as methane, or risks to human and environmental health, such as VOCs. The ambient air may be monitored at specific locations outdoors, or in underground portions of a building, in order to mitigate the risk to the tenants of the building. Vapour monitoring is conducted on Sites that have underground vapour collection probes. Typically, these vapour collection probes are installed in proximity to vapour barriers that intercept hazardous vapours from reaching buildings.

Both ambient air monitoring and vapour monitoring involve the collection of a sample of gaseous media that is analyzed for specific compounds. Rubidium’s team uses a variety of analytical methods to determine the concentration of contaminants, including the portable photo-ionization detectors (PIDs), flame-ionization detectors (FIDs), infrared (IR) detectors, or non-portable analysis conducted by an accredited laboratory.  Rubidium’s understanding of the spectrum of analytical methods capable of quantifying the concentration of contaminants in gaseous media ensures that the most efficient, cost-effective method is chosen.

Verification that the activity meets the EASR eligibility requirements as set out in the regulation is the first step in the EASR process. If it is determined that the activity is eligible, then the activity can be registered online. Registering equipment takes places through the Ontario government’s Service Ontario portal. Once completed, an electronic confirmation is issued.

Similar to Air and Vapour Monitoring, Certificates of Property Use often stipulate that groundwater monitoring be conducted monthly, semi-annually, or annually.

Rubidium’s team of Environmental Consultants collect groundwater samples in accordance with the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks (MECP) publication Protocol for Analytical Methods Used in the Assessment of Properties under Part XV.1 of the Environmental Protection Act. Groundwater is collected from previously-installed groundwater monitoring wells, and analyzed by and accredited laboratory.

Verification that the activity meets the EASR eligibility requirements as set out in the regulation is the first step in the EASR process. If it is determined that the activity is eligible, then the activity can be registered online. Registering equipment takes places through the Ontario government’s Service Ontario portal. Once completed, an electronic confirmation is issued.