Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Studies

Purpose:

Halton Region owns and operates six wastewater treatment plants that clean wastewater and safely return the water back to the environment. The solids by-product of the wastewater treatment process, known as “biosolids,” is rich in organic matter and nutrients. Biosolids from Halton Region’s wastewater treatment plants have been made available, where appropriate, to the agricultural community for crop production for 40 years.

As recently as 2000, Halton Region had sufficient land to ensure all biosolids produced could be applied locally. Over time, population growth and changing demographics in the region have resulted in both an increase in biosolids production and a decrease in local farmland. Currently, the biosolids program exports approximately 75 per cent of biosolids outside the region to either agricultural producers, reclamation facilities or an approved landfill.

Halton Region completed a Biosolids Management Master Plan in 2012 that recommended further investigation into biosolids composting. Biosolids composting is a provincially regulated process by which biosolids are mixed with other organic materials and further processed to produce a compost product. Biosolids compost qualifies for a wider range of land application opportunities, allowing Halton Region to enhance its current land application program. 

In 2020, a Halton Region Biosolids Composting Feasibility Study was completed and recommended a new Halton Region-owned biosolids composting facility to process biosolids into compost, diversify outlets and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with haulage. The new facility will include a biosolids composting process, compost storage infrastructure, odour control system, parking areas and office space.

Scope:

Halton Region has retained Jacobs to undertake a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) Study to identify the preferred site location for the construction of a Halton Region-owned biosolids composting facility. During this MCEA Study, Halton Region will identify and evaluate a number of alternative sites within the region with a focus on capacity requirements, accessibility needs, environmental impacts, land acquisition, coordination with ongoing and future projects, and financial implications.

The MCEA Study will be carried out in accordance with Schedule B of the Municipal Engineers Association’s MCEA Process (October 2000, as amended 2007, 2011, and 2015) which is an approved process under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act.

Public and review agency consultation is a key element of the MCEA Process, and input will be sought throughout the MCEA Study. Online Public Information Centres are being planned to provide project information and facilitate consultation. Details regarding all public consultation opportunities will be advertised and provided on this project webpage as the MCEA Study progresses.

Upon completion of the MCEA Study, a Project File Report will be prepared, finalized, and made publicly available for review and comment for a minimum of 30 days.

A Public Information Centre (PIC) is taking place from March 28 to May 2, 2024! To view the PIC materials and take the survey now, please visit the MCEA Study consultation page.

If you have any questions, would like to discuss the project, or would like to be added to the project mailing list, please email BiosolidsCompostingFacilityMCEAStudy@halton.ca.