Update Announcement
This proposal notice has been updated on February 27, 2024, to advise the public that this file/application is still under active review. The ministry is reviewing the comments it has received to date. The original proposal date and comment period have not been altered.
This consultation was open from:
April 23, 2021
to June 7, 2021
Decision summary
The ministry issued an environmental compliance approval to GFL Environmental Inc. in Toronto, Ontario for a class 1 soil management site. The permit will allow the company to process non-hazardous excess soil waste.
Location details
Site address
320, 334 and 348 Unwin Avenue
Toronto,
ON
Canada
Site location map
The location pin reflects the approximate area where environmental activity is taking place.
View this location on a map opens link in a new windowProponent(s)
GFL Environmental Inc.
85 Vickers Road
Toronto,
ON
M9B 1C1
Canada
Decision details
This application, was for an amendment to increase total storage of excess soil at the site from 100,000 tonnes to 300,000 tonnes. As part of this amendment, the ECA was updated to reflect current standards.
This site is an existing excess soil processing (bioremediation) and transfer site. Storage of soil at the site continues to be outdoors in piles. Pile heights range from 7.5 metres on the south end of the property to 20 metres on the north end of the property.
A 5 metre access laneway is maintained to be kept between the north end pile and the fenceline to allow for inspections and vehicle access, and a containment system is required to be kept along the north end of the property to prevent sediment breaches.
A provision was included in the ECA to require the company to assess their inbound and outbound tonnage whenever site storage reached 260,000 tonnes and to notify the District Manager of their plans to ensure that site tonnage never exceeds the permitted limit of 300,000, as the site had experience tonnage overages in the past.
Effects of consultation
Not applicable, as no public comments were received.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
5775 Yonge Street
Floor 9
Toronto,
ON
M2M 4J1
Canada
40 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 2
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1M2
Canada
How to Appeal
This instrument decision can be appealed. You have 15 days from August 14, 2026 to begin the appeal process.
Carefully review the information below to learn more about the appeal process.
How to appealClick to Expand Accordion
Start the process to appeal
If you’re an Ontario resident, you can start the process to appeal this instrument decision.
First, you’ll need to seek leave (i.e. get permission) from the relevant appellate body to appeal the decision.
If the appellate body grants leave, the appeal itself will follow.
Seek leave to appeal
To seek leave to appeal, you need to do these three things:
- prepare your application
- provide notice to the minister
- mail your application to three parties
1. Prepare your application
You’ll need to prepare an application. You may wish to include the following things in your application:
- A document that includes:
- your name, phone number, fax number (if any), and/or email address
- the ERO number and ministry reference number (located on this page)
- a statement about whether you are a resident in Ontario
- your interest in the decision, and any facts you want taken into account in deciding whether you have an interest in the decision
- the parts of the instrument that you’re challenging
- whether the decision could result in significant harm to the environment
- the reason(s) why you believe that no reasonable person – having regard to the relevant law and to any government policies developed to guide decisions of that kind – could have made the decision
- the grounds (facts) you’ll be using to appeal
- the outcome you’d like to see
- A copy of the instrument (approval, permit, order) that you you are seeking leave to appeal. You’ll find this in the decision notice on the Environmental Registry
- Copies of all supporting documents, facts and evidence that you’ll be using to appeal
What is considered
The appeal body will consider the following two questions in deciding whether to grant you leave to appeal:
- is there is good reason to believe that no reasonable person, with respect to the relevant law and to any government policies developed to guide decisions of that kind, could have made the decision?
- could the decision you wish to appeal result in significant harm to the environment?
2. Provide your notice
You’ll need to provide notice to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks that you’re seeking leave to appeal.
In your notice, please include a brief description of the:
- decision that you wish to appeal
- grounds for granting leave to appeal
You can provide notice by email at minister.mecp@ontario.ca or by mail at:
College Park 5th Floor, 777 Bay St.
Toronto, ON
M7A 2J3
3. Mail your application
You’ll need to mail your application that you prepared in step #1 to each of these three parties:
- appellate body
- issuing authority (the ministry official who issued the instrument)
- proponent (the company or individual to whom the instrument was issued)
GFL Environmental Inc.
85 Vickers Road
Toronto,
ON
M9B 1C1
Canada
Registrar, Ontario Land Tribunal
655 Bay Street, Suite 1500
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 1E5
(416) 212-6349
(866) 448-2248
OLT.Registrar@ontario.ca
Include the following:
This is not legal advice. Please refer to the Environmental Bill of Rights for exact legal requirements. Consult a lawyer if you need help with the appeal process.
Connect with us
Contact
Client Services and Permissions Branch
40 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 2
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1M2
Canada
Original proposal
Proposal details
This proposal is for the amendment of the Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) No. 4410-85LJ85 for the operation of an ex-situ biological treatment facility for non-hazardous petroleum hydrocarbon and volatile organic compound impacted soils at 320, 334 and 348 Unwin Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. The facility effectively destroys or removes petroleum hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds such that these soils will be rehabilitated for re-use at alternative sites.
The average amount of waste soils that is received at the facility for treatment and/or transfer shall not exceed 950,000 tonnes per year based on an annualized average receiving rate of 5,000 tonnes per day, 6 days per week. The amount of contaminated soil received in one day shall not exceed 5,000 tonnes. The site may receive up to 7,000 tonnes of soil per day for up to 10 consecutive days on no more than 90 days per year. There is no change to the annual and daily receiving limits. The sites continue to serve the Province of Ontario.
The proposed amendment includes:
- an increase in the maximum amount of soils in storage and processing at the site from 100,000 tonnes to 300,000 tonnes
- a change to the hours of operation to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for processing activities (screening and soil movement)
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
Comment
Commenting is now closed.
This consultation was open from April 23, 2021
to June 7, 2021
Connect with us
Contact
Client Services and Permissions Branch
40 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 2
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1M2
Canada
Comments received
Through the registry
0By email
0By mail
0