Former Budd Canada Site | Kitchener, Ontario
Services
Project Value
$2,000,000
Project Overview
MTE was retained to assist our client with obtaining multiple Records of Site Condition for the redevelopment of the former Budd Canada plant. As part of demolition, site preparation and redevelopment activities, our team provided expertise in site engineering design, construction tendering, structural demolition, environmental and infrastructure decommissioning and other disciplines as required by the developer. As a result, we’ve been able to produce a comprehensive remediation plan for the 80-acre site, which minimizes future costs by eliminating the need for ongoing assessments and has allowed for Records of Site Condition to be filled, opening up the doors to redevelopment.
The facility was first constructed in 1967 and its function remained largely the same as a manufacturer of automotive frame assemblies until it closed in 2008. Given the historical use of the site, an assessment of possible environmental contamination and subsequent remediation was necessary to meet provincial requirements and obtain municipal approval for re-development.
Our team approached the challenge of the site’s size by assessing the property as separate parcels identified by their redevelopment plans as parkland, industrial, commercial and stormwater management plots.
MTE’s Involvement
Initially, our team conducted a Phase One Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) of each parcel including a review of records, and conducting site visits and interviews. Our investigation identified several areas of potential environmental concern related to the past use of the property and surrounding areas, prompting Phase Two ESAs to further examine site conditions.
As part of our Phase Two ESAs, MTE evaluated concrete and masonry building materials to determine suitability for re-use as part of the redevelopment. Contamination in concrete was identified and in an effort to beneficially re-use the materials, our team produced a remediation plan. Developed in concert with the Risk Assessments (RAs), our strategy established procedures for handling and placing material during redevelopment. The constructive reuse of significant volumes of concrete on-site as structural fill prevented both import of clean fill and the unnecessary trucking of concrete to landfill, including the associated depletion of landfilling capacity and production of greenhouse gases from trucking.
Additionally, through the RAs we prescribed a risk management measure for vapour mitigation in alignment with the future development plans. Our team found that by implementing specific requirements related to building construction, more onerous vapour mitigation techniques could be avoided while maintaining the safety of occupants. Of significant note, once our solution is implemented, ongoing assessment and monitoring after re-development is not required, a key benefit to the client.
In addition to completing the RAs, MTE was integral to the decommissioning of historical plant infrastructure including underground storage tanks, wastewater treatment systems, pits and the former wastewater lagoon. Our team’s remedial solution involved various techniques such as soil excavation with off-site disposal as well as hard capping in areas where the soil contains low levels of impact.
With multiple ESAs and RAs complete and Records of Site Condition acknowledged, the site now meets the municipality’s requirement for subdivision and re-development of significant employment lands in the City of Kitchener.
