Skyline Builders Co.

Ecoworld Consultancy
Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

TEC – 7001 SITE ASSESSSMNET AND

REPORTING

PHASE ONE ESA REPORT 2020 – MANOTICK NORTH

GOWER, OTTAWA

SUBMITTED TO – PAMELA BTYANT

SUBMITTED BY – LIZA JOHNSON (A00217670)
HEBA JOSEPH (A00217671)

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

Contents
1.INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................3
2. SCOPE OF INVESTIGATION............................................................................................................6
3. RECORD REVIEW..............................................................................................................................6
4. INTERVIEW.........................................................................................................................................9
5. SITE VISIT......................................................................................................................................10
6. REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF FINDINGS..............................................................................13
7. CONCLUSION AND RECOMENDATION.....................................................................................16
8. CLOSURE............................................................................................................................................17
10. APPENDIX........................................................................................................................................18

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

1.INTRODUCTION
 

Eco world Consultancy was employed by Skyline Builders Co. to conduct a phase I Environmental Site
Assessment for the property located at 2237 Callendor Rd, North Gower, Ottawa, Ontario which will be
here after referred as Site or Phase I property.  The site map along with the location and feature are shown
in Figure 1. The phase I property is located at the east side of the Rideau river. Between the river and the
site there is a conservation area. Precisely the location of the phase I property is at the southern side of the
intersection of the church street and fourth line road. The location is approximately 4 km from the
Veterans Memorial Highway.  The consultancy was hired to provide evaluation of any potential hazard or
contamination to redevelop the site into a residential property.

1.1 Phase I Property Information

The goal of phase I ESA was to identify any practices at the site which might have resulted in a
potential environmental risk. It is carried out as per the information that has been able to
retrieve. It was completed with respect to the O. Reg 153/04 to determine the contaminant
present at the site.

Table 1- Phase I Property Information

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

Municipal Address 2237 Callendor Rd, North Gower, ON K0A 2T0

UTM 17, Northing 45.10744953476835, -Easting

75.67674484612877

Area 1 Ha (2.47 acre)

Owner Brad Haines

Client Skyline Builders Co.

34, Ethelbert St

Ottawa, Ontario

789-615-1234

[email protected]

Property Identification 0151-876259

Number

Legal Description: Bluff 20, Concession 1 TRAF NDS, part 1

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

1.2 Site Description

 The property is located 2273, Callendor Rd of North Gower in Ottawa, Ontario. The site is in the
southern intersection of Church street and Fourth Line road towards the eastern side of the rideau river
with an area of 1 Ha. The site is roughly rectangular in shape and is currently unused agricultural land.
The access to the site is through the Veterans Memorial Highway and through Fourth Line road. The area
surrounding the site is mostly used for vegetative farming purposes. The property comes under
agricultural land use according to the O. Reg 153/04.

1.3 Buildings

The property consists of two storeys building with an area of 900 square feet with a basement
mostly used for storing pesticides, chemicals, fertilizers that are common aid in agriculture. For
the irrigation purposes, a bore well is situated within the boundary of the site.

1.4 Purpose of Investigation

The site has been used for agricultural purposes for a long period of time and the storage room is
subjected as a major suspect for environmental hazards. The farming equipment, along with
various aerosol, herbicides, pesticides are stored within this closed building since the early
commencement of farming. This has high chances of pollutants on-site as well as contamination
of groundwater. All of these triggered the need for a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment. 

The main objective of the ESA was as followed:

1. To determine the environmental conditions of the property

2. Identify potential environmental contaminants within the study area
3. If any contaminant present, then to identify consequences of contaminant that is resulted
on the environment. 

Land use
It is presently used for agricultural processes, for a period of 6 months the site was not used

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

for any farming practises as it was being cleared out for being used as a residential centre.
The future land use purpose is mainly for creating residential arenas for the skyline group. 

2. SCOPE OF INVESTIGATION

The scope of work for the Phase One ESA consisted of the following tasks:

1. Review of historical information such as the previous environmental reports regarding the site,
site operating records, fire insurance plan, aerial photography, chain of title etc.
2. Review of aerial photograph and map that is accessible mainly from the provincial or federal
archives.
3. Review of federal and provincial databases.
4. Interviews with knowledgeable site representative
5. Site reconnaissance
6.  On-site observation of the site for topography, geology, site contamination.
7. Inspection of the property and identifying actual contaminants within the study area.
8.  Evaluation of information from record reviews, interviews, and site reconnaissance. 

During this phase, the details of the site and the contaminant source within the study area are discussed,
sampling of soil and groundwater is not a part of Phase I analysis. 

3. RECORD REVIEW 

3.1 Phase One Study Area Determination

The study area for the Phase One ESA was located within the properties at 250m radius of the site. As the
site was used solely for agricultural purposes, it was determined that a 250m study area around the
property boundary was sufficient to identify issues of potential environmental hazard related with the site.
It was also decided based on Ecoworld’s review of the historical and current farming practises performed
in the land.

3.2 First Developed Use Determination

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

The first usage of the property was based on the review of the land ownership database of the province
(city directory). Review of historical records and aerial photography depicted that the Phase One Property
was initially owned by Middleton family till 1990, it was later transferred and sold to different families
till early 2000’s. Later, it was passed down to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment due to
the presence of a highly sensitive conservation area in the near vicinity. The federal authorities
implemented necessary safety measures during the year 2005 and sold the site during an auction. Since
2006, the site has been under the current owner and the agricultural practises were resumed.

3.3 Aerial Photographs  

Date  Phase I property Surrounding properties 

1990 The site was empty and was used for The surrounding areas are used for agricultural
agricultural purposes. No residential uses. The southern side of the property near
features were seen. Underdeveloped fourth church street and eastern side near rideau river
line road was present was completely used for farming. 

1999 The site was similar to that of 1990.  Development of the surrounding agricultural land
in the northern region to Hillcrest tree farm.
Development of a Baxter conservation area in the
eastern side near the river.

2006 The phase I site was like 1999 and 1990.  Development of small commercial shops near to
New driveways were able to be seen near the phase I property. Changes to the Veterans
the property. Memorial Highway were found. 

2012 The site was like 1990, 1999 and 2006.  New residential buildings were seen in the
Church St.

2020 The site is still used for agricultural New shops and buildings were developed in the
purposes.  nearby areas. 

3.4 Fire Insurance Plans

These procedures were first implemented in Canada during the late 1880’s until the 1970’s for urban
communities. This provides a document with detailed information about the materials and potential risk
of fire in the existing storage building. Ecoworld analysed information and records available with the help

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

of Environmental Risk Information Services. Fire insurance plan were searched through online and
published resources for the property, no insurance inspection reports or FIP’s were found for the
property. 

3.5 Chain of Title

The chain of title for the Phase One Property was as followed:
1. Transfer of the plot from the crown ownership to private land ownership (middleton family)
occurred in late 1980’s
2. The property was owned by various individual landowners between 1990 and 2006.
3. In 2006, the ownership of the property was transferred from logewood family to the current
owner. 
4. Since 2006 to the present day the ownership of the site is in the name of Brad Haines. 

Owner’s name  Date of ownership

Ministry of Environment  Late 1980’s

Middleton family  1990s to 1995

William Vaz 1995 to mid 1997

Kaityln Trembley August 1997 to February 2000

Emma Sanders Early 2000 to September 2003

Luna Logewood September 2003 to July 2006

Brad Haines July 2006 to present.

3.6 Previous Environmental Reports

Phase I ESA Report 2006 conducted by blumetric environmental consultancy.

 The findings of the ESA report indicate that the property was used for agricultural purposes since
1970.
 In 1975, no cultivation of farming was found in the property and it was found to be vacant. 

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 In the photographs collected in the year of 1980, the land was used for farming again.
 The site investigations conducted as part of the ESA identified the usage and storage of
pesticides, herbicides, chemicals, and fertilizers in the property. 
 Contamination of the water and soil was found off-site in the ESA conducted in 2006.
 The potential contaminants triggered the need to conduct a phase II ESA for the property. 

Further analysis and finding were obtained from the Phase II ESA conducted by the blumetric
consultancy. Remediations were suggested and performed to reduce the exceedance limit and
environmental contamination.

 4. INTERVIEW
Ecoworld consultancy conducted an interview with the owner of the property i.e Brad Haines, he is also
mentioned as the site representative, he was interviewed to discuss information about the historical and
current activities carried out on the site. The site representative was interviewed as the current owner of
the property. Interview was conducted by the qualified person, Hazel Lalonde, she is the project manager
of the ecoworld consultancy.
The details of the interview are provided below:

Interviewed  Brad Haines

Date April 2020

Location of interview Online platform 

Method of interview Zoom call, e-mail.

Reason for selection Brad haines is the only owner who has remained with the property for a
considerable period of time

Assessment of the Shares entire knowledge about the site and its storage mechanism.
information

Relevant information The information discussed in the interview are:

 Site has been major agricultural source.
 The property has always been used for farming
 The property was never used for any industrial operation or
maintenance. 
 Presence of spillage of chemical, pesticide in the storage room which

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could have resulted in the contaminating the soil

There are no other suitable individuals who have enough knowledge about the property as they were just
owners for a very short period. According to the interview, potential contaminating activities are found
within the study area and it is conveyed clearly.

5. SITE VISIT

5.1 Description 

The site visit to the phase I property was conducted by Ecoworld consultancy under the expertise
of Hazel Lalond the (qualified person), Samantha Lancaster who is the project manager, and
Abraham John on 12, February 2020. The aim of the visit was to understand potential
environmental concerns associated with the phase I property and the surroundings and to
determine the major receptors and pathways of the contaminants in interest. The weather
condition during the site visit was windy with -3-degree Celsius. The access ways to the property
and the adjacent buildings and structure were observed.

5.2 Observation at Phase One Property

It includes visiting the site and walking through the property, noticing each feature present within the
study area. During the visit each property present is noted down along with their pictures. 

5.2.1 Site description and buildings.

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

Topic Observation Source

Building - The storage building is multiple storeys with a basement. Site observation 
Interior In the basement the fertilizers, pesticides, artificial
vegetative agents, chemical solutions are placed.

Building - It is made up of plywood which has crack openings in Site observation

Exterior various parts. There is no major renovations or
improvement within the building since the construction
had been completed

Building 900 square feet

Area

Description The topography of the site is that it has a slight elevation Site observation,
of the site towards the east side. It includes a small stream which is site representative,
the branch of the nearby rideau river. Entire area is aerial photograph.
covered with rich fertile soil predominantly laterite.
During the visit there was no cultivation taking place.
The bedrock comprised of gneiss and granite

Ottawa Geological
Survey, Open File
D1254,7893

Borewel A 6 inch borewell was present within the study area for Site observation,
irrigation purposes. Well maintained and monitored as it site representative
has the water sampling date written on it

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

Exit and Gateways are observed in all the direction, unpaved road Site observation
Entrance  is present which is useful for transportation

5.3 Pesticides and Fertilizers

The phase I property has been used for agricultural purposes since 1960. The site contains a
structure which is built to keep the equipment and for the storage of pesticides, chemicals,
herbicides and fertilizers. In the site visit, presence of pesticides and fertilizers were identified in
the building. 

5.4 Storage Tanks

Storage tanks were found in the site visit to the property and were identified in the basement of
the building. The pesticides were found in a place where it should not be stored because the
mixing of pesticides with water results in increased chances of spills. These factors increased the
potential concern regarding the environment and ecosystem.

5.5 Wells 
Borehole well is present to provide water for irrigation, however it is not safe for
consuming. Due to the leaching of pesticides and fertilizers the groundwater in this
region is contaminated. To some extent, the nearby Rideau river is also prone for
pollutants. 

5.6 Spills

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

In the phase I property, several areas of spills were observed in the basement where the
pesticides and fertilizers were stored. It is a major source for the contamination of the
groundwater, and it triggers the phase II ESA. 

6. REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF FINDINGS

6.1 Current and Past Uses

The table below depicted the current and past uses of the Phase One Property

Year Owner Use of property Other observations

1990s-1995 Middletone Agriculture City records

1995-1997 William Vaz Agriculture and -

storage

1997-2000 Kaitlyn Agriculture and Aerial photographs 

Trembley storage

2000-2003 Emma Sanders  Agriculture and Aerial photograph and provincial

storage database

2003-2006 Luna Agricultural  Survey

Logewood 

2006 - Brad Haines Agricultural Aerial Photograph

present

6.2 Potentially Contaminating Activities

The site evaluation and assessment of the property resulted in the identification of the potentially
contaminating activities which are:

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

 The storage of pesticides such as glyphosate, acephate, malathion and fertilizers like urea,
calcium nitrate, etc. in the basement of the property in Ottawa. 
 The spills of the chemicals and fertilizers used and stored in the basement to the ground
water and soil.
 The large-scale use and storage of pesticides i.e., around 120 kg of pesticides and
fertilizers were found from the property and has an adverse effect on the water sources
which include the borewell and water bodies near to the phase I site. 
The above-mentioned concerns are identified by the Ecoworld consultancy during the site
reconnaissance. In the phase I ESA conducted no contamination was found on-site. At the same
time, some of the parameters which showed no exceedance with the standard limits are
exceeding in the ESA conducted in 2020. 

6.3 Conceptual Site Model

6.3.1 Physical setting

Phase One property has a smooth topography. By the review of Aerial photographs taken on the
topographic map it was denoted that the Phase One property lies at an elevation of 120mASL.
The groundwater flow direction related to topographic features; information gained from other
sites in the area. along with the western part of the site there is a downward flowing creek. The
soil includes the top oil which is generally very fertile and made up of black soil followed by
clayey silt. The bedrock anticipated is mostly made up of gneiss and granite. The review of
historical data indicated the presence of borewell which is used to draw water for irrigation. 

6.3.2 Areas of Natural Significance.

Rideau river is located approximately 4km east of the phase on property and flows to south east
of Ottawa and joins with other rivers. There is conservative hotspot very near the river. A small

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

part of the river flows through the study area which later got dried up. Regional groundwater
flow is anticipated to flow west towards the rideau river.

6.3.3 Source and Areas of Contamination 

The ESA done by the Ecoworld consultancy evaluated and analysed the agricultural site in
Ottawa, the results of the site visit indicated the potential concerns prevailing in the region of
phase I property. The review of the records of the historic information indicated that the site was
used for only agricultural purposes since 1960. The review of all the environmental reports
suggests that there was a risk of contamination of soil and groundwater due to the storage of
pesticides and fertilizers in the site. But the contamination was found to be off-site on the
property. But the study was conducted in February of 2020 identified the potential environmental
concern activities from within the phase I site. It includes the bulk storage of chemicals in the
basement. Spill caused the chemical to move to soil and water through pathways. The high
amount of lead and arsenic are released to the soil and is identified from the lab results
conducted from the samples collected from the site. The level of organic contents present in the
soil are exceeding the standards of ministry of environment. The previous ESA study conducted
showed lower levels of contaminants in the soil, but the current ESA shows that the limits of
those contaminants have increased. 
The contamination of the site will eventually lead to the contamination of the ground and surface
water which has the capacity to pollute the nearby rideau river which is located 5 km east to the

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

phase I site. The groundwater flow will pollute the nearby water wells and adversely affect the
community. 

7. CONCLUSION AND RECOMENDATION

The potential environmental concerns identified on the site is associated with the improper
management of pesticides, fertilizers, chemical compounds there are higher chances for
subsurface impacts at the site. Presence of a potential source of contaminant within the study
area triggers the need for higher assessment. Due to this a Phase Two ESA is recommended
which will assess the impact of pesticides on soil and groundwater quality. 

8. CLOSURE
This report was prepared for the exclusive use of Skyline Builders and it is intended to provide
Phase One ESA on the Site located at 2237 Challendor rd, North Gower, in Ottawa. The report
is based on the data and information collected during the Phase One ESA of the property
conducted by Ecoworld Consultancy. It is solely based on the data collected from the site on 12th
February 2020. It is supported by historic data and records obtained by Ecoworld by various
sources.

9. REFERENCES

1. Google Earth,
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rideau+Valley+Soaring+School/@45.1074204,-
75.6569407,2432m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m13!1m7!3m6!
1s0x4ccde9188f997609:0x5894e51a0179ad35!2s2237+Callendor+Rd,+North+Gower,

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

+ON+K0A+2T0!3b1!8m2!3d45.1070939!4d-75.6768279!3m4!
1s0x4ccde9b6f260ff09:0xf689ac73ed763f65!8m2!3d45.1051294!4d-75.6237432
2. Ontario Regulation, https://www.ontario.ca/page/guide-completing-phase-one-
environmental-site-assessments-under-ontario-regulation-15304
3. Geological Survey of Canada, 2008
4. Phase one Environmental Site Assessment, Agricultural and Residential Property,
https://www.burlington.ca/en/services-for-
you/resources/Planning_and_Development/Current_Development_Projects/Ward_6/Ever
green_Community/NEW-Phase-1-ESA.pdf
5.  Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks,
https://www.lrcsde.lrc.gov.on.ca/BFISWebPublic/pub/searchFiledRsc_search?
request_locale=en
6.

10. APPENDIX

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Phase One Environmental Site Assessment

Figure1. Map of the ESA Phase One Property

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