Vancouver

Case Study: Digging into Environmental Law, Regulations, and Enforcement in Land (Re) Development!

Our firm’s environmental lawyers help our clients (re)develop land in various contexts. This work gives rise to a range of environmental law issues that our lawyers assist to resolve along with essential technical input from environmental consultants and contractors.
Common issues include:

1. Contamination in soil, groundwater, and vapour;
2. Hazardous materials and designated substances;
3. Flood zones protection including top-of-slope and tree driplines;
4. Species-at-risk;
5. Excess soil; and
6. Environmental enforcement.

The objective of this legal case study is to better equip conference attendees to spot issues that may give rise to concern when working on construction and land (re)development projects including when carrying out environmental investigations, excavations, and remediation. Our lawyers will canvass these issues at a high-level and with the objective of making attendees more aware of the complex web of environmental-related issues and laws when encountered in projects.

Enhancing Heavy Metal Removal using Novel Media Solutions

This presentation introduces advanced treatment methodologies for the removal of heavy metals, specifically focusing on arsenic, lead, uranium and mercury. These metals, commonly encountered in Canada’s heavy industrial sectors like oil&gas and mining, present considerable environmental challenges and have high toxicity at low concentration when found in industrial waste water, groundwater aquifer and soils.

Capabilities of the Cleanit media, a novel iron based media that efficiently removes lead and arsenic via adsorption and precipitation processes will be presented. The effectiveness of Cleanit-LC in removing toxic heavy metals to meet ultra-low discharge limits was demonstrated, showcasing its potential to significantly reduce environmental impact without altering pH levels, thus promoting cleaner industrial practices at a much lower cost than specialized ion exchange resin.

The second part will cover the ChemSorb ML, an innovative and versatile amendment for mercury removal. ChemSorb ML chemically binds various forms of mercury—including elemental, ionic, and methylmercury—achieving reductions of leachable mercury by over 99% and lowering concentrations to parts-per-trillion levels, making it an effective solution for stringent compliance requirements.

The document concludes with case studies presentation and performance data that illustrate the practical applications and benefits of these media in real-world scenarios, underscoring their effectiveness in reducing operational costs and enhancing compliance with environmental regulations.

Overview of CSAP Document: Groundwater Plume Stability Assessment Methods

This presentation will be an overview of the CSAP (Society of Contaminated Sites Approved Professionals of British Columbia) document Groundwater Plume Stability Assessment Methods. The presentation will include detailed examples illustrative of the content of the document located here. The following is a description of the CSAP document. 

Plume trend analysis can be a component of a screening level risk assessment or a detailed human health and ecological risk assessment in accordance with the framework established by the British Columbia (BC) Contaminated Sites Regulation (BC Reg. 375/96). In accordance with the regulation, practitioners must demonstrate that groundwater contaminant plumes are stable or decreasing before proceeding with risk assessment. Plume stability and trend analysis may also be a component of a performance verification plan associated with a Certificate of Compliance.

The purpose of the review document was to provide practitioners with a summary of various plume stability assessment techniques, considerations for conducting a plume stability assessment and examples of plume stability applications. The intended audience for this document is the CSAP Society and contaminated sites practitioners.

In addition to presenting an overview of data considerations and methods for plume stability analysis, two case studies for whole plume stability analysis from the above referenced document will be presented. The first case study is a petroleum hydrocarbon site impacted primarily by benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX). The second case study is a chlorinated solvent site impacted primarily by chlorinated ethenes.

Design Considerations and Implementation Techniques for In Situ PFAS Sequestration Using Modified Clay

Traditional in situ PFAS treatment has relied heavily on colloidal activated carbon (CAC) and pump-and-treat systems, but CAC often struggles to capture the full PFAS mass due to limited sorption capacity, mobility constraints, and distribution challenges in certain soils. These limitations can hinder effective permeable reactive barrier (PRB) performance. Recent pilot programs have demonstrated that a modified clay (MC) — FluoroSorb®, an organically modified bentonite — can be injected into overburden to effectively sequester PFAS, offering higher sorption capacity and stability within the subsurface.

Independent testing has shown the MC to exhibit strong sorption kinetics and capacity across a wide PFAS concentration range, with compatibility alongside other remedial amendments. Bench-scale evaluations compared performance against ion exchange resin, granular activated carbon, and biochar, and also assessed competitive sorption in the presence of chlorinated VOCs and petroleum hydrocarbons. Relevant kinetics and co-contaminant performance data will be presented.

Field deployments in both the U.S. and Canada verified injectability and distribution of MC for source-area treatment and PFAS plume interception using direct-push injection. Multiple slurry densities were evaluated to match amendment mass to PFAS loading, including co-injection with calcium polysulfide for simultaneous PFAS and hexavalent chromium treatment. A Canadian PRB installation has been monitored for more than a year under continued upgradient PFAS loading, with groundwater results and dye-assisted soil coring confirming amendment distribution, sequestration performance, and durability in situ.

AI and Remediation: Smarter tools, Greater Efficiency, Broader Impact

The environmental industry is undergoing a generational shift as Artificial Intelligence (AI) moves from concept to practical application. Traditionally, environmental decision-making has relied heavily on numerical data and expert interpretation. Today, advances in Generative AI (GenAI) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) are revolutionizing how we analyze vast amounts of data and text. As environmental challenges and remediation needs grow in complexity, the ability to rapidly and precisely synthesize and interpret large volumes of information becomes increasingly critical.

This presentation will showcase real-world case studies where AI has streamlined workflows, processed thousands of records, and supported clients in making more informed decisions using GenAI. By shifting from manual review to intelligent automation, we can reduce time-to-decision, improve transparency, and strengthen the evidence base. Imagine moving from reviewing individual well logs to leveraging AI that scrapes, analyzes, and synthesizes entire datasets – scaling insights from site-specific models to thousands of comparable records. Questions – such as whether a detected concentration reflects background conditions or is attributed to a particular source – can now be explored through AI-driven lines of evidence in minutes, not hours.

Looking ahead, the integration of GenAI with geospatial data, sensor networks, and predictive modeling will enable multimodal AI pipelines with transformative potential. These innovations promise to accelerate remediation, enhance risk assessment, and unlock new possibilities for environmental stewardship. The future of remediation is here – are you ready?

FCSAP Phase V (2025 to 2030) Demand Forecast

The Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) started in 2005. Its objective is to reduce risks to the environment and human health from federal contaminated sites and associated federal financial liabilities, focusing on the highest priority sites. Since 2005, the Government of Canada has approved $7.18 billion in funding for the program, including $1.48 billion in Budget 2024 for Phase V (2025 to 2030).

FCSAP helps federal departments, agencies, and consolidated Crown corporations (together called custodians) that are responsible for federal contaminated sites to assess, remediate or put in place measures to reduce risks. These actions reduce risks to the environment and to human health. The cost of managing the sites is shared between FCSAP and the custodians.

The focus of FCSAP has changed over time to increase the effectiveness of the program and support government priorities. The program supports several government priorities including building safer, healthier communities, advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and responsible fiscal management.

In FCSAP Phase V (2025 to 2030), custodians will continue to address the highest risk sites, as well of other sites in areas where Indigenous Peoples, racialized, and low-income Canadians live. In Phase IV (2019-2024), the program eligibility expanded to allow more sites to be addressed that may impact Indigenous Peoples living on reserves or in Northern communities.

This presentation will be short, with an opportunity for industry to engage at the PSPC booth.

The Roller Coaster Ride of Unexpected: How We Investigate, Prepare, and Adapt

A real-world case study where an unforeseen technical challenge (“nightmare”) jeopardizes a mixed-use commercial-residential development. Despite thorough due diligence, a surprise emerged, requiring immediate disclosure to the client. The case will explore how stakeholders (client, lenders, JV partners) responded, and how the team worked to resolve the issue, protect the project, and preserve key relationships.

This case study follows a major mixed-use redevelopment in mid-town Toronto where extensive due diligence and pre-construction investigation suggested contamination risks were well understood and confined above the planned underground parking depths. With numerous historic assessments — including drilling constraints beneath former buildings — all available data indicated impacts would be fully removed during excavation, allowing a clean Record of Site Condition (RSC) to be achieved within the development schedule.

After excavation and removal of all known impacts, confirmatory testing indicated soil met Table 3 Standards; however, cis-1,2-DCE unexpectedly appeared in deeper groundwater near a former dry cleaner location. This unforeseen finding threatened both the RSC timeline and project delivery, requiring immediate communication with the client and stakeholders, and rapid reassessment of the remediation strategy.

Two options emerged — active remediation during construction, or a risk-based pathway. Given construction constraints and strict occupancy deadlines, the team pivoted to pursue a Modified Generic Risk Assessment (MGRA) while simultaneously preparing Tier 3 contingency work, ensuring the ability to shift quickly depending on MECP direction.

The project highlights the importance of planning for uncertainty, clear client communication, and maintaining parallel technical pathways when contamination emerges late in the process. Through proactive engagement with regulators and flexible strategy development, the goal remains unchanged: secure an RSC in time for occupancy, preserve stakeholder confidence, and deliver a successful redevelopment despite the unexpected.

The Roller Coaster Ride of Unexpected: How We Investigate, Prepare, and Adapt

A real-world case study where an unforeseen technical challenge (“nightmare”) jeopardizes a mixed-use commercial-residential development. Despite thorough due diligence, a surprise emerged, requiring immediate disclosure to the client. The case will explore how stakeholders (client, lenders, JV partners) responded, and how the team worked to resolve the issue, protect the project, and preserve key relationships.

This case study follows a major mixed-use redevelopment in mid-town Toronto where extensive due diligence and pre-construction investigation suggested contamination risks were well understood and confined above the planned underground parking depths. With numerous historic assessments — including drilling constraints beneath former buildings — all available data indicated impacts would be fully removed during excavation, allowing a clean Record of Site Condition (RSC) to be achieved within the development schedule.

After excavation and removal of all known impacts, confirmatory testing indicated soil met Table 3 Standards; however, cis-1,2-DCE unexpectedly appeared in deeper groundwater near a former dry cleaner location. This unforeseen finding threatened both the RSC timeline and project delivery, requiring immediate communication with the client and stakeholders, and rapid reassessment of the remediation strategy.

Two options emerged — active remediation during construction, or a risk-based pathway. Given construction constraints and strict occupancy deadlines, the team pivoted to pursue a Modified Generic Risk Assessment (MGRA) while simultaneously preparing Tier 3 contingency work, ensuring the ability to shift quickly depending on MECP direction.

The project highlights the importance of planning for uncertainty, clear client communication, and maintaining parallel technical pathways when contamination emerges late in the process. Through proactive engagement with regulators and flexible strategy development, the goal remains unchanged: secure an RSC in time for occupancy, preserve stakeholder confidence, and deliver a successful redevelopment despite the unexpected.

Bench More, Sweat Less: Case studies using bench-scale testing to expose hidden issues, refine remedial options, and improve budgeting.

Bench-scale treatability testing can reduce remedial risk—provided it is informed by the right site data. Too often, projects move from Stage 2 PSI and DSI delineation into remedial design with key assumptions untested, resulting in late-stage changes, schedule impacts, and cost overruns.

This presentation highlights practical case studies where targeted bench-scale testing using site soil and groundwater samples strengthened remedial decisions and improved field outcomes. Examples show how bench results clarified viable treatment options, narrowed design ranges, and supported more defensible remedial timelines and cost estimates.

PFAS Stabilization: Comprehensive Bench Scale Evaluation of Amendments, Dosage, and Binders

Due to the persistence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment and the changing regulatory framework, remediation of PFAS contaminated sites is complex and challenging. Soil stabilization and solidification are generally effective remedial approaches to managing PFAS contamination in soil. However, it remains a challenge to select optimal amendments and dosing to cost-effectively achieve desired outcomes. Although bench-scale tests have been performed for a variety of soil amendments, there were gaps in the available data due to test limitations. To this end, a bench scale study was conducted on behalf of the Department of National Defence (DND) to provide a more comprehensive, comparative review of amendment efficacy by evaluating a combination of stabilizers and binders.

The study was conducted to help inform remediation planning at a DND site with aqueous film forming foam (AFFF)-impacted soil. Bench scale testing was conducted on soil collected from the site. The study included three stabilizers (proprietary and generic) at four dose percentages (0.2 %, 0.5%, 1%, and 2.0 % dry weight) either with or without binder for a total of 26 mixes including control samples. The study was designed to report a four-point (plus unamended reference) dose response relationship for each mix and be consistent with the minimum testing regime for similar peer-reviewed published studies. The testing regime included compaction, hydraulic conductivity testing, geotechnical analyses, USEPA Leaching Environmental Assessment Framework (LEAF) 1314 and 1315, low-level liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LLLCMS), total oxidizable precursor assay (TOPA), and Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP) for comparison to LEAF methods. This study is one of the most comprehensive studies of PFAS amendments and testing methodologies to date.

The results informed the following testing objectives: 1) relative performance of proprietary and non-proprietary amendments at varying does; 2) dosage/quantity of amendment required to meet site-specific remediation targets; 3) effectiveness of binders to enhance stabilization performance; and 4) comparison of leaching methods. Additionally, the geotechnical and hydraulic conductivity data was used to interpret leaching results and was also assessed for potential field-scale quality control, and TOPA data was assessed to determine amendment activity with respect to precursors.

Study results provide a significant contribution to the PFAS soil amendment efficacy literature that can assist practitioners in decision-making with respect to amendments, leaching/analytical approaches and implications, and field implementation. Use of amendments to mitigate PFAS contamination represents a sustainable option that reduces soil landfilling and minimizes transportation related emissions. With the reported dose response relationships and other available literature, practitioners may avoid or reduce project specific bench scale studies which would represent a significant cost savings.

Economic Outlook Panel

Economic Outlook Panel

Economic Outlook Panel