ALTRA | SANEXEN, in partnership with Qikiqtaaluk Environmental, has been awarded the esteemed Brownie Award for their exceptional work in decontaminating multiple high-priority sites across Nunavut. This recognition highlights the company’s 25-year commitment to environmental restoration in Canada’s Arctic region.
For over a quarter-century, ALTRA | SANEXEN and Qikiqtaaluk Environmental have been at the forefront of environmental restoration in the Canadian Arctic, spearheading numerous Federal Site Remediation projects on former Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line and Long-Range Navigation Sites.
These Cold War-era installations, operational from the 1950s through the 1970s, left behind a complex environmental legacy. The sites were marred by widespread contamination, including:
- Abandoned drums of hazardous liquids scattered across vast Arctic landscapes
- Extensive soil and water pollution from hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
- Structures containing asbestos, mercury, and lead-based paint
- Derelict equipment and vehicles posing environmental risks
The project team, from left to right: Catalin Aurel Cenan, Carolyn Alexander, Myriam Cadotte, Harry Flaherty, Jennifer Godin, and Raphaël Gagnon. (Credit: CNW Group/Altra-Sanexen)
Overcoming unprecedented challenges
The project site presented a formidable challenge with its intricate soil contamination profile, featuring a hazardous mix of organic and inorganic compounds, including persistent petroleum hydrocarbons. ALTRA | SANEXEN’s team of environmental experts rose to the occasion, devising a three-pronged remediation strategy: strategic excavation of contaminated soils to the groundwater table, cutting-edge in-situ treatment for petroleum hydrocarbon contamination, innovative risk assessment approach for metal-contaminated soils. This multifaceted solution not only addressed the site’s complex contamination issues but also paved the way for sustainable urban development.
The team’s expertise in addressing these multifaceted challenges in the harsh Arctic environment has been crucial in restoring these ecologically sensitive areas. Their work not only tackles the immediate contamination issues but also contributes to the long-term environmental health and cultural preservation of Canada’s North.
The success of these initiatives underscores the importance of partnerships between industry leaders and local environmental organizations.
Redefining brownfield redevelopment
“This award recognizes the exceptional work of our team and Inuit partners in deploying safe and sustainable remediation approaches over and over again,” said Sean Pierce, president and CEO. “By solving today’s major environmental challenges, we aim to help build resilient societies for the future generations.”
ALTRA | SANEXEN’s win in the 2024 Brownie Awards underscores their position as industry leaders in sustainable remediation. This project serves as a blueprint for future brownfield redevelopments, demonstrating how innovative environmental solutions can unlock the potential of challenging urban sites.
The Brownie Awards recognize the builders, innovators and visionaries who are dedicated to the rehabilitation of brownfield sites that were once contaminated, under-utilized and undeveloped into productive residential and commercial projects that contribute to the growth of healthy communities across Canada.
The award was presented during the Brownie Awards reception on November 18 in Toronto. Founded in 2001 by the Canadian Urban Institute, the awards, presented in partnership by the Canadian Brownfields Network and Actual Media Inc., are an annual celebration recognizing excellence in the remediation and redevelopment of brownfield sites across Canada.
ALTRA | SANEXEN, a member of the LOGISTEC family, is a leading provider of water and environmental solutions for over 40 years.
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