The latest edition of the Brownie Awards, renowned for celebrating excellence in the remediation and redevelopment of brownfield sites, Kingston’s Municipal Excess Soil Management Program was recognized with the “Reprogram” award.
Presented in partnership by the Canadian Brownfields Network (CBN) and Actual Media Inc., this prestigious accolade recognizes Kingston, Ont.’s commitment to sustainable soil management and environmental stewardship through exemplary legislation, policy, and program initiatives.
Proper soil management plays a critical role in community development by significantly reducing costs associated with brownfield clean-ups and enhancing the viability of development lands.
The Kingston Municipal Excess Soil Management Program exemplifies these benefits through its innovative approach to soil reuse and environmental stewardship. The program and infrastructure that Kingston has implemented provides contractors and engineers with an example of how to manage soils from their projects so that brownfield remediation costs can be reduced and so that projects don’t create additional soil quality issues elsewhere.
By implementing rigorous guidelines and regulations under Ontario Regulation 406/19, the Kingston program ensures that soil from construction projects is handled and reused in a manner that protects human health and the environment.
Furthermore, the program contributes to significant cost savings in construction projects. The reuse of construction soils, aggregates, and topsoil reduces the need for new materials, thereby lowering project costs and promoting economic efficiency.
The project team includes the Environment Department, Public Works Department, Engineering Department, Utilities Kingston, Real Estate and Employment Land Sales. The award was presented in November 2023 and was sponsored by Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP, with partner John Georgakopoulos (left) in attendance, along with Kingston’s Brodie Richmond (centre).
Award-winning approach and environmental impact
The Kingston Municipal Excess Soil Management Program operates under the auspices of Ontario Regulation 406/19: On-Site and Excess Soil Management, implemented in December 2019.
This regulation has been pivotal in guiding the program’s practices by establishing clear guidelines and regulations for the handling, transportation, and reuse of excess soil, ensuring that soil management practices align with environmental protection standards, and minimizing risks to human health and ecosystems.
By collaborating closely with developers, contractors, and the local community, Kingston fosters a collaborative environment aimed at promoting best practices and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
“By engaging with multiple stakeholders, we were able to establish innovative partnerships and create standardized classification analyses, tracking documents, and accounting practices to demonstrate significant savings for the Municipality,” stated Brodie Richmond, manager of Environment Operations & Programs at the City of Kingston.
Implementation of rigorous tracking and documentation systems is another cornerstone of the Kingston Municipal Excess Soil Management Program. The system is designed to monitor soil movement from excavation to reuse sites, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the process.
The program’s adherence to stringent regulations and proactive stakeholder engagement has yielded significant environmental benefits. By reusing soil from construction projects, the program diverts substantial volumes of material from landfills, reducing environmental stress and associated greenhouse gas emissions.
For instance, the large-scale beneficial soil reuse site on Venture Drive is projected to divert over 120,000 cubic meters of soil from landfills and prevent approximately 2,700 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over the next three years.
Environmental and economic benefits of soil reuse program
The Excess Soil Management Program reuses soil from city projects, diverting it from landfills and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The large-scale beneficial soil reuse site on Venture Drive will help keep over 120,000 m³ of soil out of landfills and avoid over 2,700 tonnes of GHG emissions over the next three years.
The program’s impact extends beyond environmental benefits. By utilizing city-owned project sites for the beneficial reuse of excess soils generated during infrastructure projects, Kingston has effectively reduced project costs and improved the development readiness and market value of employment land parcels.
The preparation of Lot 446 at 1713 Venture Drive for soil placement has been a significant step in this strategy, involving detailed topographic surveys, archaeological and biological assessments, and tree inventories.
Leadership and vision for sustainable soil management
Peter Huigenbos, commissioner of Business, Environment & Projects, and Brandon Forrest, director of Business, Real Estate & Environment, have been instrumental in the success of this initiative.
Kingston’s approach has set a precedent for other Ontario municipalities, contractors, and engineers, exemplified by establishing a new centralized soil processing site and multiple reuse sites.
The city’s ongoing collaboration with various agencies and organizations in Ontario aims to refine processes in this vital sector.
Kingston’s program stands out due to its comprehensive approach and measurable impact. Unlike similar initiatives in other cities, Kingston has successfully implemented a centralized soil processing site, which has become a model for effective soil management.
This marks the second time the Brownie Awards has recognized the City of Kingston, following a previous award for “Best Overall Project” in 2018.
Looking ahead, the Kingston Municipal Excess Soil Management Program aims to expand its reach and impact.
The city shares plans to develop additional reuse sites and enhance tracking systems to improve transparency and efficiency further. The city also intends to collaborate with other municipalities to share best practices and drive innovation in soil management.
By recognizing the Kingston Municipal Excess Soil Management Program, the Brownie Awards strives to continue to underscore the importance of innovative, sustainable practices in environmental stewardship and brownfield redevelopment.
When asked about the long-term impact of this project on the local community and environment, Richmond explained how the excess soil program will have a lasting impact on the community.
“Diverting soils from out-of-town receiving sites will reduce carbon emissions associated with trucking and help to avoid disposal at regional landfills,” said Richmond. “In addition, our projects will benefit from the re-use of soils on construction sites and can be used to improve employment lands for future development.”
To learn more about the Brownie Awards and nominate recipients for Brownie Awards 2024, click here.
Note: Those who provide nominations by August 30 will be entered into a prize draw!
Reya Shreya Rai is an editorial intern for Environment Journal. She is a writer and a student of Contemporary Journalism at Centennial College.
Featured image credit: Getty Images
