Victoria Harbour cleanup contract awarded to Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc.

VICTORIA, Nov. 2, 2017 /CNW/ - A healthy seabed is essential for the survival of marine wildlife as it is an important source of food. This health is threatened by the presence of persistent contaminants that don't break down and remain in the environment, threatening the marine food web.  

Today, the Government of Canada today awarded a $5,343,787.94 contract to Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc. to restore the environmental health of Victoria's Middle Harbour sea bed by removing hazardous chemicals in sediments found in Transport Canada-owned harbour near the Laurel Point Park.?

The cleanup work will begin in November 2017 and is expected to be completed by January 2018. This involves dredging of contaminated sediment, and transporting the sediment by barge to an approved facility for treatment and disposal. The harbour bed will be backfilled with clean material.

The project will be closely monitored by Transport Canada to ensure the safety of workers and the community. Sediment and water quality will be monitored throughout the project to ensure that cleanup objectives are met and that the dredging activities do not have a negative impact on the surrounding environment. For the public's safety, sections of the lower David Foster Pathway at Laurel Point Park may be closed, but the upper pathway will remain open for the duration of the project.

The Victoria Middle Harbour Remediation Project is funded through the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan, which is coordinated by Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, and provides funding to assess and remediate federal contaminated sites.

Quick Facts

• A paint factory occupied Laurel Point (beside the Inn at Laurel Point) from 1906 until the mid-1970s. Factory operations caused damage to the sediments surrounding Laurel Point Park. 
• The dredging work will consist of removing 1200m³ of contaminated sediment from the sea bed. That's equivalent to 1.2 million litres!

Quote

"Undertaking the remediation of Victoria's Middle Harbour demonstrates our government's ongoing commitment to cleaning up contaminated sites and protecting the marine environment.This work is important for the well-being of the marine wildlife that call Victoria Harbour their home and feeding ground."

The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport

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SOURCE Transport Canada