Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan: results for Phase III
The Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) is delivered in phases. This report summarizes the results for Phase III (2016-2017 to 2019-2020).
About the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan
There are thousands of contaminated sites in Canada, many of them located on lands owned or leased by the federal government or where the federal government has accepted responsibility for the contamination. These are known as “federal contaminated sites”. Often, the contamination comes from historical activities that occurred when environmental consequences were not well understood and when policies and laws to reduce the risk of creating new contamination did not exist.
Federal contaminated sites contain substances in quantities that may be dangerous to human health and the environment. Recognizing the importance of cleaning up these sites and protecting the human health and natural environment of Canadians, the Government of Canada established the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) in 2005.
FCSAP is a federal program that provides funding to government departments, agencies and consolidated Crown corporations (known as custodians) to assess, remediate and risk manage the contaminated sites for which they are responsible. Through FCSAP, more than 8,200 sites have been assessed to understand the source and magnitude of contamination and over 1,600 sites have been remediated/risk managed to remove or block exposure to contamination.
Examples of FCSAP-funded contaminated sites
- Harbours (former industrial uses)
- Protected heritage areas, such as national parks, national historic sites and national marine protected areas (former waste disposal sites, fuel storage sites and pre-park activities)
- Lighthouse stations (contaminated by lead paint and mercury)
- Military bases (firing ranges and training facilities)
- First Nations reserves (former sawmills and fuel storage areas)
Benefits of FCSAP
Human and environmental health
Addresses federal contaminated sites to safeguard the health of ecosystems and of Canadians.
Innovation
Promotes the development of new technologies by sharing innovative remediation solutions and scientific knowledge with the federal community and private sector.
Social and economic
Creates jobs and supports skills development, including in Indigenous communities and in northern and rural areas.
In Phase III, it is estimated that 8,600 jobs were created or maintained in the waste management and remediation industry through FCSAP.
Overview of FCSAP’s assessment and remediation/risk management work across Canada
Long description
This figure shows the number of sites that had assessment work and the number of sites that had remediation/risk management work conducted in each province or territory of Canada, in Phase III.
- Alberta: 83 sites with assessment and 59 sites with remediation/risk management
- British Columbia: 226 sites with assessment and 198 sites with remediation/risk management
- Manitoba: 74 sites with assessment and 46 sites with remediation/risk management
- New Brunswick: 22 sites with assessment and 38 sites with remediation/risk management
- Newfoundland and Labrador: 22 sites with assessment and 130 sites with remediation/risk management
- Northwest Territories: 6 sites with assessment and 53 sites with remediation/risk management
- Nova Scotia: 51 sites with assessment and 109 sites with remediation/risk management
- Nunavut: 16 sites with assessment and 53 sites with remediation/risk management
- Ontario: 195 sites with assessment and 188 sites with remediation/risk management
- Prince Edward Island: 3 sites with assessment and 21 sites with remediation/risk management
- Quebec: 96 sites with assessment and 152 sites with remediation/risk management
- Saskatchewan: 27 sites with assessment and 32 sites with remediation/risk management
- Yukon: 23 sites with assessment and 25 sites with remediation/risk management
In Phase III, $48.1 million of FCSAP funding was spent on assessment at 844 sites and $1.485 billion of FCSAP funding was spent on remediation/risk management at 1,104 sites.
Assessment and remediation/risk management results
Targets are based on the forecast from custodians of the number, duration and cost of their projects. If surplus funds become available, custodians can work at more sites than planned.
Text description
Using a bar graph, this figure shows the FCSAP Phase III target and results for the number of sites assessed, sites remediated/risk managed and sites where remediation/risk management was completed. The target was to assess 569 sites. The results show that 844 sites had assessment work. This number includes sites that completed assessment and sites with ongoing assessment in Phase III. The target of the remediation/risk management was 974 sites. The results show that 1,104 sites had remediation/risk management work. This number includes sites that completed remediation/risk management and sites with ongoing remediation/risk management in Phase III. The target for the complete remediation/risk management work was 548. The results show that 232 were completely remediated/risked managed.
Liability reduction
Remediation/risk management expenditures in Phase III reduced federal liability by $1.4 billion.
Examples of remediation/risk management projects completed in Phase III
Custodian: Department of National Defence
Location: Headingly Transmitter Site, Headingly, Manitoba
Reason for contamination: Fuel from historical use of the transmitter site. Two ultrasonic transmitters containing heating oil were located on the property.
Type of contamination: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons
Contaminated media: Soil
Date of remediation: November 2017 to February 2018
Total expenditures at the site: $682,358
FCSAP expenditures at the site: $539,960
Liability reduction: $531,134
Custodian: Environment and Climate Change Canada
Location: Thames River Hydrometric Station, Thamesville, Ontario
Reason for contamination: Mercury contamination resulting from operational use of the site.
Type of contamination: Elemental mercury
Contaminated media: Soil
Date of remediation: June and July 2017
Total expenditures at the site: $64,866
FCSAP expenditures at the site: $64,866
Liability reduction: $64,866
Contact us
Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan Secretariat
Environment and Climate Change Canada
351 St. Joseph Boulevard, 17th Floor
Gatineau QC K1A 0H3
Email address: FCSAP.PASCF@ec.gc.ca