• The Ministry of Environment issued a draft permit to South Island Aggregates/Cobble Hill Holdings Ltd., on March 19th, regarding treatment and discharge of contaminated soil at a facility in the Cowichan Valley.
• The draft permit is for consultation purposes and does not authorize the discharge of waste.
• The consultation period ended on April 9th with 300 submissions received from the local government, First Nations, health officials and members of the general community.
• Technical staff will now take the time necessary to review any and all new information as contained in the submissions as part of the due diligence required to meet the ministry's legal obligation to consider the application from South Island Aggregates (SIA) to remediate contaminated soil.
• Government is not directing soils to the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD). This project is a private development proposed by a business in the CVRD. The Province has a regulatory role and as such takes no position for or against this proposal.
• Ministry staff are the statutory, evidence‐based decision makers and, as such, the decision is kept at arm's length from the political process. The role of the ministry is to look at the proposed project, and any associated environmental controls, and assess whether the environmental risks are appropriately managed and that the proposal conforms to legislation.
• Staff engaged in the authorization process are professionals with many years experience in assessing these types of applications, and decisions of this kind are informed by advice from other ministries with related expertise.
• As well, reports and assessments prepared in support of the application must be prepared by qualified professionals with sufficient expertise in the areas under consideration.
• Government will ensure the final decision reflects the scientific evidence presented by, and reviewed by, experts as well as rigorous monitoring and compliance conditions to protect the environment.
• Land‐use planning is controlled wholly by municipalities through zoning. Industrial grade soils are considered suitable for reuse at industrial zoned sites such as the SIA gravel quarry. In order for a project like this to proceed, it must conform to local zoning requirements. Communities that wish to restrict certain activities on the local land base can use zoning bylaws for that purpose.
• Should a permit be issued to SIA, the Environmental Appeal Board process is available to those who object to the decision."
  

Contact:

Media Relations
Ministry of Environment
250 953‐3834