Current status

On March 21, 2024, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, with cabinet concurrence, approved the Eastern Ontario Waste Handling Facility future development environmental assessment.  

Learn more about the notice of approval.

Project summary

GFL Environmental Inc. (GFL) has been granted approval under the Environmental Assessment Act to add 15.1 million cubic metres of landfill disposal capacity over a 20-year period as part of the future development of its Eastern Ontario Waste Handling Facility. The new approved capacity is 26.7 million cubic metres.

GFL will be utilizing the lands to the east of the existing Eastern Ontario Waste Handling Facility for the future landfill development. The project will occur on land currently owned by GFL.

The existing approved landfill:

  • is approved to accept solid non-hazardous municipal, industrial, commercial and institutional waste generated within Ontario
  • has a permitted annual fill rate of 755,000 tonnes and an average daily fill rate of 2,500 tonnes
  • has a permitted maximum daily fill rate of 4,000 tonnes

No changes to the approved fill rates or site access routes were proposed by GFL in its environmental assessment, which assessed how the landfill expansion could impact the environment.

Learn more on GFL Environmental Inc. website.

Proponent

GFL Environmental Inc.

Location

17125 Lafleche Road, Township of North Stormont, United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, near the intersection of Highway 417 and Highway 138

Type

Waste management

Reference number

20023

Contact

Jordan Hughes, Environmental Assessment Branch

Project history

Environmental assessment: approved
Date submitted: June 16, 2023
Expiry of public comment period for ministry review: January 26, 2024
Decision date: March 21, 2024

Terms of reference: approved
Date submitted: September 11, 2020
Expiry of public comment period: October 11, 2020
Decision date: January 14, 2021

Environmental assessment

GFL submitted its final environmental assessment for the Eastern Ontario Waste Handling Facility Future Development project to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks for review in June 2023. This assessment evaluated options for the on-going operation of the landfill and identified implementing future development through four stages as the preferred method: one stage adjacent to and north of the existing landfill, and three stages east within the future development lands, oriented north-south.

An invitation to comment on the environmental assessment was posted on this webpage on June 16, 2023. Comments were accepted until August 4, 2023.

On December 22, 2023, we published the ministry review of the environmental assessment for Indigenous community, public and agency comment. A 5-week comment period for the review concluded on January 26, 2024.

After considering the environmental assessment, comments received and GFLs proposed environmental protection measures, the minister, with cabinet concurrence, approved the undertaking as described in the environmental assessment for the Eastern Ontario Waste Handling Facility Future Development project on March 21, 2024.

GFL may now proceed with implementing the project, subject to the conditions in the Notice of Approval and any other permits and approvals that may be required. Conditions of approval include standard conditions related to compliance monitoring, preparing a complaints protocol for construction, and a project approval timeframe for construction.

Read the Order in Council and Notice of approval.

Terms of reference

On January 14, 2021, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks approved the terms of reference for the Eastern Ontario Waste Handling Facility future capacity expansion project.

Notice of approval

Environmental Assessment Act subsection 6(4) approval of Terms of Reference for the preparation of an environmental assessment.

Proponent: GFL Environmental Inc.
Terms of Reference: Eastern Ontario Waste Handling Facility future development environmental assessment
Undertaking: Expansion of waste facility
Environmental assessment file number: 20023

As provided for by subsection 6(4) of the Environmental Assessment Act, Terms of Reference, as submitted for approval to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks on July 9, 2020 and revised through the submission of a Terms of Reference by GFL Environmental Inc. dated September 11, 2020 is hereby approved.

Pursuant to subsection 6.1(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act, any environmental assessment for the above-noted undertaking, submitted to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks pursuant to subsection 6.2(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act, must be prepared in accordance with the Terms of Reference as hereby approved.

Reasons

I am satisfied that an environmental assessment prepared in accordance with the Terms of Reference will be consistent with the purpose of the Environmental Assessment Act and the public interest for the following reasons:

  1. The Terms of Reference ensures that the environmental assessment will be completed using a comprehensive public, Indigenous community and agency consultation process that is open and transparent
  2. The Terms of Reference provides a sufficient level of detail to confirm that the completed environmental assessment should contain a sufficient level of detail to accurately assess the environmental effects of all relevant alternatives and the proposed undertaking
  3. The Terms of Reference sets out a planning process that will ensure the completed environmental assessment will be consistent with the purpose of the Act and the public interest
  4. There are no outstanding issues that have not been incorporated into the Terms of Reference or that cannot be addressed during the preparation of the environmental assessment

Dated the 14th day of January, 2021 at Toronto.

Original signed by:
Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
777 Bay Street, 5th Floor
Toronto, ON M7A 2J3