A new guidance framework from The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) has been introduced to promote the responsible and beneficial reuse of excess soils, aiming to enhance resource conservation, sustainability, and environmental protection.
The 51-page March 2025 guidance document addresses growing concerns over poor excess soil management, which can lead to ecological health risks and increased liabilities for site owners, states the document, which is built upon foundational principles designed to ensure that excess soil management is both beneficial and environmentally responsible.
The guidance first emphasizes that excess soil should serve a specific function, such as landfill cover, site leveling, or berm creation, rather than acting as a means to dispose of waste. By substituting quarry-derived materials with reused soil, projects can reduce costs and environmental impacts, says CCME, which credits Grant Walsom from XCG Consulting Limited (now Trace Associates Inc.), for his contributions to the new guidance document.
The protection of human and environmental health is also critical for management practices, which must ensure that excess soil reuse does not endanger human health or harm the environment, according to CCME. The framework warns against mixing soil to dilute contaminants and stresses the need for soil quality evaluations to prevent the creation of new contaminated sites.
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Consistency with site use and soil quality is also important in the guidance document because excess soil quality should align with the current and future use of the site where it is deposited, says CCME. This principle mandates that soil application must not hinder any permitted land use or degrade the receiving site’s quality.
The guidance framework continues to outline several objectives aimed at improving soil reuse practices. This includes minimizing excess soil generation, or encouraging on-site reuse opportunities and innovative development designs to reduce soil relocation, as well as avoiding new contamination, which considers ensuring that soil reuse protects against pollution in soil, air, and water.
Another focus of the new guidance is that sustainable economic management can promote cost-effective reuse that conserves resources and maintains landfill capacity.
Additionally, protecting property owners means implementing traceability protocols so landowners are aware of soil placement on their properties.
Hesitation to reuse excess soil often stems from perceived risks, such as evolving guidelines and emerging contaminants, according to CCME. This new guidance advocates for early assessment of soil quality to better identify reuse opportunities, minimizing volumes needing relocation and supporting sustainable project planning.
Sending reusable soil to landfills is an inefficient use of space and contributes to secondary environmental impacts, such as increased greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, argues CCME. By promoting local reuse, the framework seeks to reduce these impacts and conserve landfill space for non-reusable waste materials.
The framework also stresses compliance with local bylaws, municipal approvals, and regulatory requirements for soil movement. It encourages municipalities to adopt policies that facilitate sustainable soil reuse while maintaining public health and safety.
Related Professional Development Course
Attend “Ontario’s Excess Soils Regulation and Contaminated Sites 2025” on April 30th at the CANECT 2025 Environmental Compliance and Due Diligence Training Event in Vaughan, Ontario.
This popular one-day compliance “clinic” provides an essential update to enable consultants, governments, proponents, developers, municipalities, and environmental professionals to successfully navigate practical issues arising from Ontario’s new rules for excess soil, as well as emerging contaminants, contaminated sites, risk assessment and liability. Visit www.canect.net for more information.
