Crown Contaminated Sites Branch

Branch Summary

• Branch Objectives
• Provincial Contaminated Sites Committee
• Remediation Process
• Crown Contaminated Sites Database
• Priority Sites

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Branch Objectives

Key objectives of the CCSB include:

1. Contaminated sites that are the responsibility of the Province are managed to eliminate human health risks, enhance environmental sustainability and foster economic development;
2. Accurate recording of financial liabilities related to provincial contaminated sites;
3. Increasing the flow of economic and social benefits to British Columbians that may result from the restoration of Crown land; and,
4. Increase reporting and accountability of the management of provincial contaminated sites.

Key strategies of the CCSB include:

1. Identify, prioritize, and assess potential contaminated sites using a scientifically valid cross-government risk-based approach;
2. Direct and fund remediation of priority contaminated sites that pose the greatest risk to human health and the environment;
3. Manage other contaminated sites to address provincial obligations;
4. Develop and maintain appropriate policies and procedures for effective Program delivery;
5. Identify contingent and actual financial liabilities relating to the Crown Contaminated Sites Branch;
6. Identify opportunities for partnerships in the remediation and development of contaminated sites;
7. Develop a strategy to address sites that represent broad liabilities (e.g. legal, financial and public safety) for the Province but are not necessarily contaminated;
8. Develop and maintain the Crown Contaminated Sites Database for provincial contaminated sites;
9. Undertake regular updates of the Crown Contaminated Sites Branch website;
10. Develop and publish the Crown Contaminated Sites Program Biennial Report; and,
11. Promote excellence and accountability for the procurement and management of contracted services.

Provincial Contaminated Sites Committee

The Provincial Contaminated Sites Committee (PCSC) was established to help identify candidate contaminated sites and determines priorities based on risks to human health and the environment. The PCSC provides a forum for identifying program issues, developing policy, setting priorities, ensuring a coordinated approach, contributing to development of the Crown Contaminated Sites Database and ensuring a consistent approach to reporting of financial liabilities.

The PCSC is comprised of representatives appointed from a number of government agencies with either land ownership or management responsibilities for provincial lands. Committee members include:

• Ministry of Labour and Citizens’ Services
• Ministry of Attorney General
• Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
• Ministry of Finance – Risk Management Branch
• Ministry of Forests and Range
• Ministry of Transportation
• Office of the Comptroller General
• Crown Agencies Secretariat
• Treasury Board
  

Remediation Process

The first step in the remediation process of any site is to determine if the parties responsible for the contamination can be identified. MAL supports the principle of "polluter pays" and will undertake through research to identify the responsible parties. It is only when the responsible party can not be found, the contamination is on provincial lands, and poses a risk to human health or the environment, that the province may assume responsibility for cleanup.

Under the administration of the Ministry of Environment, the Environmental Management Act and Contaminated Sites Regulation provide a five-part process for managing contaminated sites. The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands will use this process as a guide for the assessment and remediation of contaminated sites. The five-part process is outlined by the Ministry of Environment as follows:

• Site identification and assessment;
• Site investigations (preliminary and detailed) to determine potential contamination;
• Planning appropriate remediation strategies using a risk management approach;
• Implementing site management, monitoring and site remediation activities; and
• Remediation completion and evaluation/monitoring for future action.

Crown Contaminated Sites Database

The Crown Contaminated Sites Branch initiated the development of a Crown Contaminated Sites Database in 2004. The design of the database is complete and work has begun to populate it with information on provincial contaminated sites. The initial data loaded onto the database include information from the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Transportation. The Crown Contaminated Sites Database contains 840 sites and more sites will be added in subsequent years.

The database ensures there is a central, province-wide repository of information on all Crown contaminated sites in the province and allows for informed decision-making in determining priority sites and allocating resources.

Work on the Crown Contaminated Sites Database is ongoing and will include tasks such as defining the operational requirements for agencies that contribute information to the database to ensure that it is a useful tool for the general user.