PARKER'S CLEANERS (BURLINGTON) LTD - Order to prevent discharge of contaminants

Details of the changes made to the Director’s Order are noted in the decision details section.

The Director reviewed and considered all comments received. Comment themes and ministry responses are summarized below.

Comment: Not for profit co-operative housing organizations do not have the financial means or access to credit to comply with the Order. The requirements of the Order will place significant financial burden on individual co-operative housing residents, especially those on fixed incomes.

Ministry response: The Ministry acknowledges the financial challenges faced by co-operative housing residents. The purpose of the Director’s Order is to collect additional information regarding the nature and extent of the contamination and to understand potential risks to residents. Orderees have been encouraged to share information and collaborate in hiring a Qualified Person, with the necessary qualifications, where appropriate, which may help reduce costs. No changes were made to the Director’s Order regarding this comment.

Comment: Requiring property owners who did not cause the contamination to undertake costly environmental work is unfair. The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks have known about this contamination for years and should have taken action sooner. Accountability should lie with the original contaminator.

Ministry response: The requirements of the Director’s Order are “jointly and severally” for both the responsible parties (source of contamination) and downgradient property owners. Under the Environmental Protection Act, the Director may issue an Order to any person who owns or controls a property impacted by contamination, regardless of fault. The purpose of the Order is not to assign blame, but to ensure actions are taken to assess potential impacts and prevent further migration of contamination. Completion of work required in the Order means that the ministry and the property owners will obtain a better understanding of the environmental condition of the properties and a better understanding of what, if any, future actions are needed to address undue risks. No changes were made to the Director’s Order regarding this comment.

Comment: The Order requirements are causing serious emotional distress and fear of homelessness for residents faced with paying for the work.

Ministry response: The Ministry recognizes the emotional impact of this situation and is committed to engaging with affected communities in a compassionate and transparent manner. While no changes were made to the Order, the Ministry will continue to provide information to help residents understand the Order requirements and available opportunities for collaboration.

Comment: The government should pay for the work or provide financial assistance to downgradient property owners so they can undertake the work outlined in the Order.

Ministry response: Orderees have been encouraged to share information and collaborate in hiring a Qualified Person with the necessary qualifications to undertake the work, which may assist to reduce costs. No changes were made to the Director’s Order regarding this comment.

Comment: Residents have raised concerns about contact with and potential health impacts from contamination. Some residents have also voiced support for indoor air testing to help assess these risks.

Ministry response: Vapours from dry-cleaning solvent contamination in groundwater can potentially travel through soil and enter building spaces through sumps or cracks in buildings. The Ministry acknowledges that some residents support the proposed indoor air sampling and recognize the importance of understanding potential health risks associated with vapour intrusion. No changes were made to the Director’s Order regarding this comment.

Comment: The government should reconsider the technical basis for what work is required. Assessments could be limited to indoor air quality testing in residential buildings and groundwater testing on public lands only.

Ministry response: In June 2026 the ministry conducted a technical review of the environmental site assessment information available in the study area, reviewed the work outlined in the proposed Order and considered it against the comment suggestions. The ministry concluded that the work is required for each specified property to ensure that actions are taken in the study area to determine the area impacted by the contamination, assess potential risks to residents and at specified properties, implement a remedial strategy to contain and treat (if necessary) impacted groundwater. No changes were made to the Director’s Order regarding this comment.

Comment: No receptors of concern are located in or above the municipal right-of-way and work on adjacent properties will provide insight on contamination within roadways & the waterfront trail. Requiring work within the municipally owned lands will provide no meaningful data.

Ministry response: In June 2026 the ministry conducted a technical review of the environmental site assessment information available in the study area, reviewed the work outlined in the proposed Order and considered it against the comment suggestions. The ministry concluded that the extent and potential risks associated with the contamination (including exposure to workers conducting intrusive activities within the right-of-way) cannot be fully understood unless the groundwater plume within the municipal right-of-way is delineated and the potential preferential pathways such as utility and sewer corridors within these have been investigated. No changes were made to the Director’s Order regarding this comment.

Comment: Additional time should be allotted to retain an environmental consultant and to prepare a contaminant management plan.

Ministry response: The ministry recognizes that some of the work outlined in the Director’s Order may require additional time and has adjusted the compliance timelines in response to the concerns brought forward.

Comment: The work should be completed in a logical, staged manner with a coordinated approach to information gathering, sharing and contaminant management planning. Downgradient properties shouldn’t be required to take any action until the source site has been cleaned up or contamination contained. There is currently not enough information to develop a robust remediation strategy.

Ministry response: In June 2026 the ministry conducted a technical review of the environmental site assessment information available in the study area, reviewed the work outlined in the proposed Order and considered it against the comment suggestions. The ministry concluded that the work outlined is required for each specified property to ensure that actions are taken in the study area to determine the area impacted by the contamination, assess potential risks to residents and at specified properties, implement a remedial strategy to contain and treat (if necessary) impacted groundwater. No changes were made to the Director’s Order regarding this comment.

Comment: Access to environmental reports, data and plans for properties in the area should be provided to all Orderees, by the Ministry.

Ministry response: The Ministry is committed to transparency and shared several environmental reports and technical memoranda with the proposed Orderees during the ERO proposal posting period. Furthermore, in response to these comments, Order item #4 has been updated, requiring that within 15 days of a request by any other Orderee, all properties subject to the Order must share environmental site information.