Technical Guidance for Soil Vapour Intrusion Assessment

ERO number
019-2557
Notice type
Policy
Act
Environmental Assessment Act, R.S.O. 1990
Posted by
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Notice stage
Proposal Updated
Proposal posted
Comment period
January 4, 2021 - April 4, 2021 (90 days) Closed
Last updated

There is no requirement to post this notice on the Environmental Registry of Ontario, but we want to hear your thoughts. Submit a comment and tell us what you think. Learn about the consultation process and types of notices on the registry.

Update Announcement

This proposal notice has been updated on August 30th, 2024 to advise the public that this file is still under active review. The ministry is reviewing the comments it has received to date. The original proposal date and comment period have not been altered.

This consultation was open from:

January 4, 2021
to April 4, 2021

Proposal summary

We are proposing updates to the Technical Guidance for Soil Vapour Intrusion Assessment, which builds on a draft document previously posted for public consultation in September 2013 (011-2912). Before finalizing this document, we are once again seeking comments to ensure that the updated guidance reflects the need of stakeholders.

Why consultation isn't required

The Technical Guidance for Soil Vapour Intrusion Assessment document provides technical recommendations, including best practices and technical tools to assist stakeholders (e.g. Qualified Persons) who are involved in conducting and reviewing a soil vapour intrusion assessment. This document reflects a ten-year development period in which the ministry constantly sought comments and input from key experts and stakeholders.

The purpose of this proposal is to invite comments on the guidance document. The feedback will help improve the usability and quality of the document.

Proposal details

The Technical Guidance for Soil Vapour Intrusion Assessment document outlines the process for how to complete a proper vapour intrusion assessment.

Previous version of draft guidance was posted on the Environmental Registry for public consultation in 2013 (011-2912). While there were a number of constructive comments, this draft document requires revisions to reflect the current state of science on vapour intrusion assessment.

Following consideration of stakeholder’s comments and further revision of this document, we are posting this updated proposal for an additional 90-day public consultation. We will review and consider all comments received from this consultation period as part of the decision-making process by the ministry.

Updates to the Technical Guidance for Soil Vapour Intrusion Assessment

As committed to in our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan, we are taking steps to put vacant lands back to good use through the redevelopment and revitalization of brownfields, while still protecting human health and the environment.

This document reflects the current state of knowledge on vapour intrusion given the developing field of science in this area and provides best practices and a plan of action that can be considered when assessing a site for the vapour intrusion pathway. The guidance will provide a better understanding of ministry expectations. Specifically, the document includes:

  • technical recommendations on characterization of soil vapour and indoor air
  • an assessment process to address the vapour intrusion pathway

Other Proposed Guidance Documents

We are also seeking feedback on two other proposed guidance documents related to the RSC program, including:

  • Records of Site Condition: A Guide on Site Assessment, the Cleanup of Brownfield Sites and the Filing of Records of Site Condition. Refer to ERO Notice (019-2551) for more details on this proposal.
  • Procedures for the Use of Risk Assessment under Part XV.1 of the Environmental Protection Act. Refer to ERO Notice (019-2546) for more details on this proposal.

Comment

Commenting is now closed.

The comment period was from January 4, 2021
to April 4, 2021

Connect with us

Contact

Paul Welsh

Phone number
Email address
Office
Technical Assessment and Standards Development Branch
Address

40 St. Clair Avenue West
7th floor
Toronto, ON
M4V 1M2
Canada

Office phone number

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