Recent news and project updates
Click on map to enlarge.
Port Hope Property Radiological Survey starts this summer
May 7, 20120 - The Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI) is set to begin the first phase of the Port Hope property radiological survey to check for the presence of historic low-level radioactive waste at all properties in Ward 1 Port Hope and select properties in Ward 2. The extensive testing will be done in phases, starting this summer with 450 properties in six different areas of Ward 1.
To explain how and why this work will be done, the PHAI Management Office is hosting information sessions on Saturday, May 12, at the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit at 200 Rose Glen Road, Port Hope (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.) and Wednesday, May 16, at the Port Hope Lions Recreation Centre, 29 Thomas Street, Port Hope (2 p.m. – 8 p.m.). PHAI technical specialists will be available to answer questions and provide detailed information about the survey.
For the news release click here
Clearing the way for the new waste-water treatment plant
March 2012 - As part of site preparations for the construction of the new waste water treatment plant, a section of trees and vegetation will be removed on the western side of the existing Welcome site – south of Highway 401 and bordered by Brand Road. To ensure the requirements of the environmental assessment are met, every effort will be made to keep as many of the existing trees as possible – clearing only what is necessary for construction purposes and operational safety.
Cleared trees and vegetation will be cut up or chipped by a local contractor and will remain onsite. New trees will eventually be planted along the south side of the existing collection ponds to screen views of the new waste-water treatment plant from the highway.
Study highlights differences between Cobourg and Port Hope
Residential and commercial development among key factors
February 2012 – An independent real-estate market analysis commissioned by the Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI) Management Office shows that major differences in growth patterns between Cobourg and Port Hope over the past 10 years caused the Cobourg real estate market to grow faster – at times even outperforming the Greater Toronto Area market.
For the news release click here
For the executive summary click here
Survey reveals highest-ever level of confidence in PHAI
January 31, 2012 – Public confidence in the Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI) is at an all- time high, according to the 10th annual PHAI public- attitude survey conducted by IntelliPulse Marketing.
With the clean-up project officially moving into Phase 2, residents’ confidence in the PHAI Management Office’s ability to safely manage the waste for the long-term is up to 84 per cent – its highest level ever – up three per cent from last year, and up 19 per cent compared to the first public-attitude survey in 2002.
“As we move forward with Phase 2 of the project, it’s encouraging to know that the residents of Port Hope continue to increase their confidence in our ability to safely move the waste while minimizing community impact,” said Christine Fahey, PHAI project director. “The findings from the annual public-attitude survey are valuable in telling us what’s important to the community and how we’re doing, and we will continue to engage and listen throughout the second phase.”
While 87 per cent of residents identified the cleanup as an important topic, nearly three-quarters said they “never” or “not very often” think about living in a community dealing with low-level radioactive waste. In fact, satisfaction with life in Port Hope increased to 95 per cent, from 93 per cent in 2010 and overall, awareness of the Project has improved significantly – increasing to 94 per cent from 88 per cent last year.
For the news release, click here
For the Public Attitude Survey executive summary, click here
Phase 2 funding moves PHAI forward
January 13, 2012 – The Port Hope Area Initiative Management Office (PHAI MO) today received confirmation of funding from the Government of Canada, which will allow the clean-up project to move forward into Phase 2.
Photo: The Honourable Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources, was joined by local M.P Rick Norlock, and the mayors of Port Hope and Clarington on Friday, Jan. 13, to announce a federal commitment of $1.28 billion over 10 years to clean-up low-level radioactive waste in the Port Hope area.
The news release from the PHAI MO can be found here
The news release from Natural Resources Canada can be found here
The backgrounder can be found here
PVCI presents preliminary real-estate study findings
Murray Visser, president of Property Valuators and Consulting Inc. (PVCI), provides a briefing to media on the preliminary results of a comparative study of property values in Port Hope and Cobourg at the PHAI Management Office (MO) Tuesday, Dec 13. The PHAI MO monitors the socio-economic environment, including property values – through its Property Value Protection Program – as part of its efforts to minimize impact on the community throughout the clean-up process. The study is expected to be completed in early 2012 and its findings will be made public shortly thereafter.
More than 200 discuss clean-up plans
for Port Hope Project
The Port Hope Area Initiative Management Office (PHAI MO) welcomed more than 200 residents, government officials and members of the media at its open house Nov. 24 – sharing plans for the cleanup of historic low-level radioactive waste in the community.
Staff and technical experts from the PHAI MO used large displays and demonstrations to explain the key elements of the Port Hope Project (PHP) – including sites and transportation routes, the proposed new long-term waste-management facility and water treatment plant, environmental monitoring, emergency preparedness and expected economic benefits for the Municipality of Port Hope.
“We are thrilled with the turnout at the open house,” said Christine Fahey, project director for the Port Hope Area Initiative. “It was a significant opportunity for us to interact with the public on a one-on-one basis, while explaining our plans to minimize impact on the community throughout the clean-up process.”
The open house is part of an ongoing outreach and communications campaign aimed at ensuring that community residents and other stakeholders are aware of the project’s progress, plans for environmental monitoring – including dust, noise, odour and traffic – and close cooperation with the municipality and community groups.
With the project expected to move into Phase 2 in early-to-mid 2012, successful two-way engagement with the community will be as important as ever.
PHAI MO submission to Centre Pier Task Force
Ribbon-Cutting Marks Important Milestone
The PHAI reached an important milestone with the official opening of the Port Hope Project’s new dedicated access road on Oct. 17. Cutting the ribbon, from left to right, are: Tim Palmeter, program manager with Public Works and Government Services Canada; Christine Fahey, project director for the Port Hope Area Initiative; and Mayor Linda Thompson and Deputy Mayor Jeff Gilmer of the Municipality of Port Hope.
“The road was completed on time and within the $2 million budget,” said Christine Fahey. “I am especially pleased to report that there were no lost-time injuries on this job and all regulatory requirements were met.”
The access road is the result of co-operation of the PHAI Management Office, the local contractor – Behan Construction – and the Municipality of Port Hope. It will allow trucks moving the waste to avoid neighbourhoods to the south – minimizing disruption to businesses and residents.
“The access road is the first tangible sign for the community that work is underway and the project is moving forward,” said Mayor Thompson. “The municipality looks forward to continued coordination with the PHAI throughout the Port Hope Project.”
Statement on Toronto Star article "Tough Sell"
‘Shovels in the ground’ –
Access road construction begins
May 11, 2011 -- Construction begins this week on the new 800 metre, 2-lane access road connecting Toronto and Baulch Roads and a 3-way signalized intersection on Toronto Road in Port Hope.
“The access road is the first step in building the enabling infrastructure needed to facilitate construction of the new long-term waste management facility and movement of the waste,” said Christine Fahey, Project Director for the Port Hope Area Initiative Management Office. “We will continue to work closely with the municipality, local residents and businesses as we move forward with the Port Hope Project.”
The contract for construction of the access road was awarded in late April to Behan Construction -- a Cobourg-based local contractor with more than 50 years of experience in the region and a history of successful completion of many Port Hope construction projects, including the major upgrades to Dorset Street West and Peter Street.
For more information on the Access Road project, click here
Signs announcing the access road construction are now in place at 192 Toronto Road, Port Hope.
APRIL 12, 2011: Follow-up meeting of Observer Group held today
Representatives from the Port Hope Area Initiative Management Office (PHAI MO) and the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office (LLRWMO) met today with members of the Citizens’ Observer Group to address the comments and recommendations made in the Small-Scale Site Resurvey and Remediation Trials Cost Assessment (SRCA) Project Observer Group Report, presented at Port Hope Town Hall on January 12, 2011.
The six volunteer Port Hope residents on the Observer Group met on ten occasions from September to December, 2010 to observe and comment on the trial remediation project at 132 King Street in Port Hope.
“Today’s meeting went very well,” said Glenn Case, Manager, Project Engineering, PHAI MO. “We appreciated the opportunity to discuss their observations and explain how we will incorporate their feedback into future small-scale site remediation work,” he continued. “The group thanked us for taking their recommendations seriously.”
For the executive summary of the Small-Scale Site Resurvey and Remediation Trials Cost Assessment (SRCA) Project Observer Group Report, click here:
Observer Group Report: Executive Summary
Annual project updates presented to Clarington and Port Hope Councils
Project Director Christine Fahey presents to Port Hope Council, May 17, 2011
Port Hope Area initiative Management Office Project Director Christine Fahey presented the annual Port Granby Project update to Clarington Council on May 9, 2011 and the Port Hope Project update to Port Hope Council, May 17, 2011. These presentations highlighted project progress (including the recent start of Access Road construction) and plans for the future.
Port Hope Council Update May 17, 2011
Clarington Council Update May 9, 2011
APRIL 1, 2011: Property Value Protection Program seminar 'extremely thorough and informative'
More than 90 real estate and mortgage professionals gathered in Port Hope Thursday to learn more about the cleanup of historic waste in the community and the Property Value Protection (PVP) Program.
The half-day session, a credit course for members of the local real estate association, outlined the program that is designed to protect local property owners from a loss of value on the sale of their homes due to the impact of the Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI).
“I have received positive feedback from many of my colleagues – who found the session extremely thorough and informative,” said Gord See, president of the Northumberland Hills Association of Realtors. “The PHAI team did a very good job of getting the information across.”
Gord See, President, Northumberland Hills Association of Realtors, kicks off the PVP program seminar
Following remarks from Port Hope Mayor Linda Thompson – who expressed her support – attendees were provided an overview of the clean-up project and plans for the future, followed by a detailed presentation on the PVP program and its eligibility criteria.
Christine Fahey, project director for the PHAI Management Office
addresses the crowd of more than 90 real estate professionals
“We embrace every opportunity to educate the community and provide the tools and facts they need,” said Christine Fahey, project director for the PHAI Management Office. “It’s critically important that real estate professionals and their clients understand what we’re doing and why – and how the PVP program works."
Survey results highlight continued confidence in Port Hope waste cleanup
Field work 2010
DECEMBER 2010:
High-volume air monitors deployed at Lions Centre, Toronto Road and the Welcome Waste Management Facility
Water, sediment and soil sampling at Sculthorpe Marsh (weather permitting)
Around Port Hope
2010
There’s a good chance you've noticed land surveying, soil sampling and other activities taking place around town. This work is part of the detailed design development and environmental baseline monitoring for the Port Hope Project, described in Phase 1A ("Transition Phase").
Detailed design activities include standard land surveying near future clean-up sites and along roadways, inspection work at Port Hope Harbour and soil sampling at various sites.
Environmental baseline monitoring is now underway and will continue over the next year. You may see staff taking noise measurements near clean-up sites and along the transportation routes, collecting filters from air quality monitors, sampling water quality at Brand and Highland Drive South creeks and checking groundwater wells at selected locations.
King Street Trial Remediation Project Update: Nov 24 2010
King Street Trial Remediation Project
November 16, 2010: Work on the pilot resurvey and clean-up site at 132 King Street in Port Hope is scheduled to restart this week, subject to receiving the appropriate building permits from the Municipality of Port Hope.
Work was interrupted in order to obtain these permits necessary to allow for the construction of porch footings and a new retaining wall at the site. Excavation in the porch area and the slope is required in order to meet the cleanup criteria for heavy metals, such as arsenic, developed for the Port Hope Area Initiative.
Laboratory analysis of soil samples in the excavation area showed a need to continue soil removal in order to meet the Port Hope Area Initiative clean-up criteria for historic low-level radioactive waste.
High-volume air samplers and low flow pumps are being used to monitor air quality at the site. Dust levels have been found to be typical of any urban environment. The levels of total suspended particulates (TSP) and long-lived alpha particles are well within the standards established by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. Dust is being stringently managed by covering work areas, cleaning trucks and applying contaminant control measures such as a “clean zone”.
Approximately 45 truckloads of soil have been removed from the site. It is anticipated another ten truckloads will need to be removed before the work is complete. This additional cleanup is being driven by heavy metals in the soil, not radioactivity.
Excavated soil is being safely transported, in securely covered and monitored trucks, to the CNSC licensed Pine Street Extension Temporary Storage Site, operated by the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office.
The Port Hope Area Initiative remains committed to undertaking the trial remediation work in Port Hope in a safe and responsible manner.
During this past summer, 35 properties throughout Port Hope were surveyed to determine whether they met the clean-up criteria developed for the Port Hope Area Initiative. The site to be remediated in the pilot project was selected from the ten sites where historic low-level radioactive waste contamination was identified.
A six-member Port Hope Residents' Observer Group is scrutinizing this pilot project and will make a public report on their observations and recommendations. Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission staff members have also visited the site in order to verify processes and procedures developed by Atomic Energy Canada Limited (AECL) and the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office (LLRWMO) for soil remediation activities in the Port Hope Area.
Information regarding 64 Ward Street
(former Doctor Powers School)
Read our latest newsletter!
Port Hope Project News, Autumn 2010
Recent work around Port Hope
Borehole drilling
October 18 - 21: Former Coal Gasification Plant Property
October 18 - 21: Waterworks site
Friday, September 10 - Monday, October 25: Port Hope Harbour
Borehole drilling in harbour (from a barge) and on land adjacent to harbour walls
Trial Resurvey
The PHAI MO conducted a Trial Resurvey of 35 private properties in the Port Hope area between May and November, 2010. This will help us:
- test and evaluate procedures and systems;
- develop cost estimates and forecasts for the Phase 2 Resurvey; and
- refine communications plans and methods.
We've moved
The Port Hope Area Initiative Management Office, including the Project Information Exchange and the Property Value Protection Program, has moved to:
115 Toronto Road
Port Hope, Ontario
L1A 3S4
Phone 905.885.0291
Email info@phai.ca
Local residents and visitors are always welcome to stop by meet with Port Hope Area Initiative Management Office (PHAI MO) staff to learn about the Port Hope and Port Granby projects and the Property Value Protection Program. The Project Information Exchange is prominently located at the front of the new Port Hope Area Initiative building at 115 Toronto Road and offers barrier-free access.
The Government of Canada commits to long-term low-level radioactive waste containment facility in Port Hope
(Public Works and Government Services News Release, March 1, 2010)
Project updates
Trial Resurvey Update
Presentation to Municipality of Port Hope Council, July 13, 2010
Access to Property Information Update
Presentation to Municipality of Port Hope Council, July, 2010