A cleaner Hamilton Harbour: all contaminated sediment removed or capped at Randle Reef

Randle Reef partners highlight the completion of stage 2 of the Contaminated Sediment Remediation project, removing over a century of contamination from Hamilton Harbour.

The Great Lakes are essential to the health and well-being of Canadians, ecosystems, and the economy.

On March 9, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, along with the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, the Ontario Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, the Honourable David Piccini, the Mayor of Hamilton, his worship Fred Eisenberger, and the Mayor of Burlington, her worship Marianne Meed Ward, announced the successful completion of stage 2 of the Randle Reef Remediation Project. This is a significant step to remove toxic substances and restore water quality and ecosystem health in the Hamilton Harbour Area of Concern.

During Stage 2, over 615,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediment was managed, enough to fill a hockey rink nearly three times over. The sediment was primarily dredged and placed into an Engineered Containment Facility (ECF) constructed during the first stage, while remaining contaminated sediment was capped in-place. As part of the third and final stage of the project, scheduled to begin in fall 2022 and complete by 2024, a multi-layered environmental top will be placed on the ECF as a final step to isolate contaminants. Once complete, the area will provide valuable new port land that will be managed by the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority, contributing to economic growth for the community.

The Randle Reef Remediation Project is a joint initiative involving the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, the City of Hamilton, Halton Region, the City of Burlington, Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority and Stelco. The $138.9-million clean-up is funded through a public-private approach, with the federal government and the Province of Ontario each contributing a third of the funding and the remaining third collectively funded by local partners. The multi-year remediation plan, led by Environment and Climate Change Canada, focuses on removing and containing toxic sediment in the Reef area of the harbour, a legacy of the intense industrial and urban development around its shores dating back to the 1800s.

To learn more about the Randle Reef Remediation Project visit www.RandleReef.ca