001-45_EJQR10_FALL26_PT - Flipbook - Page 11
allocated to land昀椀lls each year, of which about 70 per cent—based
on quality standards declared in project 昀椀lings—appears likely to be
caught by the restriction. The actual land昀椀ll-bound volume may be
larger because many 昀氀ows may not be registered, including soil from
projects below 昀椀ling thresholds, soil hauled as waste under Regulation
347 and cover soil procured directly by land昀椀ll operators.
How much larger cannot be established from the available public
record. Land昀椀ll ECAs require annual reports to the ministry’s District
Manager, but those reports are generally not published. In the
sample of eleven land昀椀ll approvals reviewed for this analysis, public
soil 昀椀gures were found for only two municipalities. Niagara Region
reported that its two open land昀椀lls receive about 22,000 tonnes of soil
per year, of which only 2,000 tonnes is used as cover. Kawartha Lakes’
land昀椀ll used about 4,700 tonnes of soil as daily cover in 2024—and
its daily 昀椀ll-rate exceedances were caused by excess-soil deliveries.
Meanwhile, Ottawa amended the ECA for its Springhill land昀椀ll this
spring to receive City excess waste soils. Land昀椀lls are therefore not
leaving the soil system: the restriction narrows what they may accept
for disposal, while bene昀椀cial use and quali昀椀ed-person declarations
keep the gate partly open.
The GTA may be ready, however the story
across Ontario is varied
The provincial capacity shows substantial headroom, but capacity may not equate to
readiness. Even if the true displaced volume is three or four times what the registry
shows, it would consume only a small share of the annualized paper ceiling. The
di昀케culty is that soil markets are regional, approval ceilings are not the same as
practical gate capacity, and Class 1 sites are temporary links in the chain rather than
permanent homes for soil. With January 1 approaching, readiness falls on several
issues.
REGIONAL GAPS. The GTA contains most of the identi昀椀ed capacity. Hamilton-Niagara
and Northern Ontario have much thinner networks, while a signi昀椀cant portion of
Eastern Ontario’s identi昀椀ed capacity is concentrated at a small number of facilities.
Soil requiring a new destination will arise wherever land昀椀lls currently receive it, not
necessarily where Class 1 capacity is concentrated.
APPROVED VERSUS PRACTICAL CAPACITY. A regulatory receiving limit does not mean
a facility can continuously accept soil at that rate. Storage constraints, operating hours,
accepted soil quality, downstream outlets, truck logistics and commercial decisions
may all constrain practical capacity.
E N V I RON M E N T J OURN A L QUA RT E RLY RE PORT • FA L L 2 02 6 • P AGE 1 1
