Township of PICKLE LAKE WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

The Corporation of the Township of Pickle Lake (Township) currently operates a municipal waste disposal site approximately 7 kilometers north-northeast by road from the centre of the built-up community of Pickle Lake in the District of Kenora. The site, located on Crown land and operated by the Township, is situated on a 2.9 hectare parcel of property with an approved fill area of 2 hectares. The site receives non-hazardous solid municipal waste from approximately 450 permanent residents of Pickle Lake as well as from the residents of Mishkeegogamang First Nation and from the local campgrounds and lodges.

Based on the estimated volume of in-place material at the Township’s current waste disposal site, additional capacity is required to address the Township's future waste disposal needs as well as address fill that has been historically placed beyond the site's allowable limits. Considering this, the Township initiated the Environmental Assessment (EA) process under the Province’s EA Act to determine the preferred approach to address the Township's waste management needs. 

Between 2010 to 2013, the Township completed several tasks in the EA process, including the development and Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) approval of an EA Terms of Reference (ToR), the publication of a Notice of Commencement, the development of the problem/opportunity statement, a review of alternative waste management systems and an evaluation of the alternative solutions.

In mid-2014, the EA process was put on hold by the Township due to budgetary constraints, however, the Township revived the project in early 2022.