Milestone Environmental Contracting in collaboration with the Mississaugas of the Credit Business Corporation, has been awarded a $29.2-million contract for Stage 3 of the Randle Reef Contaminated Sediment Remediation Project.

Randle Reef, in Hamilton Harbour on Lake Ontario, was once the largest contaminated sediment site on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes. With an overall investment exceeding $150 million, this project is a joint initiative of the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, the City of Hamilton, the Region of Halton, the City of Burlington, the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority, and Stelco. This comprehensive cleanup is supported by a public-private approach. The federal government and the province of Ontario each contribute one-third of the funding, while the remaining third is collectively funded by local partners.

A leading environmental remediation contractor, Milestone has successfully managed more than 615,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediment at Randle Reef. In this next phase, Milestone’s scope of work will include the installation of a multi-layer environmental cap, serving as the conclusive step to isolate contaminants and restore the ecological balance of the region.

“The remarkable progress achieved at the Randle Reef site so far is something I am very proud our team has been a part of” said Mark Seaman, Founding Partner of Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc. “we are excited to be collaborating and working with Mississaugas of the Credit Business Corporation to complete this last project phase that will hold enduring positive impacts for the harbour and community for this and future generations.” 

Recognizing that the upcoming project phase would take place on the traditional and treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, Milestone proactively initiated a long-term partnership with the Mississaugas of the Credit Business Corporation. This partnership extends beyond the current project, encompassing all future ventures within their traditional and treaty lands, with the aim of fostering significant economic reconciliation for this First Nation. The traditional and treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation include almost all of Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe, an area containing approximately two-thirds of Ontario’s GDP and one-fifth of Canada’s GDP. With approximately 8 million people, this is the largest single population concentration in Canada.

“Our Nation is pleased that Canada has set this important precedent for the Mississaugas of the Credit to benefit from economic activity on our Traditional Territory. We thank Ministers Duclos, Guilbeault, Piccini and Mayor Howarth for their leadership to ensure our Nation has been included in this important project,” said Chief R. Stacey Laforme.

Milestone has worked with Indigenous partners since its inception in 2010, but its founding partners and key team members have more than 30 years experience collaborating with Indigenous communities. “We are proud partners in eight successful Indigenous partnerships; some of which have been active since 2016,” said Eric Pringle, CEO and Managing Partner of Milestone Environmental Contracting, Inc.

Milestone has worked with its Indigenous partners on a long list of high profile remediation projects across Canada, including: Corbeau Hydroelectric Station, Zibi Soil Remediation, Former Fraser Cedar Mill, Slesse Creek, Giant Mine, and many more.

Work on Stage 3 commenced in August of this year, with current activities focusing on water treatment at the site. Preparations for large-scale production are underway, involving the movement of hundreds of truckloads of materials, which is slated to commence on September 11. Project completion is targeted for January 2025.