Niagara Region – Port Colborne SPS
Connecting growth to clean water.
The Port Colborne Sewage Pumping Station (SPS) project supports economic expansion by upgrading critical wastewater infrastructure. Through ecological diligence and collaborative planning, the project balances development with environmental stewardship, enabling sustainable growth across the Welland Canal corridor.
Expertise
Capabilities
Aquatic, Arboriculture, Monitoring, Species at Risk, Vegetation, Wildlife
From day one the EnVision team understood the importance of meeting the required timelines of our project and successfully met them. Their experience also allowed them to foresee and thus avoid potential conflicts and delays that would have otherwise affected our project.
Port Colborne East Side employment lands SPS upgrade.
The East Side SPS project in Port Colborne, Ontario, is a vital infrastructure initiative led by the Region of Niagara and the City of Port Colborne. Designed to support the city’s east-side employment lands, the project includes replacing the existing force main and extending the Barrick Road watermain. These upgrades will enable future industrial development while ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. Ecological assessments, including Species at Risk (SAR) snake and bird habitat evaluations and aquatic surveys, were conducted to avoid environmental impacts and streamline permitting.
Ecological field investigations.
Extensive fieldwork—including botanical inventories, amphibian and breeding bird surveys, and SAR snake assessments—ensured that sensitive habitats were identified and protected. MECP confirmed that no ESA permitting was required.
Strategic infrastructure expansion
The project enhances wastewater conveyance across the Welland Canal to the Seaway Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), unlocking new employment lands and supporting Port Colborne’s economic development goals.
Collaborative permitting success
Through proactive engagement with Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA), Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), the team secured necessary permits and approvals efficiently. The project’s environmental management plan followed NPCA’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) guidelines and included mitigation strategies for wetlands and woodlands.
Expertise & Capabilities
Ecology
Aquatic
Undertaking assessments to identify the interaction with the aquatic environment to meet the requirements of federal, provincial, and municipal policies and legislation.
Arboriculture
Addressing arboreal resources on projects that may influence trees throughout their design and construction phases and ensuring a responsible approach to management.
Monitoring
Monitoring to ensure compliance with permitting requirements, both during and after construction, and to assess the effectiveness of mitigation and compensation efforts.
Species at Risk
Targeted species-specific surveys for aquatic, birds, plants, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians, to assess and comprehensively address potential project-related impacts.
Vegetation
Documenting the form and function of vegetation communities to provide an understanding of the landscape and its relationship with wildlife and aquatic environments.
Wildlife
Undertaking comprehensive wildlife field investigations to document species and their habitat to assess impacts on project outcomes thereby allowing for informed decision-making.
Strategy, implementation, and seamless integration.
Leveraging deep practical knowledge, they built trusted relationships with clients and the design team. Envision staff rapidly transitioned from a supporting role to leading agency consultation and permitting for the Port Colborne SPS project. Their high-quality ecological field surveys—covering SAR snakes, SAR birds, amphibians, fish and wetlands—underpinned robust assessments and mitigation strategies that minimized impacts to sensitive species and habitats.
This project exemplifies balancing vital infrastructure with ecological stewardship. I valued the collaborative spirit that fostered open dialogue, strong relationships, and successful outcomes for all stakeholders.
