Certificate of Property Use

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Certificate of Property Use

Certificate of Property Use (CPU) is a document issued by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) to the site owner, often as part of a Record of Site Condition (RSC) with Risk Management Measures (RMM) identified during the site assessment.

The measures outlined in the CPU are site specific requirements that are intended to ensure contaminants identified on site will not cause an adverse effect. A Certificate of Property Use is issued by MECP Directors, but they can also modify or revoke the CPU if necessary.

Property owners subject to Certificate of Property Use requirements are prohibited from using and constructing buildings detailed in the CPU. If required, the owner must register a Certificate of Requirement (CofR) on title with the municipal land titles office and provide a copy of the CPU to every individual interested in the property.

As part of the Certificate of Property Use, property owners are also required to adhere to requirements set out by the MECP Director to reduce, eliminate, and prevent the adverse effects associated with onsite contaminants of concern. Depending on the property conditions, owners may be required to install equipment to support the monitoring, recording, and reporting of the contaminants.

Furthermore, if the property has a history as a waste disposal site ECA, it’s vital to assess and manage any residual contaminants as per the guidelines in the Certificate of Property Use to prevent environmental harm.

Air, Vapor and Groundwater Monitoring

Depending on the Director’s opinion and CPU conditions, air/vapor testing and/or groundwater monitoring may be required on a monthly, bi-annually, or annually basis. Residential developments built on and around brownfields or decommissioned landfills are often required to monitor hazardous gases and groundwater at the property to safeguard its tenants. In the case of a decommissioned landfill, methane gas can be flammable and explosive at high levels. Therefore, routine monitoring of methane gas to ensure it does not pose any flammability or explosive risks to property tenants is required. An Emission Summary is crucial to understand and document any residual emissions that may emanate from previously used materials or processes on the site.

SONAIR can assist your property with the requirements set out in your Certificate of Property Use, including dust control management plan, from sampling, data collection, analysis, record keeping, to notifying the Ministry of any exceedances. Our professionals have conducted countless field work, performing the required sampling in accordance with applicable testing protocols and procedures. If you are in search of a trusted environmental consulting company to ensure the requirements of your CPU have been meet, e-mail us today or give us a call to speak to one of our professionals.

To learn more about the streamlined environmental approval process, consider looking into EASR in Ontario.