YET MORE REPORTS/BULLETINS COMING THROUGH REGARDING ALLEGED IMICO CLEANUP & REDEVELOPMENT

What a truly perverse and off the rails system. It's about three things first and foremost. The first is MONEY, the second is Money and the third is money. You can use different words if you like such as cost, return on investment, cost effectiveness, expenses, biggest bang for the buck, cost and complexity considerations etc. but what is first, foremost and of utmost concern to all parties is how little money can be spent to at least give the cloak or appearance of due diligence and substantial remediation of the on-site soils and groundwater. The reality is that a partial estimate of $13 million dollars was advised by the consultants simply to fully remove the contaminated soils on the former IMICO site. This estimate does not even start to address the contaminated on-site groundwater. Note I have twice mentioned "on-site" impacts. In fact the April 2014 "Preliminary Remedial Action Plan" by DCS (consultants) clearly states that there are recognized and acknowledged off-site impacts caused by contaminated groundwater leaving the IMICO site. Those impacts are known at York Rd. and based on the flow direction of the aquifer(s) most likely go through the Hayes, Kingsmill, Audrey and Lawrence Ave. properties towards the Eramosa River.

Strangely there have been subsequent (2018/2019) newspaper stories as well as bulletins on the City of Guelph's website that advise that the whole on-site "cleanup" of both soils and groundwater can be done for a mere $3-4.5 million. Wow that is truly a bargain basement cleanup price especially by the consultants partial estimate of $13 million ...oops actually $12,800,000. How did they do that? Well folks there are no magic tricks to actually clean up toxic soil and groundwater contamination. Fortunately however for polluters, regulators, consultants & more there are "management" tricks condoned/promoted by the Ministry of Environment/Ontario/City of Guelph such as redefining standards, redefining land uses, redefining acceptable cleanups and lastly redefining property boundaries. Minor issues such as minimizing exposures, exposure routes, length of exposures can all be massaged via risk assessments and other "management" methodologies.

In fact it has been suggested that the former IMICO property can be divided into two properties and the most contaminated areas on the south-east corner nearest to the Kingsmill, Audrey, Lawrence, Victoria Rd. properties can thus be designated for less stringent cleanup standards than the rest of the site. Now that's what I'm talking about in regards to "management" tricks. Anything to save a nickel at your expense and to hell with the downgradient neighbours.

Lastly can you also believe that the proposed redevelopment will be multi story rental accomodations? The plan is for the City of Guelph and the developers to access federal money to assist in the building of affordable housing for those households deemed to be low-to-moderate-income households. Hmm maybe that's a good idea so that those low to moderate income folks aren't financially able to sue the City or developers down the road for potential health implications. So let's not sugarcoat this just too much. The federal government has money to give and presumably the buildings will be on the better remediated soils while, I don't know, swings, walking paths, sandboxes can be put on the lesser remediated areas. Gotta love this system folks. Certainly friends of City Hall and the provincial and federal governments do.