Impacted Sites Fund Delivers First Cheque To Town Of Shaunavon
The Ministry of Environment has announced the successful applicant for the Impacted Sites Fund. The Town of Shaunavon will receive $36,800 to address petroleum hydrocarbon impacts caused by a previous occupancy at the location. This funding will enable the town to determine the extent of the contamination and sell the property to recover unpaid tax losses and other expenses.
Environment Minister Dana Skoropad said, “Contaminated sites can pose a risk to the health of the environment and the people of Saskatchewan, and it’s great news that we can assist Shaunavon in cleaning up this piece of land.”
“We know that contaminated sites can pose a risk to the health of the environment as well as the health of the people of Saskatchewan,” Environment Minister Dana Skoropad said. “It’s great news that we can assist Shaunavon cleaning up this piece of land and help them recover some of the costs they’ve faced since acquiring the property.”
The abandoned property was acquired in tax arrears in 2022, and contamination was discovered during the site cleanup process.
“”When the building was declared a public safety hazard and deemed as dilapidated, the Town through an Order to Remedy proceeded to clean up the site as soon as possible. During the site clean up, a contractor detected the presence of potential soil contamination by noticing a strong petroleum scent. Soil samples were collected and sent off for analysis. Our fear became reality when the samples showed hydrocarbon contamination. We have received funding from the Impacted Sites Fund to assist with the Phase I and II Environmental site assessment to determine the extent of contamination on this property and will be applying for further grant funding to assist with the full cleanup of this site, if necessary,” said Town of Shaunavon Mayor Kyle Bennett.
The Impacted Sites Fund was established to provide financial support to municipalities to address environmentally impacted sites, creating economic and social development opportunities. The program is funded by fines collected when an infraction occurs under The Environmental Management and Protection Act, 2010. As fines are collected, additional funding will be available for municipalities through the Impacted Sites Fund.
To learn more about the Impacted Sites Fund, visit Impacted Sites Fund | Hazardous Materials and Safe Waste Management | Government of Saskatchewan.