Parry Sound Base – September 15, 2020 – The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Real Property, Ontario and Prairie Region (formerly Central and Arctic Region), Engineering and Technical Support has determined that the proposed Canadian Coast Guard Parry Sound Base Helipad Area Repair Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

This determination was based on a consideration of the following factors:

• impacts on rights of Indigenous peoples;
• Indigenous knowledge;
• community knowledge;
• comments received from the public; and
• technically and economically feasible mitigation measures.
   
  Mitigation measures taken into account for this determination are:

• Completing work from land.  No heavy equipment shall enter the water at any time.
• Planning in water work, undertaking, or activity to respect timing windows to protect fish. Work is being scheduled between July 15^th and October 1^st in order to minimize the impact to breeding or juvenile fish species and their habitat.
• Avoiding any notable temporary or permanent increase in existing footprint below the high water mark (as the intent of the project is for reinforcement and not a new structure).
• Matching the new reinforcement to the existing structure.
• Maintaining fish passage by avoiding changing flow or water level and avoiding obstructing or interfering with the movement and migration of fish.
• Ensuring proper sediment control by developing and implementing an erosion and sediment control plan, installing effective erosion and sediment control measures, regularly inspecting and maintaining the erosion and sediment control measures during all phases of the project, and keeping the erosion and sediment control measures in place until all disturbed ground has been permanently stabilized.
• Heeding weather advisories and scheduling work to avoid wet, windy, and rainy periods that may result in high flow volumes and/or increased erosion and sedimentation.
• Avoiding vegetation clearing. Project site is on developed commercial property and clearing is not required.
• Avoiding disturbance to migratory bird nests or eggs.  If a bird nest is encountered, disruptive activities will be avoided and the nest will be protected with a buffer zone until the young have left the vicinity of the nest.
• Operating machinery on land in stable dry areas, maintaining all machinery in a clean condition and free of fluid leaks.
• Washing, refueling, and servicing machinery and storing fuel and other materials sufficiently away from the water and  in a manner that will prevent the deposit of a deleterious substance into waters frequented by fish.
• Minimizing fumes and air emissions from construction vehicle's / machinery. Work shall be carried out in compliance with the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, and applicable air emission regulations and by-laws. Vehicles/machinery to be in good repair, equipped with emission controls as applicable and operated within regulatory requirements. Any unnecessary idling of vehicles on site will be avoided.
• Minimizing noise generated from construction activities that has the potential to disturb residents and wildlife. All work to be undertaken in compliance with local noise by-laws. Maintain equipment, including noise reduction components, in a good state of repair.
• Preventing entry of deleterious substances in water by avoiding depositing any deleterious substances in the watercourse, developing a response plan to be implemented immediately in the event of a spill, keeping an emergency spill kit on site, stopping work and containing deleterious substances to prevent dispersal, reporting any spills of deleterious materials near or directly into a water body, and cleaning up and appropriately disposing of the deleterious substances.
• Taking appropriate precautions to ensure waste construction materials do not enter the basin.  All waste shall be disposed at an approved waste disposal site.
• Implementing measures to avoid destruction, injury, or interference with any Species at Risk and its habitat, should Species at Risk be encountered at any time during the project.
   
  The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Real Property Ontario and Prairie Region, Engineering and Technical Support is satisfied that the carrying out of the project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.
   
  Therefore, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Real Property Ontario and Prairie Region, Engineering and Technical Support may carry out the project, exercise any power, perform any duty or function, or provide financial assistance to enable the project to be carried out in whole or in part.