Preserve the Powerhouse, protect the environment

By MaryJane Moses

Did you know that every project that has the potential to negatively impact the environment, big or small, within Parks Canada administered protected areas needs to be evaluated under the federal Impact Assessment Act (IAA, 2019) to reduce and mitigate those effects? The structural stabilization of the 130-year-old Powerhouse at the Sault Ste. Marie Canal is no exception!

For the purposes of the act, the ‘environment’ is defined as the natural and cultural resources including lands and waters, vegetation, wildlife, and historic/cultural artefacts. Furthermore, it includes the indirect effects on the health, social and economic impacts of local communities and Indigenous peoples. Parks Canada reports on all projects under the IAA by submitting documents for public consultation and ensuring compliance with other legislation, like the Migratory Birds Convention Act, the Species-At-Risk Act, the Fisheries Act, and the Canadian Navigable Waters Act.

In some cases, there may be permits issued or authorizations granted from other regulatory bodies based on a project’s proposed scope of work. It is not uncommon for large-scale projects to require several years of planning, design work, and contract tendering before being shovel ready!

The Powerhouse is classified as a federal heritage building and a Level 1 Cultural Resource. The goal of restoring this structure to its former glory is taking place using a phased approach, meaning each stage of the work is assessed independently.

When evaluating a project, the first step is to identify the valued components that may be affected by the proposed activities. Certainly, the cultural resource value of the Powerhouse itself and the surrounding buildings/infrastructure is important, but so too are the potential impacts on archaeological resources; visitor experience and safety; soil, land, and water resources; species of concern, terrestrial wildlife, vegetation, and habitat; and aquatic fauna, flora, and habitat. Once the potential risks are identified, mitigation measures are then developed that aim to reduce or minimize these effects.

For the Powerhouse structural stabilization, there are 53 mitigations outlined in the Impact Assessment (IA). Most of these requirements are considered “best-practices” for construction activities, including work site conditions, heavy equipment operations, water resource management, visitor experience and safety, and wildlife management. 

As the Impact Assessment Officer for the Northern Ontario Field Unit, I have two key responsibilities: to prepare the IA documents and conduct site inspections. These inspections include taking photographs, talking to workers, and environmental surveillance and monitoring. I usually have a checklist to make sure all mitigations are being done according to the requirements outlined in the contract. Some projects require seasonal surveillance for things like breeding birds and bats, taking samples for water quality analysis, and/or monitoring for invasive species.

The Powerhouse has a long history and, by working collaboratively across disciplines, our aim is to preserve it and its functionality for future generations to appreciate, while protecting the natural environment that surrounds it. 

Back to shoreLINES