Environmental Management and Special Studies

As a result of our diverse educational backgrounds and interests, our company's Principals have been assigned to direct a number of important environmental impact assessment (EIA) and other types of multi-disciplinary projects throughout Canada and around the world. Because of our creative and innovative ways of working, our company is often retained by clients to carry out special assignments and “think pieces” that require innovative "good thinking" and the development of a unique tailor-made approach rather than application of the same old "cookie cutter" methodologies. We are known for bringing a high level of consultation to our work and for involving a wide range of stakeholders in problem identification, asset analysis and the development of solutions.

Examples of some of these projects are as follows:

• EIA for the major World Bank initiative to redevelop the city of Kampala in Uganda, Africa;

• EIA/SIA for a proposed elevated expressway in the centre of Bangkok, Thailand;

• Studies to locate solid waste management landfill sites around the City of Toronto;

• EIA/SIA for major subway development in Toronto;

• Impact studies for Department of National Defense Training Centre in Baffin Island;

• Several studies for Government of The Bahamas:
  1) Economic Linkages Study and Key Stakeholders Consultation Program;
  2) Environmental Management Capacity-Building Project;
  3) The Bahamas Public Utilities Commission;
  We were retained for several projects in the Bahamas to: identify environmental and social impact assessment requirements for proposed PUC in the Bahamas; identify opportunities for the creation of linkages between the country's tourism industry and other productive sectors of the economy; support the preparation of the environmental regulatory reform and enforcement technical cooperation program, aimed at strengthening the Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology Commission;

• Development of a Green Tourism/Urban Eco tourism Strategy for the City of Toronto: A project to mobilize the will of a wide spectrum of tourism industry leaders to establish a "green tourism" organization and to develop strategic priorities for maximizing opportunities to attract tourism based on a green and environmentally friendly product;

• “Conserver Values and Practices Study”, Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy and “Waste Management Practices in the Workplace”, Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy: Major research assignments to examine attitudes, values and practices associated with conserverism and consumerism, and assess how MOEE might evaluate its programming/policy in light of these issues to promote the concept of a "conserver society" in the province;

• Assessment of Social, Attitudinal and Behavioural Aspects of "3Rs": Retained by coalition of intervener communities to assess social assessment work carried out on behalf of the Ontario Interim Waste Authority with respect to reduction-reuse-recycling initiatives as a viable option to landfill in Ontario;

• Values Research for Ontario's Old Growth Forest Committee: Carried out three projects on wilderness values related to hydroelectric and transmission corridor development in Ontario's north, and on the values of Old Growth Forests for tourism and recreation purposes;

• Analysis of Agenda 21 and Circumpolar Sustainability Report, for the Inuit Circumpolar Conference: Two projects including an assessment of 40 chapters of UNCED Agenda 21 report, to determine relevance and applicability for the Inuit peoples of Canada, Greenland and Russia, and its pertinence for circumpolar sustainability;