The Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI) is one of Canada's largest environmental remediation projects. The initiative is cleaning up and safely managing approximately 1.2 million cubic metres of historic low-level radioactive waste located throughout the Municipality of Port Hope.
Originating from radium and uranium refining activities in the 1930s and 1940s, the waste is being consolidated within a Long-Term Waste Management Facility. Led by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), the $1.3-billion project is transforming contaminated properties and restoring them for future community use.
Cambium's Role
Cambium has been involved with the PHAI since 2014, supporting the project through planning, remediation, construction, and long-term site restoration. Working alongside CNL and project partners including ECC/QMLP, North Wind Portage, and Milestone Environmental, Cambium has delivered environmental, geotechnical, and construction quality services across the Long-Term Waste Management Facility and numerous remediation sites throughout Port Hope.
Services Provided
Cambium's multidisciplinary team has supported the project through:
Environmental soil investigations and confirmatory testing to verify the removal of contaminated materials.
Biological assessments to identify Species at Risk, nesting birds, and sensitive habitats before construction activities begin.
Erosion and sediment control monitoring during large-scale earthworks.
Geotechnical monitoring and construction verification to support safe excavation, backfilling, and site restoration.
Air quality monitoring and dust management, including continuous monitoring programs and adaptive monitoring station placement.
Enhanced air quality assessments to help protect workers and nearby residents.
Vibration monitoring to support the assessment and management of vibration impacts from remediation and construction activities on surrounding properties and infrastructure.
Noise monitoring and modelling to assess and reduce impacts on surrounding neighbourhoods.
Environmental compliance, quality assurance, reporting, and training to support regulatory requirements and project objectives.
Integrated Environmental Monitoring
A key aspect of Cambium's involvement has been the integration of environmental, ecological, geotechnical, and construction quality services into a coordinated monitoring program. This multidisciplinary approach has helped project teams:
Manage environmental and construction risks
Maintain regulatory compliance
Protect workers and the public
Support efficient project delivery
Project Legacy
Upon completion, the recovered waste will be safely contained and monitored within the Long-Term Waste Management Facility, while remediated lands will be restored and returned to the Municipality of Port Hope.
Cambium's long-standing involvement in the PHAI showcases the firm's ability to support complex environmental remediation projects through technical expertise, rigorous monitoring, and a commitment to protecting both people and the environment.
