Previous Industry Recognition Award Winners

OSSGA recognizes the ongoing efforts of individual operators to progressively rehabilitate their sites per their site plans.

• CBM, Aggregates Division, Douglas Pit and McLaughlin Pit, West Nissouri Township

  The goal of this award winning rehabilitation project was to transform the Douglas and McLaughlin Pits into stable, vegetated landscapes with 3:1 side slopes that blend seamlessly into the surrounding natural habitats, including a nearshore wetland area. The project covered a licensed area of approximately 7 hectares, with a final rehabilitated footprint of 6.26 hectares. Starting in December 2023, equipment like a D6 Dozer and a 986 excavator were used to contour slopes, using about 40,000m3 of material for shaping and adding topsoil where needed. The shoreline was contoured to include a safety bench with a 10:1 slope. Woody debris and oversized rocks were placed in the lake and nearshore to enhance biodiversity. In spring 2024, seeding was carried out, including a winter wheat grass and legume mix, followed by overseeding with alfalfa, timothy, and white clover. Native wetland species and live stakes were also planted along the shoreline, completing the rehabilitation by May 2024.

• CBM, Aggregates Division, Sunderland Pit, Township of Brock

  CBM Aggregates’ Sunderland Pit set out to establish stable, vegetated 3:1 side slopes and naturalize the pit floor. The pit spans 343.5 hectares, with 256.38 hectares designated for extraction, and the latest project covered 3.4 hectares, including 1.4 hectares of slope rehabilitation and 2 hectares of floor restoration. Earth-moving work began in February 2024 and lasted 13 days, with Higgs and Higgs Inc. using a D8 bulldozer to shape the slopes and a D6 bulldozer to spread and grade approximately 5,205 m3 of topsoil. The topsoil was sourced from a berm on the property, with a 6-inch depth applied to the slopes and pit floor. To enhance vegetation growth, the slopes were tracked vertically to maximize seed retention. In May 2024, hydroseeding was completed using a mix of various grasses and legumes, with specialized mulches for both slopes and the floor.

• Green Infrastructure Partners Inc., Armitage Pit, Township of West Carlton

  Progressive rehabilitation at GIP’s Armitage Pit has been ongoing, with efforts including pond restoration, sloping pit sidewalls to 3:1, and covering them with topsoil before planting a mix of rye and clover. Tree species like Red Osier Dogwood, white spruce, and white pine, along with shrubs such as staghorn sumac, were planted to enhance wildlife and fish habitats. By 2016, 580 trees and shrubs were planted. Topsoil stockpiles are seeded to reduce erosion, and vegetation is maintained throughout operations. The final rehabilitation plan includes a self-contained pond with sloped walls, additional planting, and shoreline restoration to support the local wetland complex and wildlife habitat.

• Green Infrastructure Partners Inc., Riddell Pit, City of Ottawa

  The final rehabilitation plans for the Riddell Pit include sloped pit faces seeded with grass and legumes and planted with trees like maples, white pine, and white spruce. Phase 3 will be transformed into a large lake, with side slopes above the water table sloped at 3:1 and those below naturally sloped. These will be covered with topsoil, seeded, and planted with nursery stock. Existing tree screens will be maintained in the setback area. The rehabilitation efforts aim to create a thriving ecosystem that integrates with surrounding agricultural lands, forests, and wetlands. To date 5.5 ha of pit-faces along the northern and western limits have been sloped, seeded and planted with trees.

• Green Infrastructure Partners Inc., Torbolton Pit, City of Ottawa

  Progressive rehabilitation at the Torbolton Pit covers approximately 50 hectares, including pond rehabilitation (20 ha) and tree/shrub planting (10 ha). The northern area, particularly around the pond, has seen the creation of perpendicular shorelines, sloping pit faces, and planting of tree species like Red Osier Dogwood and High Bush Cranberry along the shorelines. Over several years, tree planting has been carried out to prevent erosion, with species such as White Pine, Red Pine, and White Spruce. Native trees and stumps have been placed in riparian areas to support aquatic and wildlife habitats. Final rehabilitation plans include creating a self-contained pond within one year of operations ceasing. The shoreline will be sloped, covered with topsoil, and seeded, with further planting of tree species like Willows and Silver Maple. Additionally, stumps and oversized rocks will be placed in the pit to enhance fish spawning and provide wildlife habitat.

• Lafarge Canada Inc. - A Member of Holcim, Brantford Pit, County of Brant

  The objective of the Brantford Pit rehabilitation was to stabilize former extraction areas with shallow shorelines and natural features. The project involved sloping and seeding the southern shoreline and side-slope areas, which required approximately 14,000 cubic meters of overburden and topsoil. The material was excavated using a D6 Dozer and transported by articulated trucks. The slopes were graded to a 3:1 ratio, with topsoil spread at an average thickness of 20 cm. A native grass/legume seed mixture, including Creeping Red Fescue, Kentucky Blue Grass, and White Clover, was applied in May 2024. The total area rehabilitated was 12,500 square meters. This rehabilitation aimed to ensure long-term stabilization and encourage natural re-vegetation, contributing to a sustainable ecosystem once resource extraction was completed.

• Lafarge Canada Inc. - A Member of Holcim, Clark Pit, City of Ottawa

  The Clark Pit set out to restore the former extraction areas to their original grade for future industrial use, as the site is located in an industrial area of Ottawa. The work, completed over 22 years, involved filling, sloping, and grading the land. Approximately 2.5 million tonnes of soil were imported during this period, and the site was returned to its original topography, with the western side sloped to a 3:1 ratio. Overburden was used to meet topsoil requirements, with a layer spread at an average thickness of 8 cm. Although seeding was not required for the final stage of rehabilitation due to the site's intended use, natural vegetation successfully established itself. The project ensured the site would be usable for future industrial purposes by 2024, as the area naturally progressed towards a self-sustaining landscape.

• Miller Paving Limited - A Colas Company, Boyington Pit 3, Township of Uxbridge

  The Boyington Pit, located on the Oak Ridges Moraine, spans approximately 196 hectares. While the site is an active pit, about 50% of the land is now used for agricultural production. The rehabilitation plan aims to return the pit floor to agricultural use after extraction, with pit faces sloped to mirror the area’s natural topography. Over the past four years, approximately 31 hectares of disturbed land have been rehabilitated, including 12 hectares in 2021 and 8 hectares in 2022. In 2023, another 7 hectares of the pit floor were rehabilitated. The 2024 rehabilitation involved grading and topsoil placement on 3 hectares using a D6 dozer. The land is then seeded with crops, such as corn, soybeans, and wheat, to maintain agricultural use. The company’s partnership with Highview Holsteins ensures crop rotation and soil fertility improvements, with corn chosen as the first crop to integrate the rehabilitated lands into the farm’s rotation.

• E.C. King Contracting - A Colas Company, Breadner Pit, Grey County

  The Breadner Pit was previously an apple orchard, which faced challenges with poor soil moisture retention due to the gravel content in the ground. Progressive rehabilitation work began in 2022, with the west end of the pit rehabilitated to agricultural conditions in late summer. In spring 2024, the remaining disturbed area at the east end of the pit was rehabilitated. A total of 6.44 hectares, including 5.82 hectares within the extraction limits, were rehabilitated. By June 2024, the site was fully transformed into pastureland. In the long term, the site is planned to return to its original orchard condition, with the internal roadway remaining to provide access to both existing and future orchards on the rehabilitated land.

• Pioneer Construction Inc., Laurentian Pit, City of Sudbury

  In 2024, Pioneer Construction Inc. completed progressive rehabilitation at its 15.6-hectare Laurentian Pit in Sudbury. The rehabilitation involved reshaping and sloping the two main pits. Existing overburden was spread across the site to create a 3:1 slope that supports drainage to a shallow seasonal catchment pond. The slopes were then covered with a thin layer of fine silts and clays. Following this, a fall seed mix was applied, which included a nurse crop of Fall Rye and Ryegrass, and a seed mix consisting of Creeping Red Fescue, Perennial Rye- grass, Kentucky Bluegrass, and White Clover. Two months later, the vegetation had successfully germinated, with healthy growth observed. A total of 1.8 acres were rehabilitated during the project.

• VicDom Sand & Gravel, Middleton Pit, Township of Uxbridge

  The Middleton Pit, an expansion property for the main license, was formerly farmland and was used for concrete quality aggregate extraction from 2019 to 2022. The rehabilitation plan, completed in 2024, aimed to restore the site as open grassland, cropland, and a small pond to provide habitat for meadowlark birds and waterfowl. Overburden material was used to backfill the site to its original rolling hills landscape, with a total rehabilitated area of 3 hectares. In the first year, a wheat crop was planted to stabilize soils and slopes. The topsoil depth ranged from 8 to 12 inches. Equipment used included excavators, rock trucks, bulldozers, and tractors. Rehabilitation work began in the summer of 2023 and was completed in the spring of 2024. This project restored the site to an ecologically beneficial habitat while maintaining agricultural use potential.

• Walker Aggregates & Construction, Gowanlock Pit, Grey County

  Rehabilitation of the Gowanlock pit, spanning 15 years, aimed to return the site to agricultural use. In 2024, final rehabilitation work was conducted in the northeast section of the pit, covering 5.8 hectares, after the removal of the last stockpile of “A” gravel. This work, completed from mid-August to mid- September 2024, involved leveling the pit floor and minor rehabilitation of remaining small faces/slopes. A Cat D8 bulldozer was primarily used, with a Hitachi 330 excavator and two rock trucks assisting with transporting topsoil. The site, with minimal overburden but a large stockpile of 15,000 tonnes of topsoil, had topsoil applied at a depth of approximately 400 mm. Fertilizer was spread across the area, and in 2025, it will be rented to an adjacent farmer. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) inspected and confirmed that the site met rehabilitation requirements in October 2024.