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The Ministère

ClimatSol Plus program

As of October 1, 2024, it is no longer possible to submit new applications for funding. Please send any questions regarding a submitted application by email to the following address: climatsol-plus@environnement.gouv.qc.ca.

Documentation

Part 1:

Part 2:


Presentation and objectives

The ClimatSol-Plus program supports the implementation of the Soil Protection and Rehabilitation of Contaminated Sites Policy and the achievement of its action measures. Reusing contaminated land, which is often located in the heart of cities and served by a wide range of infrastructure, is an undeniable advantage, both from an economic and environmental standpoint. In implementing the ClimatSol-Plus program, Québec ensures ongoing funding for the rehabilitation of contaminated lands. The program is intended for the following entities:

  • Municipalities
  • Private land owners

The program is composed of two component parts. Part 1, which targeted specific objectives related to the fight against climate change, has now ended.

Part 2 aims to facilitate the decontamination of land that has economic development potential and help owners of contaminated land to rehabilitate it. Projects submitted under this component part must contribute to local sustainable development initiatives and to achieving the following objectives, but are not limited to these purposes:

  • Rehabilitate contaminated lands that have economic development potential;
  • Create favourable conditions for the densification of the urban fabric in areas located within the urbanization perimeter;
  • Promote the use of soil decontamination treatment technologies.

ClimatSol-Plus does not apply to projects carried out on the territory of the Ville de Montréal since it directly administers funding granted to rehabilitate contaminated lands on its territory. To find out about the terms and conditions of the Ville de Montréal’s program, please consult the following site https://montreal.ca/en/programs/contaminated-land-rehabilitation-subsidy or write to rehabilitation.terrains.contamines@montreal.ca.

Part 2 of the ClimatSol-Plus program

Two types of applicants are eligible for Part 2 of the program:

Municipal applicants

All municipal bodies that own land to be rehabilitated are eligible. However, municipal applicants are ineligible if, within the two years preceding the funding application, they failed to meet their obligations after having received formal notice regarding prior funding provided by the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP).

For the purposes of the program, a municipal body is as defined in section 5 of the Act respecting Access to documents held by public bodies and the Protection of personal information.

Private applicants

All natural persons or private corporations owning land that can be rehabilitated are eligible. Applicants must meet the following conditions:

  • They have not emitted, deposited, released or discharged, in whole or in part, contaminants within the terms of section 1 of the Land Protection and Rehabilitation Regulation or have not permitted their emission, deposit, release or discharge on the land in question prior to the date of application, except where the applicant is the owner of residential land or a small business with ten or fewer employees. In such instances, a 50% reduction in the calculated funding will be applied to these exceptions;
  • They are not listed in the Register of enterprises ineligible for public contracts;
  • They have not failed to meet their obligations after having received formal notice regarding prior funding provided by the Minister within the two years preceding the funding application;
  • They are not among the exclusions listed in section 4.2 of the program’s normative framework.

Eligible projects

To be eligible, projects submitted must:

  • Comply with the laws and regulations in force in Québec;
  • Provide for the rehabilitation of land whose soil contamination level exceeds usage criteria or the maximum regulatory values. Once the work is completed, the land should be fully rehabilitated;
  • Use the Traces Québec government traceability system to monitor all displacements of contaminated soil out of the original location;
  • Foster the use of on-site treatment during rehabilitation work. If the project makes no provision for this, a justification must be provided;
  • Foster the treatment of excavated soil so that it can be reclaimed. If the project makes no provision for this, a justification must be provided.

Furthermore, projects must be carried out on land located:

  • Within the urbanization perimeter or an area that is strategic to the implementation of the urban development plan;
  • In an area to be renovated or rehabilitated according to the municipality’s economic development strategy.

Project eligibility will be verified by the Ministère. Eligible projects must have received prior approval from the municipality concerned.

Application for funding

As of October 1, 2024, it is no longer possible to submit new applications for assistance under this program.

Selection process

After approval by the municipalities, applications for funding are analyzed by the Ministère according to the program’s standards. Projects are evaluated by a selection committee on the following:

  • Ground contamination segment: focuses on the rehabilitation of the most heavily affected land and with the most mobile and toxic contaminants;
  • Economic development segment: focuses on the rehabilitation of land with economic development potential.

The Ministère informs the municipalities concerned of its decision on the projects submitted.

Accountability

Several expenses are eligible.

Professional services

Professional services needed to prepare and supervise rehabilitation work may be reimbursed 50%, in compliance with the ceiling provided for in section 6.3.1 of the normative framework. Eligible professional services include:

  • Archaeological potential assessment and carrying out of archaeological inventories and excavations, insofar as the expenditures incurred are recommended by the Ministère de la Culture et des communications (MCC);
  • Preparation of plans, quotes and specifications as well as documents requesting proposals for carrying out site work, surveying, measured drawings, the coordination and environmental monitoring of projects, the drafting of reports and other similar activities (e.g., toxicological and ecotoxicological risk assessment reports, groundwater impact assessment reports, installation of vegetated walls or roofs), to the extent that such advice, guidance and work are directly associated with the characterization or rehabilitation of the land;
  • The characterization of soils, buried materials and water prior to the start of the work.

Site work

The reimbursement rate for site work varies from 15% to 75%. Site work with a higher degree of environmentally sustainable development is reimbursed at a higher percentage. For example, the management of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils using authorized treatment technology is entitled to a 75% reimbursement of eligible costs, compared to only 15% for their management in a contaminated soil landfill. The list of eligible or ineligible site work and the reimbursement percentages are presented in Appendix 3 of the normative framework.

Post-rehabilitation follow-up work

Follow-up work after rehabilitation can be reimbursed 50%. This includes sums paid to professionals, contractors and suppliers for post-rehabilitation follow-up work accepted by the Minister, for a period not exceeding one year after the date of completion of the rehabilitation work provided for in the financial funding agreement.

Request for proposals

All contracts awarded for eligible site work are subject to a request for proposals, regardless of the amount.

Municipal applicants award the contracts in accordance with the legislative and regulatory provisions applicable to municipalities regarding the awarding of contracts.

Private applicants issue a request for proposals by written invitation for contracts valued at less than $100,000 from at least three competent and solvent suppliers. For contracts estimated at $100,000 or more, private applicants may choose either of the following options:

  • Issuing a request for proposals by written invitation to at least five competent and solvent suppliers;
  • Issuing a public call for proposals by means of a notice published in a daily or weekly newspaper in Québec, or by any other means accepted by the municipality.

The minimum content of documents requesting proposals and the terms and conditions to be met are listed in section 10.1 of the normative framework.
Whether the request for proposals is by written or public invitation, the documents sent to bidders must provide the following information:

  • A full description of the contract’s purpose;
  • The nature and amount of any required submission and execution guaranties;
  • All terms and conditions with which the business must comply;
  • A price schedule to be filled out describing the tasks to be carried out and indicating the estimated quantity of soil and water to be treated;
  • The location for receiving submissions as well as the date and time of the submission receipt deadline. The deadline must not be less than 15 days;
  • The date, time and location of the public opening of submissions;
  • The rules that will be followed when analyzing submissions, in particular the requirements and criteria used to evaluate submissions;
  • The period of validity of the submissions;
  • A statement indicating the possibility that the applicant may not select any of the submissions received.

The lowest bidder that complies with the requirements of the request for proposals and the terms and conditions mentioned in section 10.1 of the normative framework will be chosen by the private applicant.

Annual Municipality Report

Municipalities are required to produce annual status reports on all projects carried out within their boundaries under the program. Annual reports must include a fully completed ClimatSol-Plus Monitoring Plan – Part 2 for each project. Reports must be filed annually with the Ministère no later than March 31 until the project has been completed.

Documentation

Relevant documents are as follows:

Information requests

For additional information, please contact the Ministère’s Secrétariat du Pôle d’expertise régionale du secteur industriel:

Email: climatsol-plus@environnement.gouv.qc.ca

Address:
201, place Charles-Le Moyne, 2e étage
Longueuil (Québec) J4K 2T5


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