Environmental Characterization

Revealing
the nature of
the environment

A natural habitat is shaped by its myriad ecosystems. That’s why any project requires a thorough understanding of these ecosystems to help clients identify and optimize the scenario that would have the least amount of impact on this environment. The team at Groupe Conseil UDA includes experts from a variety of fields and, thanks to cutting-edge tools, they are able to oversee every activity related to an environmental characterization with precision and in line with applicable standards. With their skillsets, they are able to meet regulatory requirements and even recommend the most appropriate mitigation and compensation measures. Groupe Conseil UDA is a team that can adapt to projects of any size, helping developers reduce the risks associated with trying to recruit highly qualified personnel specialized in environmental construction.

Specific areas
of intervention

Acquisition and analysis of existing data from various governmental bodies and organizations
Carrying out plant and wildlife surveys, including species at risk
Characterization and delimitation of wetlands
Identification of the natural high water mark
Carrying out agroforestry inventories
Carrying out of ichthyological inventories
Biophysical characterization of the bodies of water and fish habitats
Identification of the spawning, nursery, and feeding areas
Assessment of the spawning potential of habitats
Assessment of the ecological value of natural environments

Examples
of past
projects

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Environmental Characterization
Energy East Pipeline
The Energy East Pipeline was to be the largest pipeline in Canada, with a 4,600-km pipeline connecting Alberta to New Brunswick. In Quebec, the project included a 650-km pipeline, 10 pump stations, 2 delivery stations, 107 block valves, permanent access roads, as well as temporary installations and infrastructures. Among other tasks, Groupe Conseil UDA was mandated with carrying out various inventories to document the host environment in order to support the environmental studies submitted to regulatory authorities.

Services rendered
- Acquired existing data from various governmental bodies and organizations
- Developed inventory protocols in line with regulatory standards
- Carried out soil surveys
- Carried out plant inventories
- Characterized and delimited wetlands
- Delimited the natural high-water mark
- Carried out ichthyological inventories
- Produced a biophysical characterization of the water body and fish habitat
- Identified reproduction, spawning, and feed zones
- Assessed the spawning potential of habitats
- Evaluated the vulnerability of water bodies to optimize the selection of crossing methods
- Carried out agroforestry inventories
- Carried out inventories of waterfowl and herpetofauna (outsourced)
- Carried out inventories of deer (outsourced)
- Carried out archeological inventories (outsourced)
- Assessed the ecological value of wetlands and wooded areas
- Developed a method to evaluate the condition of butternut trees
Environmental Characterization
Saint-Laurent Pipeline
The Saint-Laurent Pipeline project involved building a 242-km pipeline between Lévis and Boucherville in order to connect the Jean-Gaulin Refinery and the Montreal East Valero Energy terminal. The pipeline crosses 4 administrative regions, 32 municipalities, 10 MRCs or equivalent territories, and 5 of the UPA’s regional federations. Groupe Conseil UDA’s multidisciplinary teams carried out various inventories and characterization activities to describe the host environment. This information was then used to support the impact study and environmental monitoring activities as well as to measure the success of the site rehabilitation.

Services rendered
- Acquired existing data from various governmental bodies and organizations
- Developed inventory protocols
- Carried out plant inventories
- Characterized and delimited wetlands
- Delimited the natural high-water mark
- Carried out ichthyological inventories
- Produced a biophysical characterization of the water body and fish habitat
- Identified reproduction, spawning, and feed zones
- Assessed the spawning potential of habitats
- Carried out simple and detailed agroforestry inventories
- Carried out waterfowl inventories (outsourced)
- Carried out herpetological inventories (outsourced)
Environmental Characterization
Gazoduq Project
The Gazoduq project aimed to build a new 780-km pipeline to transport natural gas between the TC Énergie network in Ontario and GNL Québec’s future liquified natural gas complex in Saguenay. Group Conseil UDA was hired to act as the project’s main environmental advisor. The company’s multidisciplinary team carried out various inventories and characterization activities to describe the project’s host environment. This information was then used for the impact study.

Services rendered
- Acquired existing data from various governmental bodies and organizations
- Developed inventory protocols
- Carried out plant inventories
- Characterized and delimited wetlands
- Carried out ichthyological inventories
- Produced a biophysical characterization of the water body and fish habitat
- Identified reproduction, spawning, and feed zones
- Assessed the spawning potential of habitats
- Carried out agroforestry inventories
- Carried out waterfowl inventories (outsourced)
- Carried out herpetological inventories (outsourced)
- Carried out inventories of potential bat maternity roosts (outsourced)
- Assessed the archeological potential (outsourced)
- Carried out a noise modelling study (outsourced)
Environmental Characterization
Environmental audit of the Mont-Royal Heritage Site
The City of Montreal wanted to carry out environmental audits on the Mont-Royal Heritage Site to update their data, guide their recommendations for landscaping and interventions, and facilitate their management processes. They also wanted updated information to help preserve and increase biodiversity on site. Groupe Conseil UDA’s mandate was to carry out detailed plant inventories over three seasons for a site of 265 hectares and to assess the ecological value of the natural environments.

Services rendered
- Characterized and delimited plant communities
- Inventoried 400 quadrats over three seasons
- Surveyed plant species at risk
- Carried out a census of invasive exotic plant species
- Processed data using an environmental data analysis matrix
- Carried out a comparative analysis of previous data
- Assessed the ecological value of the environments in line with the city’s preferred approach
Environmental Characterization
Expansion of the urban perimeter in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield
The City of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield wanted to update its urban plan. Some properties affected by this modification were subject to a zoning change. Groupe Conseil UDA was mandated with carrying out an initial environmental assessment on two properties totalling 59 hectares and identifying potential environmental challenges associated with the new urban plan. Various environmental inventories were carried out to identify these challenges.

Service rendered
- Characterized wetlands and wooded areas
- Characterized water bodies
- Carried out herpetological inventories (eels and chorus frogs)
- Carried out inventories of species at risk
- Assessed the potential of use by wildlife, specifically species at risk
- Drafted an environmental characterization report
Environmental Characterization
Expansion of the Sintra quarry located in Saint-Alphonse-de-Granby and Bromont
Sintra wanted to expand and deepen one of their quarries that has been in operation since 1970. Subject to the Regulation respecting sand pits and quarries, authorization was needed from the MELCC to proceed. A request for this authorization needed be supported by various sector studies including an environmental characterization, a hydrogeological study, a hydraulic study, and a noise study. In order to document the impacts on the environment adjacent to the quarry as well as the projected lowering of the groundwater table, a characterization of wetlands and water bodies located in the sector over an area of 130 hectares was required.

Services rendered
- Revised documentation produced by third parties: environmental characterization, hydrogeological study, hydraulic study, noise study, initial authorization request
- Answered questions and concerns from the MELCC
- Outlined characterization protocols for wetlands and water bodies
- Carried out the required inventories for the supplementary environmental characterization
- Delimited and characterized the wetlands and water bodies in the area of study
- Analyzed the hydrological links and source of water for the wetlands
- Evaluated the anticipated impacts of the project on wetlands and water bodies
- Drafted the environmental characterization report
- Updated sector studies (hydrogeological and hydraulic)
- Produced a document to answer questions and comments from the MELCC
- Outlined a program to monitor the wetlands