Construction Support

Kilgour & Associates Ltd. has been contracted by various local builders and contractors to assist in the construction of infrastructure such as roads, bridges and culverts, the design and expansion of stormwater management ponds, or more general earthworks and land preparation. Our suite of services includes negotiation with municipal governments, conservation authorities, provincial Ministries and Federal Departments on behalf of our clients. We also apply for and obtain permits for taking water, watercourse alteration and HADD to fish habitat, for our clients, as required.

In support of construction activities, we can provide a full range of services that include:

• Fish rescue, fish recovery, fish removal. These programs remove fish from watercourses in construction sites, enabling in-water work. These programs are conducted using permits issued by the regulating province or territory or by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, as required.

• Terrestrial surveys for birds, bats, frogs, snakes, plants, and trees;

  • Butternut Health Assessment;

  • Bird nest surveys;

  • Nightjar surveys (Eastern whip-poor-will, Common nighthawk);

  • Passive and active (visual) bat surveys with echolocation detectors;

  • Species at risk (SAR) sweeps;

• Aquatic surveys for turtles and fish;

  • Turtle removal and exclusion services;

  • Boat electrofishing and backpack electrofishing;

• Species at risk (SAR) investigations and development / negotiation of permits with government agencies;

• Ecological constraint analysis;

• Environmental impact statements and other approvals documents for municipal, provincial and federal authorities;

• Erosion and sediment control plans, monitoring and reporting;

• Surface water and stormwater quality monitoring and reporting;

• Onsite monitoring and reporting to regulators throughout your project and at the completion;

• Environmental policy and program development to address environmental compliance and liability.

We often monitor environmental mitigation measures required under various permits and approvals including as-required inspections of sediment and erosion protection measures, measurement and recording of water pumping volumes, collection and analysis of water (or effluent) quality samples for suspended solids and nutrients (etc.), removal of fish from watercourses prior to in-water works, and site inspections for species at risk immediately prior to use of heavy equipment.

We, finally, carry out ecological monitoring studies as can be required under more complex permits or approvals, and report back to agencies, again on behalf of our clients.

Our expertise in construction monitoring and support is demonstrated in our development of best management plans and operational statements for Fisheries and Oceans Canada. We developed the following documents and procedures:

1. Monitoring protocols to be applied by DFO staff to determine how well DFO’s (Ontario) 23 Operational Statements have worked to protect fish habitat;

2. Shoreline Stabilization Operational Statement; and

3. Best Management Practices for the following activities;

• Culvert construction

• Bridge construction

• Worksite isolation

• Excavation

• In water work

• Dredging

• Moorings

• Coffer Dams

• Hydro Generating Stations and Control Structure Repairs

Our support of construction activities is not limited to the ice-free period. We have been actively supporting various heavy-equipment operators in the installation of culverts on watercourses even through the winter months. The work is a little more complicated, but we have been able to assist a variety of winter jobs meet tight schedules.