Project Title: McConnell River Migratory Bird Sanctuary – Site Cleanup and Waste Removal Applicant Information: Ryan Bernesky, Project Manager, Nunami Stantec Ltd. 100-75 24th Street E., Saskatoon, SK S7K 0K3 ryan.bernesky@stantec.com; (306) 220-9386 On behalf of Mark Konecny, Contaminated Site Officer, Environment and Climate Change Canada1801 Hollis St, Suite 200, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 4N3mark.konecny@ec.gc.ca; 782-640-2947 Number of Project Personnel: The personnel visiting the Site will include three (3) contractor construction personnel (SILA), one (1) departmental representative from Nunami Stantec, one (1) local wildlife monitor, one (1) local guide/labourer, and one (1) pilot. The Project objectives are to: •Decommission derelict buildings and structures associated with the former bird research facility. •Safely package waste materials and debris (including drum caches) for off-site transport and disposal. •Transport and dispose of waste materials and debris to appropriate off-site waste disposal facilities in Quebec. Project Location: The Project is located within Kuugaarjuk (McConnell River) Migratory Bird Sanctuary (MBS), approximately 35 kilometres (km) south of Arviat, Nunavut. The Project activities will take place at six (6) locations within the McConnell MBS (Extra Drum Cache #1, Extra Drum Cache #2, Base Camp, West Viewing Tower, South Viewing Tower and Third Viewing Tower). Proposed Date and Duration of Visit to McConnell MBS: The duration of site decommissioning is expected to take approximately two to three weeks. The site decommissioning is currently scheduled to commence the week of September 9, 2024. Method of Transportation(s)The primary mode of transportation that will be used for the Project is helicopter. Waste Disposal: Any wastes that may be produced by the Project will be removed daily. Wastes that may be produced by the Project include garbage. No camping will take place. The focus of the Project is to safely remove and dispose of existing wastes that may pose a risk. Potential Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures Wildlife species (including migratory birds and species at risk) that reside near the Project locations may be temporarily discouraged from using nearby habitats due to increased noise and human activity. Mitigation measures will include avoiding wildlife species whenever they are observed to reduce the risk of disturbance; helicopters will maintain a minimum flight altitude of 1.1 kilometres during travel over the Kuugaarjuk (McConnell River) Migratory Bird Sanctuary; helicopters will take all reasonable measures to fly a safe distance away from migratory birds, seabirds, and coastal waterfowl. Measures will be taken to avoid conflict with wildlife, as encounters with bears may pose a risk to people visiting the six (6) Project locations. Measures that will be taken will include the use of proper food storage and deterrents. Food will not be stored at the Project locations overnight and garbage will be removed daily. A local wildlife monitor will be hired from the Hamlet of Arviat equipped with a firearm as a deterrent for potential bear encounters. Community Consultation and Involvement: The Nivvialik Area Co-Management Committee (Nivvialik ACMC) was engaged for the Project. Ongoing communications have been held with Mr. Guy Alikut, the Chair of Nivvialik ACMC since 2017. In-person community engagement meetings were held with the Arviat Hunters and Trappers Organization and the Hamlet of Arviat on February 27, 2024 to review the environmental assessment activities and results and to discuss plan for site cleanup and waste removal. A public information session was also held at the community center in the Hamlet of Arviat on February 27, 2024. Local community members will be participating in the Project. A local community liaison, local wildlife monitor and local guide will be hired from the Hamlet of Arviat to support the Project. The hiring of local community members will build on existing local capacity through employment, and training and skills development opportunities. The engaged communities and organizations will be informed of Project completion through written correspondence, following completion. Future Plans Within the Protected Area: The objective of the Project is to cleanup the areas of the site associated with the former bird research facility. No further environmental work is anticipated following the proposed site cleanup and waste removal.